Montoya, Desideria

Desideria Montoya Sanchez (1889-1982) was a younger sister of Maria (Montoya) Martinez. She, too, learned how to make San Ildefonso Pueblo pottery at an early age and did several pottery making demonstrations with Maria in her younger years.

The most noted demonstration was at the Museum of New Mexico in 1909 with Maria, Anna (Maximiliana Montoya – another of the Montoya sisters), Tonita Roybal and Ramona Gonzales.

Desideria also worked directly with Maria making pots and learning the black-on-black techniques from Julian. Her own forms and painted designs were, however, distinctly different from those of Maria and Julian. There are some who consider her designs to be among the most innovative of San Ildefonso designs from that era.

Desideria signed her pots as “Desideria Montoya”, “Desidera” or “Desidera Montoya”.