Georgia Vigil Toya
Georgia Vigil-Toya, member of the Coyote Clan, is a full blooded Native American Indian. She was born in 1966 into the Jemez Pueblo. Georgia was inspired to continue the long lived tradition of hand coiling pottery and using ancient traditional methods from her grandmother, Reyes S. Toya. Reyes taught Georgia all the fundamentals of working with clay and shared with Georgia her special techniques in the process. She began working with clay in 1984. The lucrative aspect of the business was also inspiration for Georgia to become an artist.
Georgia specializes in hand coiled, hand polished, and hand etched pottery. She gathers her clay and other natural pigments from the hills within the Jemez Pueblo. Then, she breaks up the clumps of clay and soaks it for a few days to make it easier to work with. She turns the clumps into a fine sand like form and mixes with water and other natural pigments. Then, Georgia begins hand coiling her pottery. The pottery is set out to dry and is sanded to smooth out the roughness of the masterpiece. Georgia hand etches mimbres designs and many different styles of animals on her pottery. She fires her pottery the traditional way, outdoors, with cedar wood chips. She continues to use designs which her mother and grandmother are credited with. She hand coils many different shapes and sizes of pottery. Georgia is related to the following artists: Lorraine Chinana, Ida Yepa (sisters), and Clara Gachupin (aunt). She signs her pottery as: Georgia Vigil-Toya, Jemez Pueblo.
Georgia specializes in hand coiled, hand polished, and hand etched pottery. She gathers her clay and other natural pigments from the hills within the Jemez Pueblo. Then, she breaks up the clumps of clay and soaks it for a few days to make it easier to work with. She turns the clumps into a fine sand like form and mixes with water and other natural pigments. Then, Georgia begins hand coiling her pottery. The pottery is set out to dry and is sanded to smooth out the roughness of the masterpiece. Georgia hand etches mimbres designs and many different styles of animals on her pottery. She fires her pottery the traditional way, outdoors, with cedar wood chips. She continues to use designs which her mother and grandmother are credited with. She hand coils many different shapes and sizes of pottery. Georgia is related to the following artists: Lorraine Chinana, Ida Yepa (sisters), and Clara Gachupin (aunt). She signs her pottery as: Georgia Vigil-Toya, Jemez Pueblo.