Debra Gasper and Ray Tsethlikai
Debra Gasper is the daughter of Dinah Gasper whose mother; Edna Leki was the first woman allowed to carve & all are part of the well known Teddy Weahkee family of Zuni carvers. Ray Tsethlikai is Debra's husband. Ray started out in the Navy and eventually learned to carve from his father-in-law; Peter Gasper Sr. Debra & Ray usually carve their animals together. The couple are mostly known for their frogs, eagles and bears - utilizing selenite, turquoise, jet, rose quartz & amethyst. Their fetishes and fetish necklaces are made in the Zuni traditional style. Debra & Ray add to the family's narrative by creatively adding silver inlaid eyes, heart lines and dots. Their frogs show the most evolution - with dots inlaid on the frog's back to suggest rain and how they are grouped together - sometimes showing the evolution of the frog and sometimes portraying families.
