“The
simplicity of this story is the essence of its magic. Like Maria herself, Elsie
Kreischer has taken a handful of earth and created something lovely with it.”
—Lois
Duncan
“Elsie
Karr Kreischer brings potter Maria Martinez to life with warmth and human
understanding. Readers of all ages will enjoy the details of traditional pueblo
food, dress, and family life.”
—Jeanne
Whitehouse It
is often our closest friends who know us the best. Elsie Karr Kreischer takes on
the task of writing her personal friend's inspiring biography in María
Montoya Martínez: Master Potter. When she was a little girl, nobody
expected Martínez to rise above her life-threatening illness. However, she
overcame obstacles and adversity to eventually become the most outstanding
Indian artist of all time. The artist's pilgrimage to
Chimayo
,
New Mexico
, became a symbol of her life. She felt special, since she was favored to live,
and carried on her grandmother's tradition of creating beautiful pottery.
In
Martínez's journey toward humility, hard work, and perfection, Kreischer
recognizes her exceptional skill and fortune. Best known for the stunning black
pottery she and her husband designed, Martínez's work is represented in some
of the finest galleries across the country.
Kreischer, a resident of
New Mexico
, is also the author of The Navaho Magic
of Hunting, which won the 1992 National League of American Pen Women
Children's Book Award. She beautifully represents the life of a true artistic
master in María
Montoya Martínez: Master Potter, an exquisite portrait of her dear
friend. |