Ancient Voices

A Museum to honor the least known people in North America, the Original Tribal Women


Pottery

Cochiti Pueblo

The Cochiti pueblo lies on the banks of the Rio Grande River, between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. This pueblo existed before the Spanish entrada. Tradition includes them in a group of prehistoric Anasazi.

Cochiti potters participated in the tourist trade at the turn of the Century, including some work in the area of making figurines. They continued to make traditional pottery, usually cream to white slipped grey-ware, with polychrome designs. Then the Cochiti Reservoir was built in the early 1960s. The lake covered their primary source of clay, and they turned to other sources. About this same time, they turned heavily to emphasizing ceramic caricature figures.

One thing sets the Cochiti potters apart—they have fun with their whimsical characters, poking jests at themselves, and at the Anglo tourists as well.


Helen Cordero
1915 - 1994

Helen Cordero, who passed away on July 24, 1994, was truly an original artist. Unable to fashion pottery vessels in a manner with which she could be satisfied, she changed her course to figurative pottery, rather than give up altogether. Little did she know that she was starting a new tradition in pueblo pottery production.

In 1964, Helen Cordero modified her original idea and created an open mouth male figure, based on her grandfather- Santiago Quintana, with five children clinging to him while he told them stories. This was the beginning of the "storyteller" figurine of an adult male with numerous children clinging to every part of him. A storyteller made by her is to be a treasured item in any collection. Helen used a male figure because she felt that the true storytellers were males and that female figures should be called "Singing Mothers".


The First Storyteller by Helen Cordero
Alexander Girard Collection
Museum of
International Folk Art

Santa Fe

Cordero has received a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Publications about Helen Cordero:
PUEBLO STORYTELLER by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith, Photographs by Lawrence Migdale
HELEN CORDERO AND THE STORYTELLERS OF COCHITI PUEBLO By Nancy Shroyer Howard

Snowflake Flower
(Stephanie Rhoades
)

Snowflake Flower (Stephanie Rhoades) of Cochiti Pueblo, has been an active potter since 1979 working with Storytellers, Nativities, jars, bowls, owls and figures. A mother and grandmother, A major influence on her work came from observing her grandmother, Estaphanita Herrera, one of Cochiti Pueblo's esteemed potters.

Her Storytellers are known for the "Prayer Feathers" that adorn each one. Snowflake Flower states,
"I began putting these feathers on top of each figure in 1983 when my daughter, Patricia Ann Loretto, went into a coma. I continued to put these feathers on my figures so the prayers for her recovery would be spread throughmore and more people. Finally, on December 21, 1999, our prayers wereansweredwhen my daughter woke up after being asleep for 16 years!"
from "Southwest Pottery" by Dr. Gregory Schaaf.

As Snowflake Flower works she sings songs her mother and father taught her. She remembers expressions on the faces of loved ones, their response to a funny story, the pleasure of a life shared with children. These are the qualities reflected in her work.

She has won many awards at many venues including the Santa Fe Indian Market, the New Mexico State Fair,Southwest Indian Art Show, and the Albuquerque Indian Arts Show.

http://armadillotradingcompany.com/snowflakeFlower.html

Mary Trujillo
1937 -

Mary Trujillo learned to make pottery figurines from Helen Cordero, her mother-in-law. She is one of the most accomplished potters of the pueblo.

Mary came up with the idea for this storyteller by remembering her own grandfather, who told tribal chants and stories to the beat of his drum. Her grandfather always wore a black hat with no creases, just like this grandfather.

Mary has won numerous awards throughout the years, at all the various Pueblo art shows.


The above pot was made by Mary Trujillo's mother Leonidas Tapia who was an active potter from the 1950's to approximately1975. She was the wife of Jose Blas Tapia. Leonidas made traditional San Juan polychrome redware bowls, jars and wedding vases. She also made micaceous pottery. Some of the designs she used on her pottery include the water serpent, kiva steps and clouds. Leonidas participated in the Santa Fe Indian Market from 1970-1976. Mary learned her original pottery expertise from her mother before moving to the Cochita Pueblo when she married Helen Cordero's son Leonard. Leonidas Tapia passed on in 1977.


Other potters from this Pueblo include Virginia Naranjo, Inez Ortiz, Martha Arquero, Ada Suina, and Dorothy Herrera

http://www.canyonart.com/s-teller.htm

http://www.casetradingpost.com/miscDirectorySr.asp?CustComKey=3070

Please click on the links below to see the various pottery families.

 

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Museum Research & Curator Gloria Hazell
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©May 15, 2006/2007