ZUNI, N.M. (Nov. 18, 2025) — Twelve Emerging Artist Apprentices from the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project, ages 13 to 23, had an opportunity to showcase and sell their Pueblo pottery on Thursday, Nov. 6, at Ho’n A:wan Park. This marked the culmination of the students’ 10-week apprenticeship program under the guidance of instructors Gaylan Westika and Jacob Frye, which was made possible with support from the Bezos Family Foundation and First Nations Development Institute.
According to Elroy Natachu Jr., ZYEP’s arts coordinator, the showcase was well attended, and the students sold approximately $1,800 worth of Pueblo pottery in just two hours. The pieces ranged from pinch pots and small bowls to larger ollas, or water jars.
“It was awesome to see the way our community came out to support our apprentices,” Natachu said. “They were really impressed with the students using all-natural materials.”
Those natural materials included locally sourced clay; colors and pigments produced with regional minerals and vegetables; and a paint binder derived from a wild bee plant. When boiled down, the plant yields a sticky substance – the color and consistency of molasses — that glazes over and adheres to the pottery’s porous surfaces.
The 10-week journey from the first day of class to the showcase involved a lot of ups and downs for the students, Natachu added. Clay is temperamental. It can dry too fast, stay too wet, or fall unexpectedly.
“It turns out the way it wants to,” he said with a laugh. “The apprenticeship program tested our students, not just with lessons from the art form itself, but also with their own exploration of who they are and what they want to do. They had a lot of a-ha moments.”
He also noted that the apprenticeship classes served as a getaway from the challenges and distractions of daily life. While in class, the students were able to slow down, focus, and put all their time and energy into their projects.
“In a way, it was meditative,” Natachu said. “They also learned to be intentional and channel positive energy, because when you’re feeling bad, your negative emotions go into your pieces.”
Perhaps the biggest revelation for the art students was discovering how their art could connect past and present. While much of the Pueblo pottery created today is intended for art markets and collectors, it traditionally was a vital, functional part of daily life.
“The students were often surprised to learn why a piece is the way it is, and at the showcase, they enjoyed being able to explain what they learned in class,” Natachu said. “As they learned about forms and pattern work, they realized the pottery wasn’t just pretty. It gave them a peek into the past.”
Different designs and interpretations reveal how Zuni people viewed their world, he explained. They emphasize the importance of moisture, share the life cycles of plants and animals, and offer deeper insight regarding what the Zuni people’s ancestors had to do to survive.
According to Natachu, most of the students in this group of Emerging Artist Apprentices want to continue learning about Zuni pottery so they can share that knowledge and pass it down to future generations.
“There was a time when Zuni pottery was not being made,” he said. “Now that we are experiencing a second boom, we want to make sure the art form and lessons endure.”
To learn more about the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project and its programs, and for information about making donations, partnering with ZYEP, and volunteering, call (505) 782-8000 or visit zyep.org. To stay up to date on the latest news and events, follow the nonprofit youth organization on Facebook (/zuniyouthenrichmentproject), Instagram (@zuniyouthenrichmentproject), YouTube (/ZuniYouth), and TikTok (/zyep09).
Founded in 2009, the nonprofit Zuni Youth Enrichment Project is dedicated to promoting resilience among Zuni youth so they will grow into strong, healthy adults who are connected with Zuni traditions. ZYEP fulfills its mission by providing positive role models, enriching programs, and nurturing spaces that contribute to the healthy development of Zuni youth. ZYEP strives to provide every child with the encouragement and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.
