Category: Pottery

Categories
Pottery

Contemporary Pottery

December 12, 2020

Jesus Aguilar

I learned about Manuel de Jesus Aguilar about 4 years ago. A biker came through that was interested in pottery and we rode over to his place.

I was amazed. I’d never imagined anyone here in the remote part of Mexico would be making these kind of pieces.

He studied fine arts with a specialty in pottery. Had a workshop and outlet where he gave occasional classes in San Cristobal de las Casas. But left that because of the pandemia and now devotes his time back in his original village Villahermosa Yaluma where he makes his pieces and sells them through facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/jesus.aguilar.566790

Today we went just for a brief visit to reestablish contact for a friend interested in local pottery. We took a few pictures and you can find more on his Facebook page.

On the map below I show the drive from the house to his village and actual workshop location.

Manuel Jesus de Aguilar
  • Manuel in front of his kiln
  • I didn’t look closely but it must be wood burning. There’s a lot of firewood around
  • Various pieces near his pottery wheel.
  • Homemake pottery wheel using foot power. He sits on the top where María is straddled around the wheel and moves it with his feet below.
  • From here they are all finished pieces he has for sale.
Categories
Pottery

Amatenango del Valle

November 22, 2019

Local Tzeltal Artisans

I’m not sure what prompted me to learn about artisan pottery making. We buy occasionally from the family shown on this page. I think I’d just seen my brother a month previously and he’s quite a good potter. So thought to show him how it’s done here.

To get the full picture I split my time into 2 sessions separated by about 2 weeks. The first was about forming the pieces. They make a batch over a couple of weeks and then do a big firing. Obviously nothing at all like kiln firing.

The firing day fortunately I had the daughter there. None of the older women spoke Spanish.

There’s not much to say since I’m not an expert. I’ll simply put the pictures in order and make comments there.

On the map below I show the drive from the house to the workshop and tienda location. Enjoy.

Day 1 – Making the pieces
  • Getting Sand. It’s mixed with clay to make the finish piece less brittle.
  • Straining the sand fine with a piece of cloth.
  • Hauling the sand back to the workshop.
  • Tienda, home, workshop
  • Make up the clay
  • Forming a simple pot.
  • Shaping
  • Finishing
  • Tools. Shaping knife and polishing stone.
  • Making a breakable pot used for piñatas
  • Polishing
  • Setting out to dry
day 2 – Firing the pieces
  • Start with three fires to make coals. And not incidentally additionally drying the pieces.
  • When the coals get close lay out the pieces with rocks to keep them from touching.
  • Then lay coals between the pieces
  • Build a pottery pyre.
  • Then just let it catch fire and burn until the fuel is all gone.
  • A rest break while waiting for the pyre to burn out.
  • All done. Start pulling it down.
  • Finishing up and letting them cool.
Decoration and Display
  • Painting
  • Storefront.
  • Tienda, home, workshop
  • Another place down the road where we went for corn on the cob
  • Maria doctoring her corn
  • roasted on a portable comal