Robert Tenorio

Artist Profile

Robert Tenorio was born in 1950 into the Santo Domingo “Kewa” Pueblo. He has been working with clay since the age of 10. He was taught the fundamentals of hand coiling pottery using ancient traditional methods from his family members. Lupe Tenorio shared some of her special techniques with Robert and helped inspire him to continue pottery work. His inspiration also stemmed from his admiration of the old pottery of his village.

Robert specializes in hand coiled traditional Santo Domingo pottery. He hand coils many shapes and sizes of pottery such as water vessels, dough bowls and traditional pots. Robert is continuously experimenting with different types of plants in hopes of making the special black color which was used on pottery several hundred years ago. He signs his pottery: Robert Tenorio, followed by a small dipper star formation and Kewa. He is related to Paulita Pacheco (sister), Gilbert Pacheco (brother-in-law), Hilda Coriz (sister), Ione Coriz (niece) and Juanita Tenorio (mother).