Yepa, Marcella

Marcella Yepa is a member of the Jemez Pueblo Sun Clan. She grew up surrounded by working potters but she wasn’t interested until she was about 19. Then she asked and her grandmother, Felipita Yepa, took Marcella under her wing and shared with her all the fundamentals of making hand-coiled traditional pottery. When she had the basics down, Felipita then took her out and showed her which hills provided the best clay to work with and showed her special techniques she’d developed to make her art.

Marcella developed her own methods and style from there. Today she specializes in hand-coiled contemporary swirl and melon-styled pottery in many shapes and sizes. She usually makes jars, seed pots and wedding vases but sometimes makes other traditional forms, too.

Marcella has participated in shows like the Cherokee Art Market and the Tulsa Indian Art Festival, both in Tulsa, OK, earning First Place ribbons at both. She was also a regular participant in the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show, earning several First, Second and Third Place ribbons there. She earned a Second Place award at the 2018 Santa Fe Indian Market for a set of figures. Marcella signs her pieces either: M Yepa Jemez or Marcella Yepa Jemez.