Jemez Pueblo Storyteller Pottery Doll By Judy Toya

Late 20th Century

6.25" H x 4.5" L x 4" W

Hand Crafted from Clay of a Sitting Adult with Three Kids and One Holding a Baby and another Holding a Pot

In Very Good Condition

Judy Toya (1953–2023) was a respected Jemez Pueblo potter known for her handmade Storyteller pottery dolls/figurines. Born into the Water Clan at Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico. She learned pottery from her mother, Mary E. Toya, and came from a family of potters. She was the niece of pottery mask maker Fannie Loretto and storyteller potters Lupe Lucero and Alma Concha. She began making pottery around 1972–1978 and used traditional methods by digging clay from the Jemez Pueblo, applying natural slips/pigments, and firing outdoors. She specialized in Storyteller figures (often mothers, grandfathers, or families with multiple children) and nativity sets, which became collector favorites. She also made other items like friendship pots and ornaments.