Tsosie, Emily Fragua

“Everything I create is a favorite piece, because I created it.”

Emily Fragua-Tsosie, Corn Pollen, was born into Jemez Pueblo in 1951. She told us her mother, Grace L. Fragua, and grandmother, Emilia Loretto, inspired her to learn to hand coil and pinch clay sculptures about the time she turned 12. They encouraged and motivated her to learn the traditional art of working with clay so that she could add to the ages-long Jemez Pueblo tradition of constructing works of art using ancient methods.

Emily learned where to gather the clay and how to clean, sift and shape it into the forms she wanted. Then she was given designs to learn to paint and taught how to fire her pottery outdoors.

By the late 1960s she set off on her own, making Corn Maidens and other figures. People often asked her about her favorite style to make and she usually replied, “Everything I create is a favorite piece, because I created it.” Emily specialized in storyteller figures and Corn Maidens.

Among the artists in her family she counted well-known potters Leonard Tsosie (her husband), Rose Fragua, Chrislyn Fragua, Bonnie Fragua and Carol Gachupin. She and Leonard also taught their son, Darrick Tsosie, how to make pottery and he’s become an award-earning maker of animal nativities and storyteller figures.

Emily participated in shows like the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show in Espanola, New Mexico (where she took home at least one First Place ribbon) and the Santa Fe Indian Market (where she took home Second and Third Place ribbons). When we asked her this question about her awards she shook her head and said, “Too many shows, too many ribbons to remember.” Emily signed her pottery: E. Fragua Tsosie, Jemez.

Emily passed on in July, 2021.