Mildred Chavarria

Artist Profile

Mildred Chavarria, “Millie”, was born into the Santa Clara pueblo in 1946. She was inspired to make pottery by her mother Pablita Chavarria, who has won numerous awards. She began playing with clay at the age of 10, but didn’t spark much interest in pottery making until 1986.

Mildred specializes in the hand coiled and hand crafted Santa Clara black on black pottery. She was taught to mix clay, hand coil, shape, etch, fire and polish her pottery the traditional way, outdoors. She enjoys carving elements of the earth or symbols of water serpents on her pottery. Mildred signs her pottery as: Millie Chavarria, Santa Clara, NM. Mildred is also related to Reycita Naranjo, Elizabeth Naranjo, Florence Browning and Mary Singer.