Lowden, Virginia

Virginia Lowden was born into Acoma Pueblo in June 1936. Because the men are relatively unimportant in matriarchal pueblos, we don’t know who her father was but her grandmother was Lupe Chavez.

Lupe was born around 1900 and became an active potter in the 1920s. She was known for making polychrome ollas, bowls and jars. Because of the gap in the family record, Virginia most likely learned to make pottery from Lupe. Virginia’s sister-in-law, Mary Lowden, might have learned from Lupe, too.

Virginia became an active potter in the marketplace in the 1950s, making polychrome ollas, jars and bowls like her grandmother made.