Gladys Paquin

Stratyu’we, Laguna
Deceased (1936 – 2020)

Gladys Paquin was born in 1936 in Rehoboth, NM, to a Laguna mother (Adeline Juan) and Zuni father (Dwight Paquin). At the age of 10 she moved to Santa Ana Pueblo to live with her father and stepmother and at the age of 43, she returned to Laguna. She began making pottery in Laguna in 1980. Her clay was dug from the hills at Laguna. The paints are all natural clays coming from the bee plant juice and rocks from around Laguna. Gladys felt very strongly images on the plate almost died out at Laguna, and Gladys was partially responsible for keeping that art form alive. Her pieces have won numerous awards, and on display in many permanent museum collections.

I was fortunate enough to have a marvelous Open House demonstration and sale of her works in 1997. People so enjoyed meeting her in person and watching her work. She was a delightful and talented woman. Gladys taught her sons Danny and Andrew Padilla as well as Max Early and Myron Sarracino in the art of pottery making. We all miss her.