Acoma Pueblo

Edna G. Chino is a full blooded Native American Indian. She was born into the Acoma Pueblo in 1935. Edna is a member of the Eagle Clan. Frances Torivio taught Edna all the fundamentals of work with clay art and using the ancient traditional hand coiling methods at the age of fifteen.

Edna specializes in hand coiled traditional fineline design pottery. She gathers her clay from within the Acoma Pueblo along with natural slips and natural vegetation which is used for making the natural colors used to paint the designs.

When the clay is cleaned Edna hand mixes it with sand and water to temper the clay and she begins the hand coiling process. She enjoys coiling the traditional olla shapes which were used for water and cooking by her ancestors. Once the pot has been formed she sets it out to dry and begins breaking up the plant life that she has gathered such as spinach plant which provided the black color, yucca stems are fashioned into brushes for painting, and flowers are used for color. When the pot is fully dry she begins to hand sand her pottery for a smooth finish. Then, she begins the hand painting process The Chino family is well known for their hand painted finelines and floral designs. Finally, once the painting has been complete and the paint has dried Edna fires her pottery the traditional way of her ancestors, outdoors.

She signs her pottery as: Chino.

She is related to: Clifford L. Garcia (father), Lita L. Garcia (mother), Josephine Sanchez, Virginia Victorino, Maxine Sanchez (sisters), Corrine Chino, Jeanette “Jay” Vallo (daughters), Kevin Chino, the late, Brian Chino (sons).


Publications:
-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies
Awards:
-New Mexico State Fair 1st Place