Delores M. Aragon
Delores M. Aragon is named after her grandmother, Delores Sanchez a respected potter who lived to the age of 103. The younger Delores began making clay animal figures at the age of five. She learned by watching her grandmother and mother, Marie S. Junanico. Her mother-in-law, Wanda Aragon, also reinforced traditional techniques in Acoma pottery making. Today, Delores is especially known for her traditional designs and her fine miniatures.
The artist recognized her ancestors, "The old techniques of my ancestors have motivated me even more so to become a part of this tradition. By doing so, I too try different techniques. My grandmother and those before her were strong in keeping the spirit and tradition alive."
Delores believes strongly that you must feel the spirit of pottery deep in your heart. She shared the spiritual dimension of pottery: "They can be really sacred, if you believe in it. It makes me feel good - a part of our ancestors - to do it in the traditional way." (Brown 1993:19)
