Maxine Yepa
Maxine Yepa is a full blooded Native American Indian and a member of the Oak Clan. Maxine was born in 1970 and is half Jemez Pueblo and half Walatowa Indian. Maxine developed an interest in hand coiling pottery at the age of 15. Her grandmother, Anasita Chinana, taught her all the traditional fundamentals of working with clay art. The lucrative aspect of the business was also incentive for her to become an artisan. She is the daughter of Christine Tosa, another well known Jemez potter.
Maxine specializes in handmade traditional and contemporary styled Jemez pottery. She gathers all of her natural raw materials from within the Jemez Pueblo. She hand cleans, mixes, hand coils, shapes, sands, paints, and fires her own pottery. On her contemporary styles she hand carves melon ribs or swirls on each piece to add some flare to her work. Finally, Maxine stone polishes her pottery. She has signed her pottery as Maxine Andrews, Jemez/Walatowa, but now she signs it as Maxine Yepa Walatowa/Jemez.
Maxine is related to the following artisans: Christine Tosa (mother), Jennifer Andrew (sister), Pauline Romero (aunt), and Donald Chinana (cousin).
Maxine specializes in handmade traditional and contemporary styled Jemez pottery. She gathers all of her natural raw materials from within the Jemez Pueblo. She hand cleans, mixes, hand coils, shapes, sands, paints, and fires her own pottery. On her contemporary styles she hand carves melon ribs or swirls on each piece to add some flare to her work. Finally, Maxine stone polishes her pottery. She has signed her pottery as Maxine Andrews, Jemez/Walatowa, but now she signs it as Maxine Yepa Walatowa/Jemez.
Maxine is related to the following artisans: Christine Tosa (mother), Jennifer Andrew (sister), Pauline Romero (aunt), and Donald Chinana (cousin).