Female Storyteller Figurine with 5 Children [SOLD]

Felecita Eustace has specialized in making female storyteller figurines most of her career as a potter. She is the sister of Seferina Ortiz, and was the wife of Ben Eustace, a potter and jeweler originally from Zuni Pueblo, who passed away in March 2007.

Storyteller figurines have been a favorite of collectors since they were created at Cochiti Pueblo in 1964.

This figurine was fabricated from native clay from the pueblo, white slip from Santo Domingo Pueblo, black paint derived from cactus, and red paint from La Bajada (the Descent just south of Santa Fe). Most Cochiti potters now have to procure white slip from Santo Domingo because the clay beds at Cochiti are used up. They have discovered that the black paint resulting from boiling cactus adheres better to this white slip, whereas the black paint resulting from boiling the leaves of the Rocky Mountain bee plant adheres better to the old Cochiti slip. If you ever thought being a pueblo potter was simple, this should change your mind.

In this storyteller, Felecita has provided 5 children, each clutching something in its hands. She has dressed the adult in traditional pueblo clothing and provided her with a squash blossom necklace. It’s a charming figurine with a small group of happy children. We just acquired this piece from Felecita.

The white specs visible in the area of the child in the center of the adult's lap are sprinkles of corn meal. Felecita always sprinkles sacred corn meal on her figurines when she removes them from firing.