Karen Naranjo-Samaniego

Artist Profile

Karen Naranjo-Samaniego was born into the Navajo Reservation in 1967. Karen began creating Santa Clara pottery at the age of 19. Karen attended Brigham Young University and decided to take a break from college for one summer and visit her father, Wilson Price, Jr. in Santa Fe, N.M. During her visit, she met Forrest Naranjo, fell in love and later married him. Bernice Suazo-Naranjo (ex mother-in-law) taught Karen and Forrest the fundamentals of workings with clay. Continuing long lived traditions is extremely important to Karen. “I practice my skills as a potter because a part of myself goes into every piece of art which I create. Thus, I am adding to the long lived legacy of my ancestors,” Naranjo-Samaniego said. Karen signs her pottery: Karen Naranjo Samaniego.