Storytellers ~ Singing Mothers ~ Rain Gods ~ Nativities  

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Native American Storytellers ~ Singing Mothers

"The inventor of the Storyteller form is Helen Cordero of the Cochiti Pueblo, New Mexico, though the tradition of figurative pottery predates Helen by many centuries. In their excellent book, "The Pueblo Storyteller', Barbara Babcock, and Guy and Doris Monthan date figurative pottery in the Southwest to perhaps as early 300 B.C. and certainly as early as 400 A.D. among the Anasazi, the predecessors of today's Pueblo Indians.

Helen Cordero was born in 1915. In the 1950s she was making "Singing Mother" figures. These were sitting female figures holding one or two children on their laps. They were quite popular and were made by many Cochiti potters. In 1964, Helen Cordero made the innovation which would prove to be a milestone in figurative pottery. Instead of the traditional female figure, she modeled one after her grandfather, Santiago Quintana. The grandfather storyteller, his mouth open and five children clinging to him, was an endearing figure and the public sought more. We have learned that Helen Cordero believes that the true storyteller is a male figure, and that female figures are properly called "Singing Mothers." As their creator she certainly is an authority on the subject of storytellers, but the form she began has taken on a life of its own. More and more people are making storytellers, at Cochiti, the surrounding pueblos, and even from other peoples like the Navajo, Blackfoot, and Hispanics. The term "storyteller" has become generic and is used to describe not only male figures, but females, clowns, mudheads, frogs, owls, turtles, coyotes ...nearly any figure that has an adult figure surrounded by or covered with children.”

From "Storytellers and Other Figurative Pottery" by Douglas Congdon-Martin. Published by Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, Pennsylvania. A wonderful book that we highly recommend to those interested in Storytellers. This book can be ordered by clicking the title of the book as found on our Learn More page. Click here.


Click the links below to see work by these artists.

L. Lupe Lucero

L. Lupe Lucero
Laguna/Jemez

Leonard Tsosie

Leonard Tsosie
Jemez
SOLD

Cheyenne Jim

Cheyenne Jim
Navajo Nation
SOLD

Fannie Loretto

Fannie Loretto
Laguna/Jemez

NEW

Joyce Lucero Jemez Pueblo

Joyce Lucero Jemez Pueblo

Chrislyn Fragua

Chrislyn Fragua
Jemez Pueblo

Quintana

Mary E. Quintana-Baca
Cochiti Pueblo

Carol Lucero-Gachupin

Carol Lucero-Gachupin
Jemez Pueblo

Emily Fragua Tsosie

Emily Fragua Tsosie
Jemez Pueblo

Tony Dallas

Tony Dallas
Hopi/Pima

Judy Lewis

Judy Lewis
Acoma Pueblo

Leonard Tsosie

Leonard Tsosie
Jemez
SOLD

Angie Loretto-Riley

Angie Loretto-Riley
Jemez Pueblo

Joyce Lucero Jemez Pueblo

Joyce Lucero Jemez Pueblo

Carol Lucero-Gachupin

Carol Lucero-Gachupin
Jemez Pueblo

Joyce Lucero Jemez Pueblo
SOLD

 

Tony Dallas
Hopi/Pima

Joyce Lucero Jemez Pueblo

Joyce Lucero Jemez Pueblo

Carol Lucero-Gachupin
Jemez Pueblo

Leonard Tsosie

Leonard Tsosie
Jemez
SOLD

Snowflake Flower
Cochiti Pueblo
SOLD

Gary Gutierrez red sculpture

Gary Gutierrez
Santa Clara

Emily Tsosie

Emily Fragua Tsosie
Jemez Pueblo

Linda Askan

Linda Askan
Santa Clara / Navajo

u

Judy Lewis
Acoma Pueblo

Tony Dallas

Tony Dallas
Hopi/Pima

Carol Lucero-Gachupin

Carol Lucero-Gachupin
Jemez Pueblo

Snowflake Flower

Snowflake Flower
Cochiti Pueblo
SOLD

Joyce Lucero Jemez Pueblo

Joyce Lucero Jemez Pueblo

Chrislyn Fragua

Chrislyn Fragua
Jemez Pueblo

Judy Lewis

Judy Lewis
Acoma Pueblo
NEW

Angie Loretto-Riley

Angie Loretto-Riley
Jemez Pueblo

 

Judy Lewis

Judy Lewis
Acoma Pueblo
NEW

Clayton Lucero
Jemez Pueblo

Snowflake Flower

Snowflake Flower
Cochiti Pueblo

Carol Lucero-Gachupin

Carol Lucero-Gachupin
Jemez Pueblo

Mary Small
Jemez Pueblo

Carol Lucero-Gachupin

Carol Lucero-Gachupin
Jemez Pueblo

Chrislyn Fragua

Chrislyn Fragua
Jemez Pueblo

Pamela Quintana

Pamela Quintana
Cochiti Pueblo
SOLD

 

 

 

 

Chris Fragua
Jemez Pueblo
SOLD

Toya Nativity

Marie Toya
Jemez Pueblo

Bonnie Fragua
Jemez Pueblo

SOLD

Some feedback......

"Your package arrived in perfect condition yesterday and I simply could not be happier! This nativity set is even more lovely here in my hands than it was in the picture on your website. I have collected nativities for many years and especially love Native American ones. This one is an absolute treasure and will remain on display year round. Thank you so much for making these incredibly beautiful works available to us, and for packing them with such loving care before shipping them. I know I will be doing more purchases with you in the future. You are appreciated. Heart felt thanks."
B.F. ~ Raleigh, North Carolina ~ 3/6/07

"My storyteller arrived today in mint condition--you did pack it extremely well. I couldn't be more pleased. She sits calmly amidst the pictures of my five granddaughters and seems to belong there. Thanks for everything,"
D.G. ~ Wisconsin

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