About the Artist

(1931-2007) This highly recognized Cochiti potter was active from the 1950's forward creating polychrome jars, bowls, effigy pots, lizard and turtle canteens, figures, storytellers, nativity groups, deer dancers, drummers, tourists, turtles, owls and some miniatures in clay.  

A student of her mother's Laurencita Herrera, Seferina won a long list of awards at various Indian markets and state fairs as well as a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowmet for the Arts in Washington, DC.

One public collection including many examples of her work is the Peabody Museum at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Their holdings were gifted b William R. Wright, 32 in all.

All publications chronicling 20th century American Indian pottery from Cochiti pueblo reference her work.  

Virgil Ortiz, her son has carved an extremely impressive reputation for his innovative figurative pottery sculptures as well.