Jemez Pueblo

 

Virginia Fragua, “Ponca Flower” is a full blooded Native American Indian. She is a member of the Corn Clan and was born into the Jemez Pueblo in 1961.

She was inspired to continue the long lived family tradition of hand coiling pottery, using ancient traditional methods at the age of 16.

Her inspiration came from her grandmother, Persingula M. Gachupin. They developed a very close relationship during this time. She taught her all the fundamentals of working with clay. Virginia also helped her mother paint her pottery when she was a child.

Virginia specializes in hand coiled melon styled pottery. She was taught where to gather her clay, clean it, mix, hand coil, shape, add melon ridges, paint, and fire her pottery the traditional way, outdoors, with cedarwood chips. She also polishes her pottery to a nice shine.

She really enjoys the challenge of hand making all different sizes and shapes. All of her pottery has a corn symbol hand painted on it to denote her Clan origin.

Virginia signs her pottery as: V.P. Fragua, Jemez.

Virginia is related to the following artists: Lenora G. Fragua (mother), Marie G. Romero (aunt), Bertha Gachupin (sister), Damian Toya (cousin), Camillia Toya (cousin) and the famous Maxine Toya (aunt).

Awards:
-1990 New Mexico State Fair

Publications:
-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies
-Southwestern Pottery 1999 Edition