Santana Martinez

Santana Martinez (1909-2002) came from a family of potters. Her grandparents Dominguita Pino Martinez and Santiago Martinez, mother, Alfonsita Martinez Roybal, brother Alfonso Roybal (Awa Tsireh), and aunt Tonita Roybal were well known for their pottery or painting. Martinez Learned to make pottery from her grandmother, mother and aunt.

She married Adam Martinez, the eldest son of Maria and Julian Martinez. Julian trained her in pottery painting and after Julian died in 1943, Santana and Adam worked with Maria, Santana on the painting and Adam on the gathering clay and firing. In 1956, Maria began making pottery with her son, Popovi Da and Santana and Adam focused on their own pottery around 1956 with Santa working on the potting, painting and polishing and Adam gathering the clay and firing the completed pieces.