Medina, Elizabeth

Elizabeth Medina was born into the Toya family of Jemez Pueblo in 1956. She grew up surrounded by some of the finest Jemez Pueblo potters. She made Jemez-style pottery herself until she married Marcellus Medina of Zia Pueblo in 1978. Then she moved to Zia and received permission from the Zia elders to make pottery in the Zia style.

Elizabeth learned Zia styles from her mother-in-law, Sofia Medina. Because she has been at Zia Pueblo and has made pottery in the Zia style most of her adult life, she is referenced as a Zia potter. Today Elizabeth is probably the finest of all working Zia potters.

Elizabeth’s pieces are all hand-coiled and shaped, painted with native clays and ground fired in the traditional way. She also often collaborates with her husband, Marcellus. Working alone and with Marcellus over the years she has acquired a significant collection of blue ribbons from the Santa Fe Indian Market and from the Heard Museum Indian Art Fair & Market.

Some Awards earned by Elizabeth

• 2019 Santa Fe Indian Market: Pueblo Pottery Excellence Award shared with Marcellus Medina. For creative excellence in the use of traditional materials and Native techniques and designs in Pueblo pottery
• 2019 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division B – Traditional Painted Pottery, Category 604 – Painted polychrome pottery in the style of Jemez, Zia, Santa Ana, Sandia, San Felipe, Isleta, any form: First Place shared with Marcellus Medina
• 2000 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II, Division E – Traditional pottery, jars with painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, Category 1206 – Jars, Zia, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo or Cochiti: First Place
• 1999 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division E – Traditional pottery, jars with painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface: Best of Division shared with Marcellus Medina
• 1999 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division E – Traditional pottery, jars with painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, Category 1206 – Jars, Zia, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo or Cochiti: First Place shared with Marcellus Medina
• 1999 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division E – Traditional pottery, jars with painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, Category 1206 – Jars, Zia, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo or Cochiti: Third Place
• 1998 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division E – Traditional pottery, jars, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, Category 1206 – Jars, Zia, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo or Cochiti: Third Place
• 1998 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division E – Traditional pottery, jars, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, Category 1206 – Jars, Zia, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo or Cochiti: Honorable Mention with Marcellus Medina
• 1993 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Traditional pottery, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, jars, Category 1303 – Jars, Zia, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo or Cochiti: Second Place
• 1992 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Traditional pottery, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, jars, Category 1303 – Jars, Zia, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo or Cochiti: First Place
• 1991 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Traditional pottery, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, jars, Category 1303 – Jars, Zia, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo or Cochiti: Second Place
• 1991 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division G – Traditional pottery, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, all forms but jars, Category 1404 – Other bowl forms, over 8 inches in diameter: Third Place
• 1986 Santa Fe Indian Market: Wounded Knee Award – Best traditional pottery bowl or jar 15″ or more in height or diameter
• 1986 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Traditional pottery, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, jars, Category 1203 – Jars, Zia, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo or Cochiti: Third Place
• 1983 Santa Fe Indian Market, Classification II – Pottery, Division F – Traditional, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface: First Place