Carmel Lewis
Acoma
Offering Pot
3 1/4"
H x 4 3/4" D
Carmel Lewis was born into
the Acoma Sky City Pueblo in 1947. She is the youngest daughter
of the world renowned, late Lucy M. Lewis. Lucy was Carmel’s
biggest inspiration for learning the ancient traditional methods
of working with natural handmade pottery.
Carmel’s hand painted
designs are replicated from traditional symbols found on ancient
pottery sherds. Lucy was the driving force behind the revival
of pottery making as an art in the Acoma pueblo. The Lewis family
keeps the same patterns and does not move to a contemporary style
because it is very important to them to keep the true traditions
and designs of the ancient mimbres people alive.
She has been an active potter
since 1952 working in Anasazi, Mimbres and Tularosa Revival polychromes,
black-on-white, and black-on-orange jars, bowls, seed pots and
canteens.Some of the designs replicated are the deer pot, lightning
bolt pattern and the many variations of the mimbres patters.
Carmel is related to Emma Lewis-Mitchell, Dolores Lewis-Garcia
(sisters) and Drew Lewis (brother).
Carmel is a very accomplished
potter. Some collectors know her by her married name, Carmel
Lewis Haskaya.
Members of the Lewis family
of potters are featured in almost every publication on pueblo
pottery, such as Seven Families in Pueblo Pottery, Fourteen Families
in Pueblo Pottery, American Indian Pottery 2nd Edition, Talking
with the Clay, and Southwestern Pottery, Anasazi to Zuni. They
have won numerous awards, including several 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
places at the Santa Fe Indian Market on many occasions, the Heard
Museum show, New Mexico State fair, and a host of others.
