Mary Louise Tafoya

NATIVE AMERICAN (Santo Domingo Pueblo)
United States, New Mexico

This pendant is a lesson in how family history can be lost, and recovered. After Carolyn’s death from breast cancer, Ornament, in conjunction with the Wayne Art Center in Pennsylvania, and through the generous efforts of Carolyn’s good friend Carol Sauvion, organized an exhibition celebrating her life, and magnificent collection of jewelry.

This piece was purchased by Carolyn at the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, but we did not remember who the artist was. While we did state we were unsure as to whose it was, it had been attributed to another artist, Mary Coriz Lovato.

In 2025, again at the Heard Fair, Patrick walked by the table where Mary Louise Tafoya sat. Recognizing her work, he excitedly told her about the connection, and that the pendant had been in an exhibition of his mother’s jewelry. Now, this brilliant example of stone inlay is properly attributed to its maker, Mary Louise.