LOIS AND DEREK DE LA CRUZ (LOIS +)
SANTA CLARA PUEBLO

Lois and Derek de la Cruz make some of the most interesting pottery done in any pueblo today.  They make exclusively polychrome jars (generally large) that depict various aspects of traditional Pueblo life.  Using many colors, Lois does “paintings” on her pots of Pueblo dances, scenes of everyday life, and occasionally, wildlife.

Lois does all the potting and painting of the pots.  Her husband, Derek, who describes himself as a “true native New Mexican” of Irish, Hispanic and Taos Indian descent – in that order, helps with the firing which is always done outdoors.  It is also Derek who explores the Espanola Valley looking for the minerals used to makes the many colors of paints that give their pots their distinctive look.

In 1984, Lois and Derek won the BEST OF SHOW award at Santa Fe Indian Market.  Shortly thereafter they elected to home school their son, Juan, and the resulting time demands caused them to never again do any show.  They maintain a very low profile living a very traditional pueblo life.     

Lois and Derek have pots in several museum collections:  The Smithsonian in Washington DC; the Museum of Man in San Diego; and the Amerind Foundation in Dragoon AZ.

Lois is the daughter of the late Santa Clara potter Petra Gutierrez and the sister of well known potters Goldenrod (Gloria Garcia), Minnie Vigil and Thelma Talachy.