Richard Ebelacker was born into Santa Clara Pueblo in March 1946. His parents were Virginia Ebelacker and Robert Ebelacker. His maternal grandparents were Margaret Tafoya and Alcario Tafoya. He grew up learning how to make pottery from his mother and grandmother. Margaret, especially, taught him how to make exceptionally large redware and blackware pots.

Richard is the great grandson of Sarafina Tafoya, who is the mother of Margaret Tafoya. Margaret's oldest child is Virginia Ebelacker and Virginia's oldest child is Richard. All four of them were the only potters at Santa Clara who had the skill to make gigantic storage jars, some as large as 36 inches high. 36 inches is the height of your normal kitchen counter.

Constructing a large storage jar, at one time used for grain, corn or other foodstuff, is outrageously difficult. First, you need an enormous amount of hand-dug, clean clay. Coiling the pot needs to be done in stages so the pot can dry enough to support each additional coil. The pot will collapse if it cannot support itself.

Drying is slow to avoid cracking. Once the pot is dry, sanding the surface smooth creates mountains of dust. Afterwards, polishing is a real challenge. First, a slip (watery clay) is painted on to the surface and then, with a smooth river stone, the potter must rub the surface of the entire pot with the stone in a single sitting. This polishing is repeated over and over until a lustrous sheen is created. If you stop polishing, you run the risk of leaving a mark where you begin again.

The large pots were rarely decorated, and, if so, there was only a bear paw print. The most treacherous part of the process is the firing. Building a fire that big is dangerous and if the heat is not even over the entire pot, you run the risk of one area of the piece shrinking faster than the rest and having the pot crack or fall apart. Then just moving that heavy monster piece can be difficult. To make those big pieces takes strength, time, patience, determination and even more strength and talent. Today, the only Santa Clara potters who make larger pieces (but not as big as storage jars) are James Ebelacker, Richard's brother, and Jason Ebelacker, Richard's son.

Richard exhibited his gigantic pots at Santa Fe's Indian Market for 25 years and won countless awards. At the Market, potters still display their pieces on folding tables. Richard's pots were so big and tall, that every time I walked by his booth, I could never tell whether he was there, tending his work. He would peek out between or around his "forest" of pottery. He created his own shade on those hot August days.

Around 1968, Richard, along with his brother James, were encouraged by their mother Virginia to make pottery. After graduating from high school, Richard served in the U.S. Marine Corps, returning from Vietnam in 1966 to a job as a fireman in Los Alamos, New Mexico. He also was employed part time at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. With two jobs, he did not have much extra time to make many of those large, time consuming pieces. He most enjoyed forming the pots and really disliked sanding them. Apparently, he was allergic to the dust! Richard died in 2010.

Some of the Awards won by Richard

• 2004 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class II - Pottery, Div. C - Traditional pottery, carved or incised, in style of San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Cat. 1006 - Miscellaneous, First Place
• 2001 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II - Pottery, Div. B - Traditional, Cat. 906 - Miscellaneous, Third Place; Div. C - Traditional, carved or incised, Best of Division; - Cat. 1005 - Miscellaneous, First Place
• 1999 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class II - Pottery, Div. A - Traditional, Cat. 902 - Jars, First Place and Second Place; - Cat. 906 - Wedding Vases, Third Place
• 1997 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class II - Pottery, Div. A - Traditional, Cat. 902 - Jars, Third Place; - Cat. 906 - Wedding vases, Second Place; - Div. C - Traditional, Cat. 1006 - Wedding vases, First Place
• 1996 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II - Pottery, Div. A - Traditional, Cat. 902 - Jars, Third Place; - Cat. 906 - Wedding vases, Third Place; - Div. B - Traditional, Cat. 906 - Wedding vases, Third Place
• 1995 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II - Pottery, Cat. 905 - Other bowls, Third Place
• 1994 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class II - Pottery, Div. D - Traditional, carved, Cat. 1106 - Wedding Jars, Second Place
• 1993 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class II - Pottery, Large Pottery Award; - Div. B - Traditional undecorated, Best of Division; - Cat. 902 - Jars, Second and Third Place; - Cat. 906 - Wedding vases, First Place; - Cat. 1102 - Jars, Second Place
• 1992 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class II - Pottery, Cat. 902 - Jars, First Place and Second Place; - Div. B - Traditional, undecorated, Best of Division
• 1991 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II - Pottery, Best of Classification; - Div. B - Best of Division; - Cat. 902 - Jars, First Place
• 1988 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II - Pottery, jar over 8 inches tall, Second Place
• 1986 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II - Pottery, carved red jar, First Place - Carved red jar with serpent design, Second Place - Red water jar, Second Place - Carved red jar, Third Place
• 1985 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II - Pottery, Red water jar, First Place - Red wedding vase, Second Place
• 1983 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II - Pottery, Div. D - Traditional, carved, Third Place
• 1982 Santa Fe Indian Market. Class. II - Pottery, traditional carved pottery, Second Place
• 1981 Santa Fe Indian Market, Class. II - Pottery, Best of Division - Traditional carved pottery, First Place
• 1980 Santa Fe Indian Market. Traditional carved pottery, Third Place
• 1979 Santa Fe Indian Market. Second Place for a black and white jar
• 1978 Santa Fe Indian Market. First Place for a carved water jar
• 1977 Santa Fe Indian Market. Second Place for a melon bowl;
  - Third Place for a wedding vase