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12 Facts About Virgil Ortiz

1.

Virgil Ortiz was born on 1969 and is a Pueblo artist, known for his pottery and fashion design from Cochiti Pueblo, New Mexico.

2.

Virgil Ortiz is best known for his edgy pottery figures, his contemporary take on the traditional Cochiti pottery figures from the late 1800s.

3.

Virgil Ortiz was born in 1969 at Cochiti Pueblo in New Mexico and was the youngest of six children.

4.

Virgil Ortiz is of the Herrera family of Pueblo potters in New Mexico, whose work is often found in art collections and in art museums.

5.

Virgil Ortiz's mother taught him to make traditional Cochiti pueblo pottery.

6.

Virgil Ortiz won his first Santa Fe Indian Market award at the age of 14.

7.

Virgil Ortiz's work is greatly influenced and focused on historical events such as the 1680 Pueblo Revolt.

8.

Virgil Ortiz's inspiration comes from blending his traditional Cochiti ways with modern Sci-Fi.

9.

Virgil Ortiz was selected to be a United States Artists, Target Fellow in 2007, in Crafts and Traditional Arts.

10.

Virgil Ortiz received the 2022 Living Treasure Award from the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture.

11.

Virgil Ortiz couldn't believe how similar the 19th-century pottery was to his own work.

12.

In 2017, Virgil Ortiz collaborated with Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in designing jewelry pieces inspired by Cochiti art forms.