Felecita Eustace Female Storyteller with 10 Children

This female storyteller by Cochiti Pueblo artist Felicita Eustace is obviously happy with her story judging by the happy look of her face. She has a big smile. The ten children are arranged all over her, front and back. She is dressed in traditional pueblo clothing, and the children sport a variety of clothing.

There are three children on the back and the remaining seven scattered on the front and sides. Each child is different, as one would expect if they were real children. Some have smiles, some are attentive, some have objects in their hands, and at least one appears to be asleep.

Felicita Herrera Eustace (1927-2016) was the daughter of Domingita and Nestor Herrera of Cochiti Pueblo but she was raised by Laurencita Herrera, who was Seferina Ortiz's mother. It appears that the Herrera's were related and it is often that relatives raise the child of another. Felicita married Ben Eustace of Zuni Pueblo and they eventually settled at her pueblo. Felicita reportedly made her first figurine in 1986, but it was not a storyteller figurine.

Felicita Eustace passed away at age 89. At 88 years, she was still working making storyteller figurines, using all native materials and firing in the traditional outdoor firing process. She told me that she still had clay that her husband, Ben, gathered for her years ago so she did not have to worry about digging clay.

When her grandson brought her to the gallery with this storyteller figurine, she said to me "You remember my grandson. He was only this tall (using her hand) the last time you saw him. Now he is so big." Her grandson, smiling, then said "She is just getting smaller so I look bigger to her."

This storyteller figurine was purchased from Felecita in November 1991 and sold to the client from whose estate we now have it back.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Felecita Eustace Female Storyteller with 10 Children was purchased from the artist and sold to a client from whose estate we now have it to sell again

Recommended Reading: The Pueblo Storyteller: Development of a Figurative Ceramic Tradition by Barbara Babcock Ph.D.

TAGS: Cochiti Pueblo, storyteller figurines, Seferina Ortiz, Ben Eustace, Zuni Pueblo, Christina Eustace, Jolene Eustace, Felicita Eustace