To supplement her family's income, she caught fish in the Valley to sell to hotel keepers.

[2] Lucy Telles was one of a group of Mono-Paiute women that "became known for their exceedingly fine, visually stunning and complex polychrome baskets.

"[3] Other basket weaving artists in this group included Nellie Charlie and Carrie Bethel.

She created black from bracken fern root (Pteridium aquilinum) and red from split redbud twigs.

In 1950, Telles raffled off this basket, her son won it, and the National Park Service purchased it for their Yosemite Museum.

[2] She taught her grandson's wife, Julia Peter Parker (Kashaya Pomo) how to weave baskets.