Sofia and Lois Medina

Artist Profile

Sofia Medina and Lois Medina are a mother and daughter team whose combined efforts have produced some of the finest Zia Pueblo pottery around today. Sofia was born in 1932 and Lois was born in 1959. Sofia began making pottery in 1963. Trinidad Medina, who was one of Zia’s finest potters, taught her all the fundamentals of making traditional Zia pottery and encouraged her to continue the long lived family tradition of hand coiling pottery.

Sofia and Lois specialize in making hand coiled Zia pottery just like their ancestors before them. They both contribute equally while constructing their pottery. Trinidad encouraged Sofia to teach each and every one of her children the art of hand coiling traditional Zia pottery so they may be able to contribute to the legacy which is bestowed upon them as well. “Spiritually, making pottery eases your mind and we sing and pray while making our pottery,” Medina said. They sign their pottery: Sofia Medina-Lois Medina, Zia.