Modern Polychrome Bear Storyteller c. 1990s by Inez Ortiz

Featuring one central figure and eight individual cubs holding honey jars, it seems that they are listening to a rather shocking story. Light black pigment covers the figures almost entirely, with light brown pigment on the ears and mouths. Because their native language, Keres, was unwritten, storytelling remains the vital link for preserving these traditions at Cochiti Pueblo (Ko'tyit). They also became acute observers of the foibles of non-Native Americans and put what they saw into figurative pottery.

Artists began blending traditional Pueblo clay techniques with universally recognized imagery; such as the Western association between bears and honey (akin to Winnie-the-Pooh or the classic American honey-bear squeeze bottle). It adds a touch of whimsy, humor, and cross-cultural appeal to a deeply traditional art form. This storyteller really serves as a focal point for the cubs' actions, such as the cub sticking its paw into the jar or fighting to get closer. This represents family unity, patience, and the playful chaos of raising children within the community.

A Deeper Look at Inez Ortiz:

It is traditional for Pueblo potters to teach their children the art of pottery making starting at an early age. Cochiti Pueblo (Ko'tyit) artist Juanita Inez Ortiz (1960-2008) Mapuwana ("Wild Rose") learned pottery making from her mother, Seferina Ortiz, and her grandmother, Laurencita Herrera. Inez's siblings, all of whom are potters, are Virgil, Joyce, and Janice (mother of Lisa Holt). She remained with traditional designs and shapes much like her mother and unlike that of Virgil and Lisa.

Inspired by her brother Virgil's artistic practice, Ortiz helped revive classic late 19th- and early 20th-century Cochiti human and animal forms, known as monos. She adhered strictly to traditional pottery techniques: hand-coiling her pieces, applying natural clay slips, and detailing her designs with a dark black pigment derived from wild spinach (guaco). This figurine is signed on the bottom I. Ortiz Cochiti, NM.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Inez Ortiz Polychrome Bear Storyteller c. 1990s is from the collection of a client from California

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

TAGS: Cochiti Pueblo, pottery making, Seferina Ortiz, Laurencita Herrera, Virgil Ortiz, Lisa Holt, Juanita Inez Ortiz