Lucy Martin Lewis

Haak'u (Acoma Pueblo), 1903-1992

BiographyThe date of birth for Lucy Martin Ortiz Lewis is unknown. It is given as c. 1898-1900 by Schaaf; Peterson's biography of her says 1890s, although others in the book suggest 1900 or 1912; Collins biography gives a date of c. 1895. National Museum of American Indian and the U.S. Social Security Death Index (online) gives her date of birth as 1903. The reality is that even Lucy doesn't seem to know for sure. 21 July, 2017 - T. Young

Lucy Martin Lewis, 1890–1992, was a Native American potter from Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico. She is known for her black-on-white decorative ceramics made using traditional techniques.

Lewis began making pottery at age eight, after studying with her great aunt, Helice Vallo.

Lewis's pottery is made from a gray claybody and formed by hand using coils. After the pot is shaped and dried, a white slip is applied. Without the slip the mineral paints would run off the pot. Next the design is applied using mineral paints and a brush made from the brush holds more paint and makes finer lines than regular brushes bought at a store. Finally on a day when the weather is right for a firing, a small number of finished pieces are carefully pit-fired. Results are rarely 100%. Some pieces will end up cracked, the background on others will be gray rather than white (these will need to be refired), but a few will be wonderful. Lewis's pottery featured innovative designs and she has been compared to Pablo Picasso. Lewis was known for the animals, and line designs she drew on her pottery. Her work is influenced by the color of the sky, along with her Native American culture. Lewis was mostly self-taught and her art was natural and innate. Lewis specialized in small pots that were usually six to twelve inches in height. Lewis' tribe, the Acomas, considered the clay she used for her pottery to be sacred. The creation of a single pot could take as long as two to three weeks. In 1983, Lucy Lewis was given New Mexico's Governor's Award for outstanding personal contribution to the art of the state. In 1977, she was invited to the White House. Her work is part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution. Her designs are inspired by Anasazi and Mogollon culture potsherds.

Lewis did not speak any English. Her final art show was the 1991 SWAIA Indian Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico.[1]

Native American pottery making is passed down the matriarchal line, mothers, grandmothers, and aunts teach kin. Originally, the pottery was meant to be used for ritual purposes, or serve practical needs such as holding their food or water. It was only during Lewis' time that pottery came to be appreciated as art. Even though Acoma Pueblo potters did not sign their work, Lewis began to sign hers in 1950. This act of independence created controversy within her community.[3]

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