Wilfred Garcia

Deceased (1954 – 2017)
Acoma

Wilfred Garcia was born into Acoma Pueblo on March 28, 1954. He was exposed to pottery making growing up but did not participate in the art of making it until after he met his wife, Sandra Shutiva. Wilfred and Sandra both learned the traditional art from her mother, Stella Shutiva, who had learned it from her mother, Jessie Garcia. Originally, Wilfred was going to be a painter, but under the influence of his mother in law, he began to work with clay. Wilfred was the son of Tony and Lucy Garcia; bother of Elliott Garcia, Sr. and Mary Garcia Seymour. Wilfred often collaborated with his wife in making white jars with organic openings and carved cliff dwelling scenes. They also made white jars with appliqued ears of corn on them.

Wilfred participated in his first SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market in 1989 and won his first 1st Place Ribbon there in 1990. Since then he earned a steady stream of ribbons at Santa Fe, at the Heard Museum Show in Phoenix, the New Mexico State Fair, Eight Northern Pueblos Arts and Crafts Show and the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup.