Artist Info
Lucy Martin Lewis
Lucy Martin Lewis was born around 1890 in Acoma Pueblo, and began learning traditional clay and firing techniques from her great aunt at an early age. As a teenager, Lucy often traveled to Grants with her mother to sell their ceramic-ware to railroad passengers. Unexposed to artistic forms outside of the sacred ceremonial pots held in the local kiva, Lucy drew inspiration from the shards of ancient Mimbres-style fineline pottery she found walking in nearby Chaco Canyon. Today, she is best known for her innovative and striking black-on-white painting style inspired by these ancient designs. All aspects of her work she did independently: collecting and preparing the clay, shaping, firing and painting. Lucy passed away in 1992.
Summarized from " Pottery by American Indian Women: The Legacy of Generations" by Susan Peterson (1997), 74-77.
