Jemez Pueblo
Maxine T. Yepa is a full blooded Native American Indian. She is a member
of the Oak Clan. Maxine was born in 1970, she is half Jemez Pueblo and
half Walatowa Indian. Maxine developed an interest in hand coiling pottery
at the age of 15.
Her grandmother, Anasita Chinana taught her all the traditional fundamentals
of working with clay art. The lucrative aspect of the business was also
incentive for her to become an artisan.
Maxine specializes in handmade traditional and contemporary styled Jemez
pottery. She gathers her all of her natural raw materials from within
the Jemez Pueblo. She hand cleans, mixes, hand coils, shapes, sands,
paints, and fires her own pottery. On her contemporary styles she hand
carves melons ribs or swirls on each piece to add some flare to her
work.
Finally, Maxine stone polishes her pottery.
She has signed her pottery as Maxine Andrews, Jemez/Walatowa, but now
she signs it as Maxine Yepa Walatowa/Jemez.
Maxine is related to the following artisans: Christine Tosa (mother),
Jennifer Andrew (sister), Pauline Romero (aunt), and Donald Chinana
(cousin).
Awards:
None to date
Publications:
-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies
