Felipa Trujillo

Cochiti Pueblo

Felipa Trujillo

Felipa Trujillo (1908-1986) was a traditional potter from Cochiti Pueblo. Before there were storyteller figures, there were Singing Mothers (or "Singing Ladies") and Felipa was making them. There is a single piece that has been attributed to Felipa and it was made pre-1930, making Felipa one of the earliest of the modern era Cochiti potters. Her first storyteller figure appeared in the mid-1960's, right about the same time Helen Cordero produced her first storytellers.

In 1973 the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe put on an exhibit entitled "What is Folk Art?" Felipa was one of seven Cochiti potters whose storytellers and other figures were part of that exhibit. Her work can be found in many collections and museums, including the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.