Toya, Mary

Mary Ellen Toya was born into Jemez Pueblo in May 1934 and passed on in 1990. She married Casimiro Toya Jr. in the early 1950s and they raised six daughters: Anita Toya, Henrietta Toya Gachupin, Judy Toya, Marie R. Toya, Mary Ellen Toya and Melinda Toya Fragua. Mary made sure all of them learned how to make pottery as they were growing up.

Mary made mostly matte polychrome and red-and-black-on-tan storytellers, bowls, jars, wedding vases and plates. She made some of the largest storytellers ever made, some of them had more than 100 babies attached to them. Her favorite designs included terraced clouds, kiva steps and cloud tracers.