Maria Montoya Poveka Martinez (c1887-1980), master potter
Maria Montoya Poveka Martinez (c 1881 to 1887-1980) is one of the native american pottery masters and probably the most famous of all pueblo potters. She and her husband, Julian, discovered in 1918 how to produce the now-famous black-on-black pottery, and they spent the remainder of their careers perfecting and producing it for museums and collectors worldwide.
Much of the vitality of contemporary native pottery stems from her inspiration and inovations.