Lydia Ray
Pueblo of Acoma of Sky City, New Mexico
Lydia collects her materials from nature to make and produce her pieces. Sometimes it takes up to 4 weeks to collect all the materials needed. Vegetable extracts and rainwater are used for painting on the pots (wild spinach leaves boiled for 13 hrs. makes black paint). White sandstone is turned into slip for the outside of the pot. Lydia uses Yucca plant fibers to paint with. Lydia collects the clay to use for her pots from the land. She has a spot across the mesa 8 miles west of Acoma. Lydia also reuses and recycles all her materials. Pieces of older pots are ground down and turned into clay for new pots. Most of her work is fired in an outside pit. However some are fired in kiln that she does herself.
Personal Biography:
Hi I’m Lydia Ray, from Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico. I have been making and designing pottery for over 40 years. I was taught at the age of 8 by my Grandmother, Conception Faustine, who lived to be 102 years old.
My creativity comes from the heart and mind. Every piece I do represents “ME”.
I have ceramic and handmade pots. Ceramics are with colors, which represent the “Rainbow of Love”. My handmade pottery represents my grandmother with her respect for art. I share my work with love and creativity.
Lydia Ray teaches and demonstrates her traditional pottery on the pow wow trail. Whenever traditional pottery is made there is always a prayer and a song that goes into it. Lydia uses ashes to bless her pottery before they leave her studio.
Below are some samples of Lydia's work.