Dorothy Loretto Trujillo, Cochiti Pueblo Potter

Dorothy Loretto Trujillo (1932-1999) Pueblo Affiliation: Laguna / Jemez / Cochiti | Clan: Water Clan | Active: ca. 1950s-1990s

Born to a Laguna mother and a Jemez father, Dorothy Loretto Trujillo learned potting fundamentals as a child before marrying Onofre Trujillo and settling at Cochiti Pueblo, where she was granted permission to use local Cochiti clay. Mentored in the Cochiti figurative tradition by master potter Damacia Cordero, Trujillo became a key figure in Pueblo ceramics. She began crafting her signature Storyteller figures prior to 1970-featuring anywhere from one to over forty babies-and introduced Nacimientos (Nativities) in 1972. In addition to storytellers, she produced polychrome jars, bowls, sculptures, and jewelry, passing her knowledge on to a new generation of potters, including two of her daughters. Her work is held in major permanent collections, including the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History.

Reference: Southern Pueblo Pottery: 2,000 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf.

TAGS: Laguna, Jemez, Storyteller figurines, jewelry, Cochiti Pueblo, Damacia Cordero