James Ebelacker
James was born and raised on Santa Clara Pueblo, learning and practicing the language and traditions of the Santa Clara people from his mother, Virginia Ebelacker, and grandmother Margaret Tafoya. His father, Robert Ebelacker, an Army Corps of Engineers Veteran, likewise imparted his youngest son with the values of duty and honor.
After attending college at Colorado State University, and having already established himself as a gifted Pueblo potter, James enlisted in the United States Air Force, and subsequently served multiple tours of duty as a paramedic all over the world. Throughout his service with both the Air Force and the Alaska Air National Guard, James carried his family’s teachings with him, continuing to create masterpieces in clay, traveling back to New Mexico several times yearly, and passing down that knowledge to his daughters.
After 31 years, Chief Master Sergeant Ebelacker retired and made the welcome journey back home to the Pueblo. Currently, he lives and creates at his studios in Albuquerque and Santa Clara.
James has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards for his pottery, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southwest Association of Indian Arts in 2012, Traditional Pueblo Pottery Award, Best of Division/Pottery, and numerous 1st and 2nd place awards. His work can be found in the collections the Eiteljorg Museum in Indiana, and the Denver Art Museum in Colorado, among others.
Sarena Ebelacker
Sarena began making pottery at age 3 when curiosity called to her from her grandmother’s pottery studio. Misshapen lumps of clay eventually became intricate effigies of the animals Sarena saw in the backyard, and a passion for creating through clay was born when at 9 years old she crafted her first pot.
Growing up in a family full of artists, Sarena was drawn to making art as a way of life, which led her to further her studies at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and upon graduating with her BFA, she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she received her Master’s degree.
That same curiosity and passion fostered as a child has manifested itself in her artwork today, which blends modern design elements with the traditional Santa Clara Pueblo pottery aesthetic. Currently, Sarena lives and works as a Senior Graphics Designer in Providence, Rhode Island with her fiancée and fellow creative, Sam.
Sarena has been the recipient of numerous awards for her pottery, including many from the Southwest Association of Indian Arts’ annual Indian Market. Her work can be found on the front cover of the 2010 Native Peoples Magazine as an emerging potter of “Generation Next,” and in private collections and museums internationally.
Jamelyn Ebelacker
From a young age, Jamelyn displayed a fascinated attention to the details of the natural world around her, and a healthy proclivity for questioning the norm. Her inquisitiveness has led her on a plethora of grand adventures in life, as well as in her artwork.
In 2015, Jamelyn graduated with a BFA in New Media Arts from the Institute of American Indian Arts, and set to work establishing the Ebelacker Family Pottery art collective with her father and sister.
Jamelyn recently returned from serving 3 years in Saint Lucia and Dominica as a Volunteer Leader for the United States Peace Corps. There, she took pride in her work as a literacy specialist, coral reef conservationist, environmental impact educator, and community project coordinator.
Jamelyn currently lives and works in Santa Clara Pueblo as a graphic designer, social media manager, and producer for an upcoming Indigenous performing arts project.
Jamelyn has been the recipient of numerous awards for her pottery, particularly from the Southwest Association of Indian Arts’ annual Indian Market. Her pieces can be found in many private collections and galleries nationally.