Artisan Talk: Professor Clarence Cruz

To create traditional Pueblo pottery, ceramic artisan and professor Clarence Cruz works with raw materials that he gathers from different sites on public lands. In talk about his process, Cruz will demonstrate how to make a pottery vessel, why they are important to his culture, and the significance of the practice. 

Clarence Cruz (Khuu Khaayay) is Tewa from Ohkay Owingeh, formerly known as San Juan Pueblo. He is a Traditional Potter and teaches ceramics at the University of New Mexico, also sharing his expertise and knowledge with Native communities. In 2012 he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Allan Houser Legacy Award for his work continuing the living traditions of Pueblo pottery.