Thomas Natseway was born to Betty and Pete Natseway of Laguna Pueblo in April, 1953. He didn't know much about making pottery until he met his wife, Charmae Shields. Thomas was working as a journalist back then and was assigned to do an interview with Charmae. The meeting was fateful: it sparked a lifelong love. After they were married he began an in-depth course in learning the traditional art from his wife and her mother, Ethel Shields.

Thomas tells us his favorite pots to make are miniature reproductions of ancient Laguna pots. He has a very large collection of "hard cover pottery books" and is always looking through them for new ideas. He also likes to visit museums and delve into local archives. It's hard to get Thomas to talk about himself.

His wife Charmae says "Thomas is just like Gentle Ben. He loves his family, his nieces and nephews" and "he gives, very kind-hearted, sacrifices for his family."

Today, Thomas says "I love my work, especially miniatures. I love the challenge of making miniatures." He says he used to participate "in all the shows, but not any more." These days he says the Heard Museum show and the Santa Fe Indian Market are enough for him.

Some of his pieces are in the permanent collections of the Denver Art Museum, Albuquerque Art Museum, San Diego Museum of Man, the University of Nebraska Art Museum and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

Some of the Awards Won by Thomas

• 2024 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division F - Miniature Pots, individual pieces under 3 inches in any dimension: Best of Division
• 2024 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division F - Miniature Pots, individual pieces under 3 inches in any dimension, Category 1001 - Traditional: First Place
• 2023 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division F - Miniature pots, individual pieces under 3 inches in any dimension, Category 1001 - Traditional: Second Place
• 2023 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division F - Miniature pots, individual pieces under 3 inches in any dimension, Category 1003 - Figures, including sets: First Place
• 2017 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division F - Miniature pots, individual pieces under 3" in any dimension, Category 1004 - Sets where overall size exceeds 3" in any dimension: First Place
• 2008 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division F - Non-tradtional design or form with Non-Native materials: Honorable Mention
• 2008 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division G - Pottery miniatures: First Place
• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division K - Traditional jars, wedding jars and bowls, plain, burnished black, red or whiteware, Category 1702 - Traditional jars, wedding jars and bowls, painted or unpainted: Second Place
• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II - Pottery, Division K - Traditional jars, wedding jars and bowls, plain, burnished black, red or whiteware, Category 1704 - Non-traditional forms or designs, Second Place