1983 – San Fidel, New Mexico & Campbell, California
Lucy M. Lewis was born at Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico. Since her birth was not recorded, the “best guess” is November 2, 1897. She married the late Toribio H. Lewis, a farmer and cattle owner and raised nine children. Lucy Lewis began making pottery near the turn of the century. Her pottery making was never interrupted despite her years of farming, motherhood and homemaking. At the 1950 Intertribal Indian Ceremonial, Lucy received the Award of Merit, the top honor. This was the first exhibition she had ever entered. Later that year, at the Santa Fe Indian Market Competition, the top prize again went to Lucy. Recognition, awards and honors continued, including the Governor’s Award, New Mexico’s highest honor to its artists. Mrs. Lewis had exhibitions in the Smithsonian, state and city museums, Princeton University, museums devoted to Indian art and culture and the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. Her work was shown internationally as well. She also taught her way of making hand formed pottery at the Idyllwild School of Music and Arts in California. Her pride in her heritage, her work and her ability to teach others exemplified her desire to maintain traditional Indian ways and encouraged others in the art of pottery making. Her talented and close knit family is living testimonial to her success in keeping tradition alive. (Deceased 1992)
