Dorothea Sunn-Avery, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, is one of the last traditional potters of the Maricopa, or Pee Posh, people.

Sunn-Avery learned how to make pottery from her grandmother. But she didn't start making pots until later in life, when she was tired of living on welfare and used her skills to launch a successful career.

Sunn-Avery, 40, is now passing on the tradition to her daughter. She has formed the Pee Posh Project with Yolanda Hart Stevens, another potter, to keep the art alive.

Get the Story:
Potter's work shapes life (The Arizona Republic 11/19)