Mata Ortiz is a small remote village in northern Mexico. About 15 miles north of the village, there are pueblo-style ruins of the prehistoric culture known as Casas Grandes or Paquime. As a young boy from the village, Juan Quezada, searched the hills above the village for artifacts and potsherds. Juan began to work with the local clay to create pottery that was like the sherds he found. Eventually he and his sister Lydia mastered the craft and created the black-on-black and polychrome pottery now known as "the best kept secret in the art world". They taught their brothers and sisters who eventually taught the other people in the village. There are now more than 300 skilled potters in the village of Mata Ortiz.
The Mata Ortiz
black-on-black pots are hand-made from local clay and fired in the absence of air (oxygen) to give them the black color. Mineral paints are used in the designs. The polychrome pots are also made from local clays. White and brown clays are used - often mixed but not blended to achieve a marblizeded
effect. The designs on these pots are often painted with a single
strand of human hair. Other colored clays used in the manufacture of the pottery include red, yellow and black. The pots are never glazed.
My thanks to Spencer MacCallum for correcting my previous errors in the details in the making of these wonderful pots.
Smilin'
Coyote is proud to present some of the potters of Mata Ortiz.
All pots are signed on the bottom unless otherwise noted.
Prices include Priority Shipping and Insurance in the US.
International shipping costs will be calculated and emailed to you prior to shipment.
I am working on a new page with all new pots. I hope to have it up soon.
I have about 30 additional pots in stock so if you are looking for a particular potter or family of potters, just let me know. Email me here and I will email you photos and details
of any pot that meets your criteria. Or email me here for additional photos of any pot shown.
Click on any photo for a larger one or another view.
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Miniature Pot #1 Rosy Mora Dark brown and red on light tan 2 1/2" in diameter 1 1/4" high US $25.00 |
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Miniature pot #3 Rosy Mora Dark brown on light tan 2 1/2" in diameter 2 1/4" high US $30.00 |
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Miniature Pot #4 Rosy Mora Black and red on marble 2 1/4" in diameter 2 1/4" high US $30.00 |
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Small Pot #1 Ramon Villa Dark brown and red on tan Three fish adorn the top 3 1/2" in diameter 1 1/2" high US $50.00 |
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Small Pot #2 Ramon Villa Red and black on tan Geometric and star design 3 1/2" in diameter 1 1/2" high US $50.00 |
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Small Pot #4 Irma Villa Dark brown on white I love the interesting shape of these pots! 3 1/2" in diameter 4" high US $60.00 |
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Larger Pot #2 Jesus Tena Black on black 7 3/4" in diameter 6 1/4" high US $200.00 |
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Armando Silviera Red and black geometric designs on tan clay with rows of fingernail impressions at the top. The pot is 11" in diameter, 13 1/2" tall, with a 3 3/4" opening. A very dramatic piece! US $550.00 | ||
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Miguel Bugarini Red and black geometric designs with long-neck birds on brown clay. The bird design is repeated four times around the circumference of the pot. The pot is 11 1/2" in diameter, 11" high, with a 3 1/2" opening. It's a beauty. Miguel is listed in "Many Faces of Mata Ortiz". $925.00 |
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