Dora Tse Pe

In 1969 Dora Tse Pe sold one of her pots to someone who entered it into the New Mexico State Crafts Fair. It won a blue ribbon. In a remarkably short time, she became well known, her pottery sought after and she has since been the recipient of more than 100 awards.

Dora Tse Pe was born at the Zia Pueblo northwest of Albuquerque and moved to the San Ildefonso Pueblo northwest of Santa Fe where her first husband was from. She claims to have learned pottery by watching others, a tradition in pueblo culture, her mother, mother-in-law, elders. One day she asked her husband to gather her some clay so that she had something to do. And so it began.

The ancient traditions of gathering clays, preparing materials, forming the pots by hand coiling layers, carving each smooth, applying slips of clay for color, molding, drying, carving the hardening clay, polishing, preparing the fire and firing each piece are done with attention to the process, a rhythm centuries old. Classic shapes, sometimes two-toned, some inset with turquoise are strictly traditional, adhering to ancient principles of design handed down. She says her mother taught her that pottery was sacred as it comes from Mother Earth and that she wants people to understand that her pieces are created as a part of her ancient Indian religion.