Ethel Gutierrez-Yazza

Artist Profile

Ethel “Turquoise Rock” Gutierrez-Yazza was born in 1959 into the Santa Clara-Tewa Pueblo. Ethel began working with clay at the age of 5. She was taught the fundamentals of hand coiling traditional black pottery.

Ethel specializes in stone polished black Santa Clara pottery. Her carvings include serpents, kiva steps, feathers and water waves which all symbolize important religious beliefs to her people. She signs her pottery as: Ethel Yazza, Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico. She is related to Effie Garcia, Julie Gutierrez, Sally Gutierrez-Tafoya (sisters) and Eugene Gutierrez (brother).