Ceramic students participating in pottery-making workshops
We were honored to have the Toya family back this Spring term for their annual visit to conduct week long, hands-on workshops on Pueblo pottery-making with Thayer Zaeder’s studio ceramic students.
Each year students have the opportunity to make their own pieces using native clays and temper from New Mexico and traditional decorative techniques of painting and polishing. The workshops culminate in a traditional Jemez firing.
Students walk away with an unforgettable keepsake of their time as well as a greater appreciation for contemporary Indigenous art and culture.
We are so grateful for all the time and expertise the Toya family has shared with PA students!
Check out this video by PA’s Communications team highlighting the Toya’s work on campus.
Maxine Toya working with a student on painting their piece.
Mia Toya working with a student on polishing their piece.
Mia Toya’s melon swirl vessel with distinctive butterfly lid. I particularly like the creamy slip, which sets this piece apart from others in the Peabody collections.
Early this fall–just after Santa Fe Indian Market–we were fortunate to add to the Peabody Institute collections this lovely melon swirl vessel by Mia Toya (Pueblo of Jemez). Mia and her family have a long relationship with the Peabody and Phillips Academy, regularly coming to campus to conduct week-long workshops on Pueblo pottery making with students in Thayer Zaeder’s studio ceramics classes.
Mia helps a student perfect their piece in Thayer Zaeder’s campus ceramics studio, May 2024.
Mia is a member of the Corn Clan and was inspired to continue the long lived tradition of working with clay from many members of her family who are well known artists, including her mom Maxine, grandmother Marie G. Romero, aunt Laura Gachupin, and her sister Dominique. Mia began working with clay at the age of 14 and continues to add her unique style of art to this day, constructing pieces using hand coiling methods, stone polished slips, and figural elements like her distinctive butterfly lids.
Mia’s piece (far left) joins other Toya Family creations in the Peabody Institute collections, including collaborations between Dominique and Maxine Toya, Maxine’s storyteller and owl figures, Dominique’s distinctive micaceous swirl vessels, and a piece by Mia’s grandmother Marie G. Romero (second from the left).
Watching Mia work with students, its not surprising that in addition to being an accomplished artist, she’s also an educator. Mia teaches second grade at Jemez Day School. A Bureau of Indian Education social media post from 2016 includes a quote from Mia, reflecting on becoming a National Board Certified teacher, “I always knew I wanted to teach in this school–to serve the kids in my community and be one of their role models. Being a National Board Certified teacher helps me give my best to my students, community, and Tribe every day.”
I’ve sat down several times to write this. It’s hard, for a couple of reasons. Dominique will always remain a remarkable person, funny, talented, generous of spirit, and with a laugh that made everyone around her soar. I think I’ve delayed writing because I feared I wouldn’t find the right words. Also, I was afraid that with the words would come a finality.
Dominique demonstrates the addition of mica to a student’s piece, May 2016.
Last month saw the passing of a truly remarkable individual. We remain shocked and saddened by the loss of Dominique Toya (1971-2023), who we have been fortunate to know since 2013. Dominique was a fifth generation potter, born to the Corn Clan at the Pueblo of Jemez. Dominique’s particular style of pottery saw the fusion of traditional methods and materials with innovative shapes and surface treatments. Collaboration with her family and other artists produced stunning and innovative results.
Dominique shares points out the polished details on her mom’s town crier figure to Phillips Academy ceramics instructor Thayer Zaeder, May 2014.
Dominique and her mom Maxine and sister Mia, often with other friends and family, traveled to Andover every year since 2014 to share Pueblo pottery making with Phillips Academy students, faculty, and friends. These weeklong workshops allowed students to make their own ceramic pieces with clay from New Mexico, finished, decorated, guided, and encouraged by the Toya Family. One year I conducted interviews with students following the finale of the class—an open-air firing. Considering all that Phillips Academy has to offer, I was a bit surprised when many of the students said their time with Dominique and her family was their best Andover experience. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Dominique was far more than a gifted artist; she was an ambassador of Indigenous art, and above all, a generous teacher.
Dominique tends the open air pottery firing at the end of May 2022’s weeklong workshop as students look on.
I cherish the Toya Family’s time on campus, Dominique’s laughter and sense of humor, but also watching her help students design and complete pieces, often helping them figure out how to solve problems or challenges (often ones that they had created!). Dominique played a big role in many communities–she was involved in the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, from exhibiting and frequently winning awards at the annual Santa Fe Indian Market, judging and mentoring, to service on the SWAIA board. Dominique also was a drag performer and frequently traveled to participate in the International Court System, including the Imperial Sovereign Court of New Mexico, where she was crowned Empress 10. The International Court System is a venerable and well-known LGBTQ organization, raising funds for social issues, education, and other charitable causes. Dominique and her mom often donated their pieces for those fundraising efforts. During the Jemez and Pecos feast days, Dominique and her family prepared traditional foods, like Jemez enchiladas and oven bread, welcoming friends and visitors into their home to celebrate.
Dominique shares some tips on finishing a piece with an Academy student, May 2023.
I’m grateful that Dominique chose to be part of the Peabody Institute and Phillips Academy communities as well. Dominique, you taught us all a lot about art, Indigenous art, clay, the magic of mica, the business (and politics) of Native American art, but most of all, the art of being yourself. I’ll end with some of the student reflections from the Toya Family workshop in 2017: “Working with the Pueblo potters is really fun—we learned a lot and they have an amazing sense of humor.” “To be able to incorporate these techniques into my pieces gave me a new level of respect for pottery.” “This is one of the best things I’ve done all term, actually all year.” “These artists are so cool and they really care about their art and about your art.” Dominique, thank you for sharing and Godspeed.
The Peabody Institute is fortunate to have several of Dominique’s pieces, including these two swirl vessels that were featured in the spring 2023 show “Women in Abstraction” at the Addison Galley of American Art.
The Peabody 