Mary Louise Eteeyan

Jemez Pueblo

The daughter of Anna Marie Shendo, Mary Louise Eteeyan was born into Jemez Pueblo in 1942. Her mother was a well known potter and Mary grew up watching and working with her some but she really wasn't interested in doing anything with clay until she was in her mid 30s. Earlier, she had married William Eteeyan, a member of the Potawatomi tribe, and by then, they were raising a teenage daughter. Mary wanted to be more available for her daughter so she started re-learning how to make pottery. Mary has always maintained she is mostly a self-taught potter, although she did get pointers from some of her friends.

Mary mostly made polychrome jars, both matte and polished. She also made matte and polished wedding vases, seed pots and lidded bowls. Among her favorite designs to make and paint were butterflies and flowers. Many of her lidded bowls feature sculptured butterfly appliquás as handles on their lids. Mary also earned a lot of respect for her painting. She earned several First Place ribbons at venues like the Gallup InterTribal Ceremonial, the New Mexico State Fair and the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Arts and Crafts Show.

Mary also taught her daughter, Kimberley, the traditional way to make pottery and she, too, has become an award-earning potter.