Maxine Toya

Jemez potter, Maxine Toya was born into a family of potters in 1948. Toya and her sister, potter Laura Gachupin, grew up watching their mother, Marie Romero, and grandmother, Persingula Gachupin, making pottery. Toya began painting her family’s pottery when she was around 8 or 9 years old and began making her own pottery in 1971. She studied textiles and pottery at the Institute of American Indian Arts, where she was inspired by the sculptures of Allan Houser who was teaching at the school. Toya taught elementary school for 35 years at Jemez Pueblo and is known for her storytellers and figures, especially owls. Her daughters, Dominique and Camilla, also became potters.