Marie Zieu Chino, Lucy M. Lewis and Jessie Garcia are recognized as having been the three most important Acoma potters during the 1950s. The inspiration for their designs came from old potsherds they had gathered to crush for temper in their clay mixtures. Together, the three women led the revival of ancient pottery forms and designs, including the Mimbres, Tularosa and other ancient cultures from around the Acoma region in central New Mexico.

Marie became most known for her amazingly uniform hand-coiled pottery. Her pots were also distinctive for their complex geometric designs as well as the combination of life forms and abstract symbols. Some of her favorite designs included animals, spirals, kiva steps, parrots, rainbows, berries, leaves, rain, clouds, lightning and fine-line snowflakes.

As head of the Chino family, Marie mentored her own family and many others in the finer aspects of the ancient art of pottery making. Her children and grandchildren are numerous and include daughters Grace Chino, Rose Marie Chino and Carrie Charlie Chino.

Marie Z. Chino's pottery can be found in the book, "14 Families in Pueblo Pottery" along with numerous other publications. In 1922, Marie earned her first award at the Santa Fe Indian Market. She was only fifteen. She didn't participate in Indian Market again for years, then went on to receive numerous awards there between 1970 and 1982. In 1998 the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts recognized Marie with a “Lifetime Achievement Award”.

Photo of Marie Z. Chino above is courtesy of Lynne Spivey.