Helen Cordero

**Helen Cordero** (dey bon am 15 June 1915 an e kpai 24 July 1994) na one wuman from Cochiti Pueblo — dat one na Netiv Amerika komuniti for New Mexico for Amerika side. Pipo sabi am wel wel bikos of di speshal kind of *pottery figures* wey shi dey mek.spec Dem dey kol dem tori tela  *pottery figurines.* Na Helen bi di fest pesin wey wan start to dey mek  dat kind tins, an di idiya kom from di tradishonal *figure* wey dem dey kol  *singing mother*.*Singing Mother* na Wumen   dem wey dey Kari dia pikin for hand wen dem dey *sing*

## How im tek start
At fest, Helen no evun dey do *pottery*. E fest len how to wok with hanima skin (wey bi leda). But for di 1950s, Helen kom start to dey yuz sand sand (Klay) dem mek smol smol hanimal an *bird*. Na Helen hosband dey helep am paint di hanimal wey I'm mek with sand sand.

E bi like sey na im anti advais am mek e liv di leda wok wey I'm dey do an faze di sand sand (Klay) wok bikos di kos of matiriha for leda too kos. Helen sista stil tel am sey mek e no dey do di one of boket an kup but di one of smol smol hanima bikos di e no sabi di one of boket an kup

## Di metod an di matiriha wey im dey yuz
Helen dey do im  work di lokal way. E go go inside forest go find do sand sand wey e go yuz, kom do di paint from wetin dey around am. Do sand sand wey I'm dey yuz na di one wey de nia im vilej Cochiti Pueblo. Helen somtim dey yuz sand sand as plant mix for di paint wey I'm dey yuz.

As time dey go, Helen kom sabi di wok wel.Before, she dey make di small pikin wey dey di figure body from di same clay. But later, she come start to make di children separately, so she fit arrange dem anyhow she like around di storyteller.
As her work dey grow, she even develop special kind face wey make her figures stand out — anybody wey see am go sabi say na Helen work.
Helen even talk say di figures na like her small small people. She dey talk to dem like say dem be real, and she believe say dem dey sing.
## Storyteller figures
For Helen vilej, di wumen-dem don dey yuz sand sand mek imeji of wuman-dem wey Kari dia pikin. Di nem wey dem giv  dis imeji na: *Singing Mothers* or Madonna. But na Helen chenj di idiya for 1964. Helen chenj di tins to im tori tela desin — na one man wey pikin plenti ful im bodi. All di pikin gada dey lisin as di man dey tok di tori.

Som pipo tok sey na one oyibo man wey dey kolet tradishonal tins wey im nem na Alexander Girard — na im fest kolet di tori tela tins from Helenfirst orde. But Helen herself talk say na she just decide to make di first one on her own, then later she carry di figures go Santo Domingo Feast Day wey Girard buy dem.

Alexander Girard really like her work, and e even encourage her make she make bigger figures and make more. One time, e even order one big nativity set wey get 250 pieces inside. Dem talk say na Girard even give her di idea make she try make bigger version of di Singing Mother. As Helen think about am, her mind go her grandfather — Santiago Quintana — wey she remember say e sabi tell story well well. Na so her first Storyteller, wey be one man with five grandchildren, take come out.

After dat 1964, even her family members join her dey make storyteller figures.

Helen dey work for outside when weather warm, but for winter time, she go work for her kitchen table. Her husband and son sef dey help — dem go drive go far place (like 100 miles) to go find di cedar wood wey dem go use fire her clay figures for iron grate wey dey her backyard.

Plenty other potters see wetin Helen dey do, dem come like di idea. So, dem too start to make their own versions of Storyteller, even some wey be animal version. By di 1990s, more than 200 potters don dey make Storyteller figures because di market don blow.

Because people don dey copy her work, Helen begin sign her own figures so collectors go know say na she make am. After di Storyteller design blow, Helen come still use her life experience create other kinds — like drummers, singing mothers, Pueblo father, and Hopi maiden.

## Her personal life
Helen live her whole life for Cochiti Pueblo. She marry one man wey dem dey call Fred Cordero — Fred na artist, drum-maker, and e even be governor for their village. Dem born four children together.
## Where you fit see her work
Plenty big museum for America don collect Helen work put for display. Some of di places be:
*Museum of International Folk Art for Santa Fe, New Mexico

*New Mexico Museum of Art

*Museum of Texas Tech University for Lubbock, Texas

*Smithsonian American Art Museum for Washington DC

*Heard Museum for Phoenix

*Bandelier National Monument Museum for New Mexico

*Brooklyn Museum for New York

## Awards and honors
For 1985, dem honor her as Santa Fe Living Treasure.

For 1986, she collect National Heritage Fellowship — dis one na di highest award for traditional arts wey US government dey give.

One primary school for Albuquerque, New Mexico — dem name am Helen Cordero Primary School to honor her.

## Wie dem gada di tori