Elija Naranjo Smith

Santa Clara

Eli was born May 8, 1977 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is the son of the Santa Clara potter, Dolly Naranjo, and the brother of Jody Naranjo. Eli learned how to make pottery from his mother, Dolly. He has been actively working on pottery since 2000. Like the other traditional potters in his family, he makes his own clay, and uses all hand dug slips. His work is hand coiled and fired outside in the traditional method. Eli is well known for his incised work. He carves the designs after firing. He received the Dubin Fellowship from School of American Research in 2005. Eli has been awarded a 1st place ribbon at the Santa Fe Indian Market. He is a very skilled potter, and a delightful person.