Jemez Pueblo

Virginia A. Lucero, member of the Fire Clan, is a full blooded Native American Indian. She was born in 1964 into the Jemez Pueblo.

Virginia was inspired to learn the art of working with clay from her friend, Marie Romero, who comes from a long line of famous pottery artisans. Marie taught Virginia all the fundamentals of working with clay using ancient traditional methods.

Marie also shared special techniques to make her tasks easier. Virginia began experimenting with clay at the age of 14. The lucrative aspect of the business also played a key role in her becoming an artist.

Virginia specializes in handmade storytellers. She gathers her clay from the hills within the Jemez Pueblo. She soaks the clay, hand grinds the clay, cleans the clay for imperfections, hand mixes, hand coils, hand shapes, and sands the sculpture by hand. Then, Virginia hand paints her finished products and fires her sculptures, outdoors, with cedar chips. The colors Virginia uses to paint her storytellers are boiled together from natural pigments and minerals also found within the Jemez Pueblo. She accents her sculptures with pieces of miniature pottery, painted jewelry, and toys.

She signs her sculptures as: V. Lucero, Jemez, followed by a rain cloud.

She is related to the following artists: Carol Lucero-Gachupin, Mary Rose Lucero (cousins), and Mary I. Lucero (sister).

Awards:
-None to date
Publications:
-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies