Rita Lewis, Cochiti Pueblo Potter

Rita Lewis (1920-1991) was a master of traditional Cochiti Pueblo pottery, renowned for the charm and wit of her whimsical figurines. Throughout her career, she remained deeply committed to historic methods-sourcing native Cochiti clay, natural slip, and vegetal paints, and firing every piece outdoors in the traditional manner.

Born into a rich artistic legacy as the daughter of celebrated potter Ascencion Banada, Rita expanded her artistic lineage when she married Ivan Lewis, son of the iconic Acoma potter Lucy Lewis. In 1971, Rita and Ivan began collaborating on bowls and animal figurines before creating their first storyteller figurines around 1973.

Rita's work holds a significant place in Pueblo art history. When Adobe Gallery hosted its inaugural storyteller exhibit in Albuquerque in 1979, Rita was one of only five potters creating these distinct figures-alongside luminaries Helen Cordero, Dorothy Trujillo, Mary Frances Herrera, and Seferina Ortiz. Today, though all five of these pioneering matriarchs have passed, Rita Lewis's imaginative spirit endures in the prized collections of Pueblo art enthusiasts worldwide.

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

TAGS: Helen Cordero, Dorothy Trujillo, Mary Frances Herrera, Seferina Ortiz, storyteller, Lucy Lewis, Ivan Lewis, Cochiti Pueblo