Adobe Gallery

This expressive pottery storyteller by Josephine Arquero is a classic example of Cochiti Pueblo (Ko'tyit) figurative ceramics, showcasing traditional art techniques and deep cultural symbolism. The adult male figure has four boys gathered on him for a storytelling experience. He looks straight ahead as he speaks. Two boys climb on his arms and two are corralled on his legs. His open mouth is the signature feature of Pueblo storyteller figures, symbolizing the live transmission of oral history, songs, and ancestral stories from elders to the next generation.

Artists began blending traditional Pueblo clay techniques with universally recognized imagery; such as the Western association between bears and honey (akin to Winnie-the-Pooh or the classic American honey-bear squeeze bottle). It adds a touch of whimsy, humor, and cross-cultural appeal to a deeply traditional art form. This storyteller really serves as a focal point for the cubs' actions, such as the cub sticking its paw into the jar or fighting to get closer. This represents family unity, patience, and the playful chaos of raising children within the community.

This Cochiti figurine features one central female figure with three children surrounded, two children in each hand and one wrapped in the shawl on her back. The shawl is worn over the manta, which is a wrap-around dress. Woven from native spun wool or cotton in deep, earthy colors like black or dark brown. Worn wrapped over one shoulder (leaving the other bare) and secured at the waist with a woven ceremonial sash; still actively worn during important cultural ceremonies, weddings, dances, and feast days. The details and motifs on the figurine's clothing have specific cultural meanings. The woman's hair is worn in the traditional Chonga, a traditional hair wrap or tied bun style, often tied on each side of the face or gathered in the back like this storyteller.

This storyteller figurine features four chubby children, a traditional sign of health and abundance, listening intently to a central female figure tell stories. Two children are seated on her lap while two others crawl up her back. The primary figure features fine black line work detailed across her clothing, beautifully paired with prominent light-red pigment throughout. Her expressive face shows focused eyes, a downturned nose, and a small, open mouth captured mid-story.

Throughout the figurine, rich black and warm brown pigments create striking contrast across the drum and clothing. The central figure wears a detailed sleeveless vest over a long-sleeved shirt. Geometric patterns bordered by double lines frame the vest, giving it the intricate texture of a woven textile. Rather than simply decorating individual elements, the artist established a unified, deliberate pattern system across the entire piece. Completing the ensemble, the drum includes a delicate, handcrafted mallet or beater made from a twig, fabric, and string. This item is not attached to the figurine.