A Mata Ortiz adventure

I got back from a week spent at J. Mata Ortiz in Chihuahua among the fabulous potters and their latest work. Here are a few photos.

This is the gallery at Juan Quezada’s house in town where many of the village potters have their work for sale.







I was very fortunate to be able to spend a little time with Juan Quezada, the master potter.

Juan processing clay:



Juan at his ranch:



We spent part of every day strolling through the village being invited into people’s homes to see their pottery:

Where Sabino Villalbas works on his pots:



We lucked out and saw a couple firings. Some pots just finished after final firing. They were $20.









There is a new book featuring the work of the “second generation” potters. Here is Angel Amaya with the book and the pot that I bought from him:



Some pots were unbelievably wonderful:







Many of the potters like to look for and collect the ancient Casas Grandes and Mimbres pottery and artifacts. It’s like going to a museum. Here are some of the antiquities:







An awesome trip. We took the bus ($88 one way, 23 hrs) so I was limited in space. I only bought 11 small pots this time!! Had time on 2 mornings to explore the “plains” west of the village where I found a portable metate, mano, hammer, numerous scraper tools, stone foundation of structures. Learned about the hiking trail up to Cerro Moctezuma where there is a small ruins site (next time), and also, next time, will explore the river bed for pot sherds.

Wonderful and I really need to buy that second generation book to go with the other Mata Ortiz books.

The first piece of Mata Ortiz pottery that I acquired was one of Angel Amaya's --- it was a gift from my son who saw it on the internet and thought I might like it. And that started it! We have made a couple of trips to Mata Ortiz armed with lots of bubble wrap and containers.

What a treat to meet the master! It is just amazing that there are so many talented potters in one place.

Thanks for taking me back there --- now I need to go again in person.

Driving directions from Loreto? Go norte until you hit Mex. 2. It's Mex. 2 all the way (past Agua Prieta) until you come to Janos. Then choose Mex. 10; go south to Nuevo Casas Grandes. Follow the signs on the new highway into J. Mata Ortiz another 20 miles or so. Or take the ferry at Santa Rosalia to Guymas. Go north to Mex. 2 at Agua Prieta.

Diana, you won't believe what the main street now looks like paved with a median. And the government also built a plaza and park around the train station building, with a sculpture of Juan Quezada.

There was a lot more to the trip than the pottery. We had a chance to go rockhounding with Juan. He has literally a ton of this birdseye rhyolite on his ranch property. He sells some to artisans who carve and polish objets d’art .



There are many rock art sites throughout the region. Here, Juan points out a petroglyph of hand prints and bear paws:



Juan showed us one of his white clay sources.



Some vaqueros were testing the durability of newly applied horseshoes with some vaca roping:



And Juan Gallegos Jr., who is not only an award-winning potter, and has a membership bodybuilding gym on his property, also breeds fighting roosters – what a guy!