Ivan Lewis Female Storyteller with 14 Kids and a Dog [SOLD]

A Cochiti female storyteller by Ivan Lewis (1919-2001) carrying 14 children and a dog is a notably elaborate piece. While storytellers with two to six children are relatively common, figures with 14 children and an added animal represent a substantial, high-density work from his career.

Acoma Heritage to Cochiti Style: Born into a legendary ceramics lineage at Acoma Pueblo, Ivan was the son of matriarch Lucy M. Lewis. However, he did not make pottery while living at Acoma. After serving in WWII and marrying Rita Banada of Cochiti Pueblo in 1944, he moved to Cochiti.

Transition to Figurine Work: Encouraged by his wife and her family, Ivan began making pottery in the mid-1970s (becoming a full-time potter around 1977). He worked entirely in the Cochiti figurative tradition, using native Cochiti clays, traditional white slip, red clay accents, and wild spinach (guaco) black paint.

Distinct Repertoire: While best known for his humorous cowboys, wild west characters, and animal figures, Ivan and Rita produced classic seated storytellers both individually and collaboratively.

Key Features of This Specific Figurine

Child & Animal Count: A total count of 14 children alongside a dog puts this among his more ambitious figurative works. In Cochiti tradition, animals (like dogs, coyotes, or birds) added to a storyteller represent the inclusive nature of Pueblo oral tradition, where stories are shared with all members of the household.

Iconography: Expect the classic Cochiti open-mouth gesture on the primary figure — symbolizing the breath of life and the active transmission of oral history — with children clinging to her arms, shoulders, lap, and back.

Signature: Signed Ivan Lewis, Cochiti, N M . 

Condition: very good condition following one small repair

Provenance: this Ivan Lewis Female Storyteller with 14 Kids and a Dog is from the collection of a client from California

Recommended Reading: Clay Mirror - From Monos to Storytellers: Reflections from Cochiti Pueblo. The Tom & Charlotte Mittler Collection

TAGS: Lucy M. Lewis, pottery, Acoma Pueblo, Cochiti Pueblo, Rita Lewis, pottery figurines, Ivan Lewis