- Details
- By Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
ZUNI, N.M.— Zuni Youth Enrichment Project recently took the top four students from its 2025 Emerging Artist Apprenticeship in Pueblo pottery on a three-day educational field trip to Phoenix, Arizona. Made possible with support from the Bezos Family Foundation and First Nations Development Institute, the Nov. 22-24 trip served as a capstone experience for the apprentices.
Participating art students included Joseph Lucio, 23; Liyah Quam, 21; Shylena Him, 18; and Kohl Watson, 18. ZYEP Arts Leader Kandis Quam and Physical Activity Coordinator Tyler Sice chaperoned the group, along with art instructors Gaylan Westika and Jacob Frye. Westika is a traditional Zuni potter, while Frye hails from Tesuque Pueblo.
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ZYEP designed the Phoenix field trip for art students who demonstrated outstanding dedication, skill development and leadership throughout their 10-week apprenticeship. It included visits to major cultural institutions such as the Heard Museum and the S’edav Va’aki Museum, allowing students to explore historic and contemporary Indigenous pottery, weaving and other traditional arts from tribes and pueblos across the Southwest.
In addition to structured museum tours, students engaged in immersive experiences centered on cultural continuity, peer connection and professional inspiration—an approach that proved affirming as well as educational.
“It was interesting to be intentional about seeing and experiencing Indigenousness in urban places, whether it was seeing traditional Zuni pottery, discussing Zuni history, or seeing tangible evidence of our ancestors’ travels across the Southwest,” said Kandis Quam, arts leader. “Questions and conversations about Zuni culture and history were plentiful and enjoyable. It was amazing to see barriers around cultural knowledge come down, creating a welcoming and accepting environment.”
Student Liyah Quam, 21, called the trip a blessing. She said she really enjoyed her first visit to the Heard Museum.
“I’d heard nothing but great things about it from my relatives, classmates, instructors and my community,” she said. “It’s an amazing place that brings Native American people together through the arts. Seeing old pottery from other tribes as well as Zuni was inspiring; it gave me confidence to keep going in pottery.”
Student Joseph Lucio, 23, said the opportunity deepened his understanding of the shared cultural knowledge reflected in Indigenous art traditions.
“At the S’edav Va’aki Museum, seeing the similarities between their village and ours was mind-blowing,” he said. “The tools, the pottery, the weaving and the designs showed how much we have in common. Elahkwa, ZYEP. It was a great experience to go with the other students, instructors and staff.”
Lucio is continuing his artistic journey at ZYEP as an Advanced Artist Apprentice, working closely with both Westika and Frye. The advanced program began Nov. 17 and concludes May 22.
Founded in January 2022, ZYEP’s Emerging Artist Apprenticeship provides youth and young adults with instruction and mentorship from professional Native artists, hands-on studio learning and opportunities to build creative careers grounded in Zuni culture and community. Travel experiences like the Phoenix trip allow apprentices to see themselves and their work within a broader Indigenous artistic landscape.
Also entering its fourth year is the Advanced Artist Apprenticeship, which is designed to give students opportunities to further expand their skills, experiment in their chosen medium, and develop a personal vision for their artistic journey. This intensive one-on-one program also provides additional business-related education and mentorship so the students are empowered to pursue artistic careers.
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