Seferina Ortiz
Cochiti Drummer
8 1/2"
H x 6 1/4" D
Seferina Ortiz (1931-2007)
is one of the most respected potters of Cochiti Pueblo. She learned
pottery making from her mother, Laurencita Herrera. She is represented
in many museum and private collections. The Peabody Museum of
Harvard University has 32 pieces of her pottery in its collection.
She is also the matriarch
of a family of innovator potters including Virgil Ortiz, Janice
Ortiz and Lisa Holt. Seferina created traditional style Cochiti
pottery figures and vessels. Seferina won numerous awards for
her pottery at events such as Santa Fe Indian Market.
The Ortiz Family (Cochiti
Pueblo) is the latest in a long line of Southwestern Indians
making figurative pottery. Cochiti Pueblo is well known for pottery
"storyteller" figures. They are usually seated, almost
always female, and often have one or more children on their laps
or backs.
Seferina always encouraged
her daughters Inez, Janice and Joyce, to follow her lead. All
are skilled at making storyteller and animal figures, with Joyce
well known for her mermaid and nativity sets. Her son, Virgil
Ortiz, pioneered a revival of the 19th century style of standing
human figures, including social commentary.
A close-knit family, they
share the tasks of gathering clay and tempering sand, with communal
firing with cow dung fuel, usually at Seferina's house. The Ortiz
family show deep respect for the tradition of their people, while
exercising their individual creativity.