Lorencita Atencio Bird (October 22, 1918 – May 4, 1995), also called T'o Pove ("Flowering Piñon"),[2] was a Pueblo-American painter and textile artist from the Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Pueblo.[3] She studied at the Santa Fe Indian School under Dorothy Dunn[4] and exhibited her artwork across the country and in Europe.[5] In particular, she is known for her embroidery designs, utilizing symbolic colors and motifs such as diamonds, butterflies, and the color gold.[5] Her artworks can be found in private collections including the Margretta S. Dietrich Collection and in museums including the Heard Museum, the Gilcrease Museum,[6] the Philbrook Museum of Art, and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian.[7][8][5]
Lorencita Atencio Bird | |
|---|---|
| T'o Pove | |
| Born | October 22, 1918 |
| Died | May 4, 1995 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | American, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo |
| Alma mater | Santa Fe Indian School |
| Occupation(s) | painter and textile artist |
Atencio was born on October 22, 1918, the daughter of Juan Bautista and Luteria Trujillo Atencio.[9] She was an active watercolor painter and embroidery artist through the 1930s and 1940s, selling her work and earning a living.[5] Some of her paintings depicted subjects going about daily tasks, such as gathering water.[7] In the 1950s, she became the mother of several children and stopped painting as prolifically.[3][7] She continued to work on weaving and embroidery throughout her life, creating sashes, ceremonial regalia, and wedding attire.[5] Atencio also worked as a crafts instructor at the Santa Fe Indian School and at the U. S. Albuquerque Indian School.[3][10]
Atencio died on May 4, 1995.[5]