Lucy M Lewis

Lucy Martin Lewis (1890 or 1898-March 12, 1992) was a Native American potter from Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico. She is known for her decorative pottery made using traditional techniques. Next to Maria Martinez of San Ildefonso Pueblo, Lucy was one of the most famous Southwest potters.

She started making pottery at the age of eight, learning the traditional methods from her great aunt, Helice Vallo. Lucy’s pottery is formed by hand, using coils of gray clay. After a pot is shaped and dried, she would apply a white slip. Without the slip the mineral paints wouldn’t stick to the pot. Then the design was applied using mineral paints and a brush made from the chewed ends of a yucca leaf. On a day when the weather was right, she would fire a small number of finished pieces. Results were rarely 100% with some pieces ending up cracked and the background on others would be gray instead of white (which could sometimes be fixed by refiring), but a few would come out wonderful.

Her designs were inspired by potsherds from the prehistoric Anasazi and Mimbres cultures found on Acoma Pueblo property. Her designs included star patterns, flowers, parrots, rainbows, lightning patterns and the “deer-with-heart-line” design of the Zuni (which they gave her explicit permission to use). Her decorations were often colorful, consisting of black, brown, yellow and orange designs on a polished white slip.