Marilyn Ray

Acoma Pueblo

One of the noted Lewis sisters of Acoma Pueblo, Marilyn was born into the Yellow Corn Clan in 1954. Together with Rebecca Lucario, Diane Lewis, Carolyn Concho and Judy Lewis, she learned the art of pottery making from their mother, Katherine Lewis, and their grandmother, Delores Sanchez.

As an older sister in the group, Marilyn is often credited with inspiring the others to make pottery the traditional way. She began working with clay herself when she was 12 and was producing pottery for the marketplace by the time she was 18. Her specialty is storyteller figures and she has made some of the largest, most complex and most innovative storytellers ever made. She also makes nacimientos (nativities), small children, animals and friendship bowls.

There is an interview with Marilyn where she demonstrates how she makes her pottery and talks about what the shapes and designs mean tho her. The video was live streamed in August, 2020.

Four children with birds, cat and butterfly on a polychrome storyteller
Polychrome storyteller with four children, birds, cat and butterfly
7 in H by 6 in Dia
Three children, cat, turtle and butterfly on a female storyteller
Storyteller with three children, cat, turtle and butterfly
6.25 in H by 5.5 in Dia
Three children, puppy, butterfly and lizard on a turtle storyteller
Turtle storyteller with three children, puppy, butterfly and lizard
5.5 in H by 6.75 in Dia
Two children and a cat on a storyteller wearing a tablita
Storyteller with tablita, two children and a cat
6.5 in H by 5 in Dia
Three children, cats, butterflies and ladybug on a storyteller
Storyteller with three children, cats, butterflies and ladybug
5.75 in H by 4.75 in Dia
Four children, two cats and butterflies on a storyteller
Storyteller with four children, two cats and butterflies
6.75 in H by 5.75 in Dia
Two children, a turtle and a dog on a grandmother storyteller
Grandmother storyteller with two children, a dog and a turtle
5.5 in H by 4.75 in Dia
Four children, a dog and a pot on a grandmother storyteller
Grandmother storyteller with four children, a dog and a pot in her lap
7.5 in H by 6.5 in Dia
Five children, a dog, birds, lady bugs and a canteen on a grandmother storyteller
Grandmother storyteller with five children, birds, lady bugs, a dog and a canteen
6.75 in H by 6 in Dia
Four children, 2 birds, a butterfly and a puppy on a grandmother storyteller
Grandmother storyteller with 4 children, a puppy, two birds and a butterfly
7.25 in H by 6.25 in Dia
Cat inside a friendship bowl
Friendship bowl with a cat inside
3.25 in H by 4.5 in Dia
Sgraffito Mimbres animal and geometric design on a black and white plate
Black and white plate decorated with a sgraffito Mimbres animal and geometric design
0.75 in H by 5.5 in Dia
Three children and a dog on a grandmother storyteller
Grandmother stryteller with 3 children and a dog
7 in H by 5.75 in Dia
2 children, puppy, birds, butterfly and a geometric design on a friendship bowl
Friendship bowl with a puppy, birds, butterfly, two children and decorated a geometric design
5 in H by 6.25 in Dia
Kiva step and geometric design on a miniature polychrome jar
Miniature polychrome jar decorated with a kiva step and geometric design
2 in H by 2 in Dia
3 children, a puppy, kittens, birds, butterflies, lizards and a geometric design on a turtle storyteller figure
Turtle storyteller with 3 children, birds, butterflies, lizards, kittens and a puppy
5.5 in H by 6.75 in Dia