Santa Clara is one of the Tewa speaking pueblos of New Mexico. The pueblo is over 6,000 feet in elevation in the Rio Grande valley between the Jemez and Sangre de Cristo mountain ranges in northern New Mexico.

The pueblo maintains its ancient traditions, language and culture while successfully embarking on various tribal enterprises which help to sustain the community quality of life by creating employment and funding tribal government services and programs that benefit the people.

Santa Clara is well known for its polished black and some red and polychrome pottery. Santa Clara pottery is produced from the red clay from the area which turns black when fired due to the chemical reaction among the heat, clay and manure which is used in the firing process. Pots frequently crack in the drying and firing process so the beautiful unblemished finished pots are considered precious and valued.

Carved designs have been part of Santa Clara pottery since the early 1900s. Van and Lela Gutierrez and their children including Luther and Margaret are widely attributed as developing and perpetuating the polychrome style using multi colored slips and dyes to decorate their pottery. Contemporary pottery includes red, black and polychrome pottery with variations on styles, glazes and carved and etched designs, sometimes containing semiprecious stones embedded in the finished pieces.

Other traditional art forms include mocassin making, weaving, embroidery, rattle and drum making. Other contemporary artwork includes silver and gold jewelry, paintings, and sculpture.