Nora Naranjo-Morse

Contemporary artist and poet Nora Naranjo-Morse instinctually infuses a resilient ancestral sensibility from her rugged Santa Clara Pueblo homeland into her art. Deeply influenced by her parents’ Tewa worldview, Nora has been immersed in the spiritual practices that contribute to becoming a complete
human being. Her central commitment is the generational transfer of both ancient and contemporary tribal experience, the sum of many fleeting moments that create identity and culture.

An expressive hands-on learner and educator, Nora favors earthbased materials like glittering micaceous clay and adobe. She also sees potential in more uncommon media, including discard that can be repurposed into meaningful art. Nora’s work can be found at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC. Her impactful public art piece at NMAI, “Always Becoming,” in many ways exemplifies Nora’s preference for knowledge transmission: interactive, collaborative, and benefiting from collective
stewardship. Every year the circle that tends to “Always Becoming” widens, as Nora intentionally entrusts volunteers with the caretaking and renewal of her art.

Nora received an honorary doctorate degree from Skidmore College in 2007.