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Handcrafted Zia Pottery - Traditional &
Contemporary
Diana Lucero's work is wonderful and full of her spirit.
She epitomizes what we at The Spiral Collection are looking
for. She was influenced by her mother, who was influenced
by her grandmother. Diana continues the spiral by influencing
her daughter and granddaughter. |
Read Diana's story in her own words below.
"As a child, I remember watching my mother setting
up her clay and making the pottery in the middle of the
room. I'd watch her create a piece and give it her spirit.
I would sit beside her hoping I could transfer my spirit
into the clay as I had watched her do, I practiced this
craft throughout my stay in my parents' house. |
As I have stated, my mother was my first influence in my
life as a potter. She was always encouraging without being pushy.
She would tell me stories of her grandmother's endeavors at pottery
making and of how she would trade her wares for their basic needs.
My mother also told me stories of other women in the family and
their mastery of certain aspects of the art.
My husband and my children have inspired me as well. Their
recognition and praise has helped me to rekindle pride in my work
and to make me feel I can be successful as an artist. Their encouragement
motivated me to keep alive this ancient way of pottery making...
My mother has been blessed to live her 80+ years in good
health. Realizing though my mother's time with us may be limited,
made me think about how little I knew and remembered of what went
into making pottery. My mother had always been the one to actually
prepare the materials for our pottery making. I remembered digging
the clay and watching my father crushing the rocks (basalt), getting
it ready for my mother to grind into a fine powder. I remembered
gathering the cow manure used in firing, and all the heat and
hard work involved with all that. I remembered, but I didn't know
how.
As we worked and I was taught, the spirits of the clay rooted
themselves in my being, asking for my breath, and seeking life
by my hands.
My mother tells me the spirits are very possessive, and that
our hearts and minds must be free of wordly matters and focused
solely on the creation...
I feel I can further promote the awareness of Native American
crafts, especially pottery, its traditions, the craftsmanship,
and a little of the spirituality, through my own work and through
participation in shows and events which could allow this to happen.
I am proud of my work, and my heritage. I hope my pottery
demonstrates this. I hope I can pass this pride to my children
and inspire them with desires of their own.
My mother, Vicentita S. Pino, and I are proud members of
the Indian
Arts & Crafts Association. This organization's purpose
is to promote Indian art at its finest, ensure its authenticity,
and to establish and maintain high standards for both artists
and retailers/wholesalers. An additional goal of this organization
is to educate the public about Native American Art."
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