- Sofia and Lois Medina - Zia Pottery
Sofia Medina and Lois Medina are a mother and daughter team which
with combined efforts produce some of the finest Zia Pueblo pottery
around today. Sofia was born in 1932 and Lois was born in 1959.
Sofia has been making pottery since 1963. Trinidad Medina, who was a
prolific and one of Zia’s finest potter’s, taught her all the
fundamentals of making traditional Zia pottery and encouraged her to
continue the long lived family tradition of hand coiling pottery.
Sofia and Lois specialize in making hand coiled Zia pottery just like
their ancestors before them. All the materials used on their pottery
come from within the Zia Pueblo. The clay is gathered from the grounds
within the pueblo. They clean, mix, hand coil, shape, paint, and fire
the pottery the traditional way, outdoors. The colors are derived from
natural plant life and minerals also found within the Zia Pueblo. They
both contribute equally while constructing their pottery. Trinidad
encouraged Sofia to teach each and every one of her children the art of
hand coiling traditional Zia pottery, so they may be able to contribute
to the legacy which is bestowed upon them as well. Sofia & Lois said,
“Spiritually, making pottery eases your mind, and we sing and pray while
making our pottery.” They sign their pottery as: Sofia Medina-Lois
Medina, Zia.
They are related to Marcellus Medina and Herman Medina
(sons/brothers).
From The
Enchanted Southwest