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Marilyn Ray
Acoma

Marilyn Ray is a full blooded Native American Indian. She is a member of the Yellow Corn Clan and born in 1954 into the Acoma Pueblo. She began experimenting with clay at the age of 12. Marilyn was inspired to learn the art of working with clay from observing her grandmother, the late Dolores S. Sanchez, work with her clay. She had mastered all the fundamentals by the age of 18 and has established herself as one of the finest Storyteller makers of our time. Her storytellers have been commented as being the largest, most complex and innovative styles.

Marilyn specializes in handmade sculptures like storytellers, small children, nativity’s, animals, and friendship bowls. She gathers her clay and other natural pigments from within the Acoma Pueblo. The clay and sand is prepared by drying, grinding, and sifting before it is mixed with water to produce the medium (weight of clay). The clay sculptures are then hand molded, air dried, and painted. Finally, they are fired outdoors, the traditional way, or fired in a kiln. The colors used on her sculptures are also provided from plants and minerals. Marilyn combines her skills in both traditional pottery making and figurative work. She signs her sculptures as: Marilyn Ray, Acoma , N.M. followed by a hand drawn lizard. She is related to: Rebecca Lucario, Judy Lewis, Diane Lewis, Carolyn Concho (sisters), Katherine Lewis (mother), and Sharon Bernard-Lewis (sister-in-law).

Awards:

-1980 New Mexico State Fair 1st Place
-1982 Santa Fe Indian Market 1st Place
-Eighth Northern Arts & Crafts Show 1st Place (several awards received)

Publications:

-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies
-Storytellers and Other Figurative Pottery
-Southwestern Pottery Anasazi to Zuni
-The Pueblo Storyteller
-Southwestern Indian Pottery 1999 Edition

Norman Red Star
Sioux

Norman Red Star, “Wi-Cahpe-Luza”, Swift Star, is a full blooded Native American Indian born into the Sioux Nation in 1955. He was inspired to continue the long lived tradition of crafting art by his Uncle, the famous, RedStarr. Norman began working with art at the age of 16. He started out with crafting bead work, and at the age of 24 he began hand carving sculptures on stone. At the age of 26 he began painting, and at the age of 40 he began crafting pottery.

Norman now specializes in hand crafting the traditional Santa Clara pottery with sgraffito etchings. He gets his ideas from hunting and mother nature herself. He etches animal legends on his pottery. He also accents his pottery with turquoise stones. Norman was quoted as saying: “The finished pottery is always a welcomed sight to see.” Norman signs his pottery as: Wi-Cahpe-Luza, Red Star, followed by a shield symbol, and finally with his census number.

Awards:

-Alacia Bullock Ceremonial Best of Class
-Alacia Bullock Ceremonial Best of Class

Publications:

-None to date

Red Starr
Sioux

Red Starr “Elk” is a full blooded Native American Indian born into the Sioux Nation in 1937. He was inspired to hand coil and craft pottery by Charles Blunt Horn (uncle), Norman Red Star (nephew), and Swift Bird (cousin).

Red Starr specializes in hand etching on the traditional black on black, Santa Clara pottery. He will etch animals, feathers, bear paws, and many other different designs. He accents his pottery with turquoise stones. He also hand carves sculptures on wood or stone, crafts belt buckles from bead work and he enjoys oil painting the most because he says: “I can get more creative and distinctive in my designs.” Red Starr signs his pottery as: Red Starr followed by an arrow, and includes his census # on every piece.

Awards:

- New Mexico State Fair
-1993 Santa Fe Indian Market 3rd Place
-1990 Santa Fe Indian Market 2nd & 3rd Place
-1988 Santa Fe Indian Market 2nd & 3rd Place
-Several other awards numerous to list

Publications:

- Pueblo Indian Pottery 750 Artist Biographies

Beatrice Riley
Jemez

Beatrice Riley was born into the Jemez Pueblo in 1951. She is a full blooded Native American Indian. She was inspired to learn the art of pottery making, and continue the family tradition of working with clay, from several members of her clan. She was also economically motivated to continue the tradition. She has been working with clay since 1962.

Beatrice specializes in handmade pueblo style storytellers, nativity’s, ornaments, and friendship pots. She digs up her clay from a sacred ground within the Jemez Pueblo. Beatrice cleans, mixes, hand shapes, molds, paints, and fires her clay figures,the traditional way, outdoors. She uses all natural materials and natural paints on her pottery sculptures. Beatrice signs her pottery as: B. Loretto, Jemez.

Beatrice is related to the following artists: Angie Loretto-Riley, and Lucy Loretto (sisters)

Awards:

-None to date

Publications:

-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies
-Storytellers and Other Figurative Pottery

Donna Navasie-Robertson
Hopi - Tewa

Donna Navasie-Robertson, “Parrot Girl”, was born in 1972 into the Hopi-Tewa Reservation. Donna was inspired to continue the family tradition of pottery making by her Mother, Marianne Navasie. She is also the grand daughter to Joy “Frogwoman” Navasie. Marianne taught Donna all the fundamentals of pottery making the traditional Hopi way. Donna began experimenting with pottery at the age of 10 and by the time she was 16 years old she began taking her artistic abilities more serious. The lucrative aspect of the business also contributed to her becoming an artist.

Donna specializes in hand coiling the white slip Hopi pottery which her great grandmother is credited for originating. Donna gathers all of the materials used on her pottery from within the Hopi Reservation. She cleans the clay, mixes, hand coils, sands, paints, polishes, and fires her pottery outdoors, the traditional way with sheep dung. All the colors that she uses on the pottery are extracted from minerals and plant life which are produced from Mother Earth and found within the Hopi Reservation. Donna makes a wide variety of shapes and sizes. She strongly believes in continuing family traditions, not just because of what family she was born into, but because it’s a way of life for her people, and she is proud to be a part of it. Donna signs her pottery as: Frog symbol with a tadpole and adds her initials “D.R.”

Paqua Naha (great grandmother) and the late Eunice “Fawn” Navasie (aunt) are among some of the many prolific artists that Donna is related to.

Awards:

- Gallup Ceremonial 2nd Place
-1999 New Mexico State Fair 1st Place

Publications:

-Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery
-Hopi-Tewa Pottery 500 Artist Biographies
-Art of the Hopi

Marie G. Romero
Jemez

Marie G. Romero, ”Drum Design”, member of the corn clan, was born into the Jemez Pueblo in 1927. She was inspired to continue the family tradition of pottery making by her Grandparents at the age of 8.

Marie specializes in all aspects of pottery making; from storytellers to all shapes of pottery. She gathers her own clay from a sacred area within the Jemez Pueblo. Marie mixes, hand coils, shapes, paints, fires outdoors the traditional way, and uses natural colors to paint her pottery. Marie signs her pottery as Marie G. Romero, Jemez.

Marie is related to the following artists: Laura Gachupin, Maxine Toya (daughters), Damian Toya, Camilla Toya, Gordan Foley, Benina Foley (grandchildren), Ponca Fragua, Bertha Gachupin (nieces), and Leonora G. Fragua (sister).

Awards:

-1999 Santa Fe Indian Market 3rd Place
-Eighth Northern Arts and Crafts Show
- Gallup Intertribal Arts and Crafts Show
- New Mexico State Fair
-Others too numerous to list

Publications:

-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies
-Southwestern Pottery Anasazi to Zuni
-Talking with the Clay
-American Indian Pottery 2nd Edition
-Southwestern Pottery 1999 Edition

Michael & Robin “Shy-Yai-Zta” Romero
Acoma

Michael & Robin “Shy-Yai-Zta” Romero are full blooded Native Americans born into the Acoma Pueblo. Michael was born in 1964 and Robin was born in 1968. They were inspired to continue the family tradition of working with pottery from several members of their family and other artisans. Michael & Robin were also motivated by the lucrative aspect of the business to learn the art of pottery making. They both learned the process of using natural pigments to hand coil pottery in their early teenage years.

Michael & Robin specialize in producing hand etched pottery. With a simple sharp carving tool and a little imagination Michael & Robin construct some of the finest etchings. They paint the ceramic pottery with natural paints and etch very intricate patterns and designs of animals like hummingbirds, deer, elk, and wolves. They also etch carvings of traditional kachina dancers. They are related to the following artists: Deborah Aragon (sister), Gertrude Romero (mother-in-law), and Wilbert Aragon (brother). These fine artists sign their pottery as: M&R Romero, Acoma , N.M.

Awards:

-1997 New Mexico State Fair 1st Place

Publications:

-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist

Pauline Romero
Jemez

Pauline Romero is a full blooded Native American Indian from the Jemez Pueblo. Pauline has been hand coiling pottery for more than 15 years. Her mother, Persingula R. Tosa, taught Pauline all the fundamentals of making pottery the traditional way. Her mother also strongly encouraged her to continue the family tradition and assist with keeping the long lived tradition alive.

Pauline continues to use the traditional methods of pottery making, but has come a long way from the poster-paint days of the Jemez pottery. She gathers her clay from within the hills of the Jemez Pueblo. She also cleans, mixes, hand coils, shapes, paints, polishes, and fires her pottery the traditional way, outdoors. She has a unique method of adding a hand stone polish to a red or buff colored slip. The shapes are swirl bowls, wedding vases and various shaped pots. Pauline has also started to etch on her pottery, which add a very elegant contrast to the her polished work. She signs her pottery as: Pauline Romero, Jemez.

Pauline is related to the following artists: Marie Romero, Christine Tosa, and Maxine Toya

Publications:

-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies
-Southwestern Pottery Anasazi to Zuni
-Collections of Southwestern Pottery

Awards:

- Santa Fe Indian Market, 1st & 2nd 1993-1997
- New Mexico State Fair