Adriana Felix – Yaqui Clay Dolls

Adriana Felix is a Yaqui artist, raised in Tucson, Arizona who creates detailed clay dolls. Since a child Adriana was always drawn to art and the details in the work itself. Adriana’s parents were raised in the community of Old Pascua. Here she learned to cherish and be inspired by her Yaqui culture. Growing up in Tucson she attended the Easter ceremonies in Old Pascua and was surrounded by the colors, music, Pascolas, Matachin, the Deer Dancers. These experiences support her artistic expression.

She continued to create her art and specifically clay dolls because she always enjoyed creating 3- dimensional work. Adriana had an accident involving her fingers while attending the University of New Mexico. She did physical therapy to heal her injuries and used clay to exercise her fingers. Adriana was working at the National Hispanic Cultural Center while also working on creating clay dolls. This led to her selling her dolls at the center’s gift shop. 

To share her culture, she began creating Pascolas and Deer Dancers and sold these at the Old Pascua Museum in Tucson. Adriana enjoys sharing her art with her community, it promotes cultural pride and gives them something special that they can also share with others. She also creates Legacy Dolls, detailed figures of loved ones who have passed away.
Adriana is motivated in her work, everything she creates she views as a gift to help her community.