Judy Toya was born to Mary E. Toya and Casimiro Toya at Jemez Pueblo in 1953. A member of the Water Clan, she told us she learned the art of traditional pottery making from her well-known mother as she grew up, but almost everyone in the family is a potter and they all share techniques and clay sources with each other.

Judy started creating storytellers and nativity sets in 1972. Among the well-known artists she is related to are Mary Ellen Toya, Anita Toya, Henrietta Toya Gachupin, Vernida Toya, Yolanda Toya Toledo and Melinda Toya Fragua. Her family has been featured in Native Peoples Magazine and Albuquerque Arts Magazine.

Over the years Judy participated in shows at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, the Southwest Indian Art Fair in Tucson and the Santa Fe Indian Market. She took home a First Place ribbon from the Santa Fe Indian Market for a nativity set and a Third Place ribbon for one of her storyteller figures.

She told us her favorite pieces to make were male storytellers (she had many fond memories of her grandfather telling her stories of her people's past when she was young). She also said she got her inspiration from the clay: when she put her hands in it it spoke to her of shapes to make and designs to paint.

Judy passed her pottery-making knowledge on to her daughter, Myra Waquie, in hopes that she will help the Jemez pottery tradition continue to grow and flourish. Sadly Judy passed away early in 2023.