Tim Cordero (b. 1963) is the son of the late Jimmy Cordero (Cochiti Pueblo) and Lenora Holmes (Hopi). Tim began making pottery between 1979 and 1980 when he was only 16 or 17.  He was living at Cochiti Pueblo with his grandmother, Helen Cordero. Following Helen Cordero’s death in 1994, Tim no longer visited Cochiti Pueblo and therefore no longer made storyteller figurines. Even when Helen was alive, he only visited in summers so his production during those few summers and he made very few pieces.  This is the only the second piece of his pottery we have had in the gallery (the first was a turtle storyteller).  It is unusual and special because it is a Koshari clown.

“Because Cochiti potters were enjoined against making and selling clown and kachina figures, only Tony Dallas and Tim Cordero, both from HOpi, were producing clowns and Clown storytellers int he 1980s.” Barbara Babcock, via “Clay Mirror”.

The clay figure is very well constructed.  It is a kohari clown drummer with two small Koshari clowns on its legs.  One has a small drum.  There is even a lizard on the mocassin!  The piece is slipped with white clay and then painted with bee-weed (black) and red clay.  It was traditionally fired with slight colorations to the surface.  Check out the face and the two teeth he has in the mouth!  Fantastic!  It is signed, “Tim Cordero”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.