Southwest Storytellers and Pottery
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Southwest Pueblo Indian Storytellers and pottery
My fascination with storytellers began on my first visit to the American Indian Guild Show at the local fairgrounds several years ago. There were weavers, artisans, jewelry makers, and potters selling their creations everywhere. But what really caught my fancy were the seated male and female clay figurines with their mouths open. Each one had its own personality.
There were always children, sometimes lots of children, sitting on laps, perched on the shoulders, on top of heads, or clinging to the back of shawls. The different expressions on the children's faces were unique and so delightful to look at.
I asked one of the vendors what these doll sculptures were and why their mouths were all open. He asked, "Didn't your grandmother ever tell you stories when you were a child?" And so I found out that day that these delightful clay storytellers were started in 1964 by Helen Cordero, a potter from Cochiti, New Mexico, as a tribute to her grandfather, Santiago Quintana, who always told stories to his grandchildren.
And thus started my love affair with pueblo storytellers.
I am showcasing my collection of storytellers and pottery and sharing my sentiments about each one.
Where are the pueblos of New Mexico?
Map of the 19 pueblos and Indian reservations
The Pueblo people are located primarily in New Mexico, however, at one time the Pueblo's homeland reached into the states of Colorado and Arizona. Pueblo people rooted in this region of the southwest are descendants of an indigenous Native American culture that has established itself over many centuries.
The First Storyteller
Cochiti Pueblo
Where it all started.
The original storytellers were male figures modeled after Helen Cordero's grandfather who sang and told stories of Indian heritage and traditions to his grandchildren. The females were known as "Singing Mothers", but later on, storytellers came to mean any clay sculpture that was male or female. Later, animals were incorporated into the term storytellers.
Clay was gathered from a secret sacred place, hand-coiled, handpainted and fired the traditional way in the ground. No molds or kilns were used.
See Helen Cordero's storyteller with 24 figures at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
This is a Cochiti female storyteller by DH (Dorothy Herrera). This demure mother does not have her mouth open like the typical storyteller and is holding on to three happy, well-behaved kids.
Kewa (formerly Santo Domingo) storyteller
One baby and a doll
This mother storyteller by G. Tenorio appears to be appeasing her restless baby.
Note that even the baby's doll has its mouth open.
Taos storytellers
My favorite pueblo
This is a large storyteller by Taos potter, Margaret Quintana. I mistook it for a Japanese doll from afar because of its Asian features and hair style. It has ten playful children wearing traditional colorful clothing, attentively listening to the songs or stories of this male storyteller.
This female storyteller by Cheyenne Jim (Diane Lynn) is made of mica clay. Her works are easy to single out as these have a distinctive style and are never painted over except for tiny details. Feathers and leather straps are often incorporated into Cheyenne Jim's storytellers.
This is a small Christmas ornament of a tired female storyteller. It could be a mother or grandmother singing lullabies to three small children. The expression on her face leaves a lot to interpretation. Do you hear "Hush little baby, don't you cry?"
Acoma storytellers
This female storyteller, by Darlene Lee Vallo,with three kids, is a caricature with exaggerated eyelashes. The four children look like they are up to no good. I often refer to this storyteller as the Tammy Faye Bakker doll.
This delightful storyteller by Judy Lewis shows the gentle nature of the singing mother and her three children. Judy included small details like three gray birds, a butterfly, a crow, and a kitten. Note the tiny lizard, gecko painted on the boy's leg pants. The gecko is one of the good luck symbols of the Southwest.
Acoma Pottery
This Acoma pot is adorned with geckos or tiny lizards, which are native to the southwest, and believed to bring good luck and fortune by many native American tribes. This is a beautiful hand-coiled clay pot signed V.(Virginia) Garcia of the Sun Clan. Virginia is known for her hand-painted lizards on pre-historic pottery.
This small traditional Acoma seed pot was painstakingly hand-painted in a black and white geometric design. The artist is Tena Garcia of Acoma, New Mexico.
This Acoma pot is made of white clay and has a spotted gecko, a bear and a bear paw cutout. This is not a hand-coiled pottery but a greenware pottery poured into a mold. I really like the symbolisms in this piece. The gecko for good luck, the bear for strength and leadership, and the bear paw for direction and power.
Isleta Pueblo
The storytellers from Isleta pueblo have a cherubic countenance and always have their eyes closed. This is a mother storyteller by L.Teller who has lulled her three children and a puppy to sleep with her soothing lullabies.
The back view of the storyteller shows her hair tied into a neat bun.
Isleta Miniature pots
These two miniature pots are 1 1/2 inches tall, but still charms with their colorful designs.
Storyteller bell
I bought this storyteller pottery bell from eBay several years ago. It almost looked like a Nativity scene, but at close inspection, this is really a singing mother with three small children and an infant.
Navajo seed pot
This is a traditonal brown-colored Navajo seed pot with etched Yei figures and cornstalks. The square-head masked figures are females who possess healing powers. The cornstalks represent the signs of life for the ancient Indians of the Southwest.
The pot is painted with melted pinon (pinyon) tree pitch to give it a waterproof glaze. The pinon pine is the New Mexico State tree.
Jemez storyteller with two babies.
Two is a good number
The majority of my storytellers are from the Pueblo of Jemez, which is one of the 19 pueblos located in New Mexico. Jemez is known for the beautiful red clay used for pottery. The people are internationally known for their arts and crafts.
This is a singing mother storyteller by Lyda Toya with two babies. The painted circles on the cheeks are distinctive characteristics of most of the Jemez storytellers.
Jemez Storyteller with 4 kids
Fashionable and chic
This caped charming storyteller, with painted turquoise earrings and necklace, has four animated boys to boot. This was made by P. Tosa of Jemez.
This female storyteller by L. Tsosie, has four happy girls sitting on their mother's lap; two of them seem to be singing along with mom. Again, note the circles on the cheek.
The braided hair of this mother storyteller gives her a fashionable twist. She has succeeded in lulling her 4 children to sleep.
This one is signed by F.L. of Jemez. Many of the artisans from Jemez bear this same initials, so it is hard to give credit to the creator.
Jemez storyteller with 6 kids
More is merrier
This female storyteller, by C. Gapchupin, has kids learning their ABCs. She may be a teacher or babysitter.
This piece was purchased for me by a friend who traveled to New Mexico.
This colorful storyteller by L. Lucero has 6 children in various moods. One of them looks like she is tired and cranky and needs an afternoon nap.
Jemez female storyteller with 10 kids
Not what it seems
This storyteller by Caroline Sando, "Peacock Feathers", was made from natural clay gathered from the sacred grounds within the Jemez Pueblo. There are eight round-faced kids sitting contentedly on her lap. But wait, look around, there may be more.
Two little ones are clinging to their mother's cape at the back.
Jemez storyteller with 15 kids
Kids galore
This storyteller by potter H. Sando has real turquoise nuggets for her earrings and necklace. She is shown also flanked by 13 kids in front.
Or are there more?
Aha! Two mischievous kids are hiding in the back, clinging to the storyteller's sash. Fifteen rambunctious kids all in all!
Jemez Storyteller with 33 kids
And the winner is.....
This is my largest storyteller by Caroline Sando, and also the most prolific. With 33 kids stacked up to her neck, this storyteller seems to be making a roll call rather than singing or telling stories. Real turquoise cabochons were used for the jewlery.
Jemez Pueblo seed pot
A master potter's work
This beautiful seed pot was hand-coiled and handpainted by potter B.J.(Betty Jean) Fragua of the Jemez Corn Clan. The fine piece of buff vase is designed with geometric representations, and a corn stalk, which is a symbol of life. It is the mainstay for many tribes of the southwest pueblo Indians. The texture of the seed pot is extremely smooth and highly polished.
Southwest Indian coloring books from Amazon
Great book for the whole family
Children of Clay: A Family of Pueblo Potters (We Are Still Here)
Amazon Price: $4.68 (as of 06/04/2012)
This is a wonderful book with beautiful photographs that children can relate to. It shows the step by step process of how pots are made, from digging for clay to firing the pots. It shows how the modern American Pueblo Indian family lives and works together, and a bit of history of the pueblo potters.
Pueblo storytellers and pottery Links
Invaluable information
- THE COLLECTOR'S GUIDE: THE FIRST STORYTELLER
- In 1964 Helen Cordero of Cochiti Pueblo created a first in what was to become a favorite collecting category.
- Pueblo Pottery - guide to New Mexico pueblo pottery styles
- An overview guide to New Mexico pueblo pottery styles. Find out how Pueblo Pottery is made step-by-step.
- THE COLLECTOR'S GUIDE: WHAT DOES THIS INDIAN SYMBOL MEAN
- Decorative and symbolic, here are a few Indian symbols seen frequently
- Storyteller Dolls and Their Little Listeners | Jerrie Hurd Takes Family History Seriously . . .
- Jerrie Hurd Takes Family History Seriously . . .
Make Your Own Storyteller Dolls
Easy instructions
This is a fun link with instructions on how to make your own storyteller doll. It can be a man, woman, child or even an animal. You do not need to have a kiln for this project, just self-hardening clay, a small bowl of water, old newspaper, paint brush and acrylic or poster paint.
How to make your own Storyteller Dolls
Get these signed authentic pueblo seed pots from eBay.
Start your collection now
Handcoiled and handpainted storytellers for one and all
One-of-a-kind collectibles
The Great Photo Shoot
This is collection of various Southwest Indian storytellers from the 19 pueblos and 3 reservations in New Mexico. Each artist has his or her own distinctive style. See if you can identify some of the pueblos from where these storytellers came from based on the photos from my own collection. It will be a challenge to own a storyteller or pottery from every pueblo.
This is the most extensive storyteller collection in print
Pueblo Storyteller is a favorite form of pottery
Storytellers and Other Figurative Pottery
Amazon Price: $10.10 (as of 06/04/2012)
Storyteller dolls have became a favorite form of pottery among the Pueblo Indians of the American Southwest. It was started by potter Helen Cordero in 1964 who made a clay of her grandfather, Santiago Quintana, with five children clinging to him as he told them stories. And so the first storyteller doll was born and artists and potters from other pueblos starting from Cochiti, Taos, Sto. Domingo, Santa Clara, Jemez, to name a few, continued this tradition that Helen Cordero started.
Once of the most in demand collector's book
Pueblo Stories & Storytellers
Amazon Price: $8.14 (as of 06/04/2012)
Avid collectors of the delightful Pueblo storyteller dolls will love this book which is an introduction to the storytelling and the creation of the dolls.
An inspiration to children
Helen Cordero And The Storytellers Of The Cochiti Pueblo (Closer Look Activity Book)
Amazon Price: $16.50 (as of 06/04/2012)
This book teaches children to appreciate the remarkable clay storytellers started by potter Helen Cordero (1915-1994). These figures of an open-mouthed mother, grandmother, grandfather with children tumbling all over them are a symbol of the oral tradition amongst the Native American Indians. Children who like to play with clay will be inspired by the whimsical and simplicity of these figurines and encourage them to create their own.
Art for your home
Books you cannot put down
Another story to tell
This lens received the Purple Star Award on March 8, 2011. My heartfelt thanks to the Squidoo lensmaster who nominated this lens.
Angels flew by and blessed the Storytellers
Thank you so much angels
Another choir of angels came
and sprinkled blessings
More Squid Angels stopped by
and left angel dust
What did you think of this storyteller lens?
Was it informative?
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picnicideas
May 28, 2012 @ 7:28 pm | delete
- This lens is absolutely beautiful. It's important to bring attention to Native North American art. Well done!
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samsipet
May 27, 2012 @ 4:45 pm | delete
- Not enough is done to present native Indian art, and your page is a wonderful awakening.
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bikerministry
May 25, 2012 @ 7:17 am | delete
- I have two Storytellers, one was a gift with 7 children hanging on the Storyteller, I got it before I had grandchildren, I now have 6 grandchildren and have always wondered if 7 was my number? I also have one that was used as a trophy for first place in a motorcycle show in Utah at the "Healing of the Nations Rally" back in 2001. This is a fine lens, very well done. Blessings.
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bakerwoman May 25, 2012 @ 4:46 pm | delete
- Thanks bikerministry for the blessings. 7 storyteller children could mean another grandkid on the way maybe? I love these storyteller figurines because each one is unique and they all seem to speak to me.
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raitoavi
May 6, 2012 @ 4:50 am | delete
- I never knew pottery could be so meaningful and beautiful, a very enlightening lens.
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---Chazz
Apr 13, 2012 @ 12:08 pm | delete
- Wonderful stories and I love how even the colors you chose for the boxes work so beautifully with your pictures. Blessed and featured on my "Wing-ing it on Squidoo" lens.
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elynmac
Apr 10, 2012 @ 10:45 am | delete
- Your telling of the story is wonderful - and I loved the storyteller with 33 children. Fantastic.
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Koupie Apr 2, 2012 @ 3:03 pm | delete
- Beautiful pieces of art, and something I am new to. thank you for sharing them with us :)
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KathyMcGraw
Mar 9, 2012 @ 9:07 pm | delete
- Came back and reblessed this...just as great as I remember it :)
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snazzify
Mar 9, 2012 @ 2:06 am | delete
- blessed by a squid angel :) <3
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by bakerwoman
I am an avid baker, a knitting fiend, a watercolorist, and an art collector. I also love nature and wildlife. A day job keeps me busy which I blend with... more »
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