Marie Chinana is a Jemez Pueblo artist who works with traditional methods. She uses all-natural materials collected from the Jemez Pueblo for her hand coiled pottery. The Jemez Pueblo is located in Central-Northern New Mexico.
The pottery produced there is known for its distinctive earth-tone colors blending stone polished and matte finishes with painted and etched designs. The people of Jemez abandoned the craft of pottery making sometime in the early 18th century and relied instead on purchasing wares from other Pueblos, mostly Zia. Eventually they began to create their own work again during the 1920s and 30s, incorporating Zia's traditional designs and styles. It was not until the late 70s or 80s when Jemez pottery, with the help of noted potters such as Juanita Fragua and Mary Small, that Jemez pottery began to take on more distinctive designs and qualities that have made it very popular among collectors and enthusiasts.
Marie specializes in traditional polychrome jars and bowls as well as stone polished redware. She uses the combined but recognizable subject matter and also hand paints different designs that are significant to her. She is the daughter of Martha Toya and has been active as a potter since 1982. She signs her pieces D & M Chinana because her husband often helps her with parts of the pottery making process.
