Helen Cordero is undoubtedly one of the great names in Cochiti pottery.  It was in 1964 that Cordero said she made her first storyteller.  According to her, “I made some more of my Storytellers with lots of children climbing on him to listen, then I took them up to the Santo Domingo Feast Day” and the rest is history.  Her pieces were all males, to honor her grandfather, whom she would hear telling children stories of Pueblo life and culture.  She received the New Mexico Governor’s award in 1982 and the NEA Heritage Fellowship in 1986.  This is one of her classic turtle storytellers.  The turtle storytellers are an important part of her artwork.  It tells of the Cochiti legend where a female or “Mother Turtle” comes to rescue the children during a flood.  Helen said this was one of her favorite styles to make. The piece is coil built and slipped with white clay and painted with wild-spinach and red clay.  The edge of the shell has plant designs and the tail is checkerboard.  There are five children on the back of the turtle and one holding on to its neck.  Not how each of the children is painted differently for their clothes.  The top of the turtle’s head has a painted flower.  The piece is classic and charming!  It was traditionally fired.  It is signed on the bottom, “Helen Cordero”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.