The daughter of Laura Pino Atkins and Feliz Calabaza, Eleanor Pino Griego was born in April of 1953 at Zia Pueblo. She grew up in a family of illustrious potters: Ascenciona Galvan, Seferina Bell, Laura Atkins, Kathryn Pino and Ruby Panana, to name a few. While she learned the basics of the Zia traditional way of making pottery from her grandmother, Seferina Bell, after more than 30 years of making pottery she considers herself to be mostly self-taught.

Over the years she has participated in shows at the Heard Museum in Phoenix; Haskell Indian Art Market in Lawrence, Kansas; the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts and Crafts Show in Espanola and the Santa Fe Indian Market. She has earned quite a collection of First, Second, Third Place and Honorable Mention ribbons from each.

Eleanor tells us her favorite pieces to create are large polychrome jars decorated with birds and flowers. We asked Eleanor where she gets her inspiration and she responded by saying she's very traditional: the pots call to her to be made. So she is anxious to make them with prayers to Mother Nature and the clear realization that she is her pots and they are her.

Some Awards Eleanor has Earned

• 2007 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market Classification II - Pottery, Division A - Traditional, native clay, hand built, painted: Honorable Mention
• 2000 Santa Fe Indian Market Classification II - Pottery, Division F - Traditional pottery, Painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, All forms except jars (in the style of Hopi, Acoma, Laguna, Zia, Santa Ana, San Ildefonso, Santo Domingo, Cochiti, Zuni & other related styles), Category 1306 - Other vases: Second Place
• 1997 Santa Fe Indian Market Classification II - Pottery, Division E - Traditional pottery, Jars, painted designs on matte or semi-matte surface, jars (in the style of Hopi, Acoma, Laguna and related styles), Category 1206 - Jars, Zia, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo, Cochiti: Second Place