Mata Ortiz Pottery

pottery

Mata Ortiz, near the ancient ruins of Casas Grandes, Mexico, is a small town famous for it's beautiful pottery. The potters of Mata Ortiz are inspired by the art of the ancient Paquime indians who lived near Mata Ortiz years ago.
While Mata Ortiz itself is a village barely three streets wide, it is home of Juan Quezada, the self-taught originator of Mata Ortiz pottery, and his young followers. This piece of extraordinary pottery an example of the many diverging art forms that make up the contemporary art movement of Mata Ortiz. While it is rooted in a thousand year tradition, the potters of Mata Ortiz are still free and spontaneous - a result of a blending cultural expression, economic need and artistic desire.

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Mata Ortiz Information | Listing of Artists | Pottery Techniques

Mata Ortiz Pottery		Wholesale Pottery
		For information about wholesale pottery from Mata Ortiz, visit our wholesale pottery information page. Also, check out our newly updated pottery books page.

All About Pottery		Tours to Mexico
Learn about many different types of pottery and how it is made on our new pottery website! Go to our pottery website		Interested in traveling to Mata Ortiz, Mexico? Gavilan Tours can help you plan the perfect trip. For more information, visit www.gavilantours.com.

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Juan Quezada: Legend of Mata Ortiz
The legend needs no introduction. Juan Quezada Celado is in many ways the Mata Ortiz Casas Grandes art movement. Almost single-handedly, Juan explored and established the process of natural ceramic production. His pioneering efforts have literally made potting possible for all. Since those formative years in the early 70’s, Juan has gone on to perfect his painting technique. His style is tightly symmetrical, even beautifully minimalist. That refined simplicity captivates collectors and classifies Juan’s pieces as the most coveted art works of the community.
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Enlarging upon the Legacy of Juan Quezada
Not only is Mata Ortiz known for it's fine pottery, but also for it's unique jewelry. It may be a couple of years before we see significant production, but a tradition has begun. The first sale took place on the 20th of March. Out of appreciation, he said, for our introducing him to Mata Ortiz and for Spencer suggesting a name, Micky Vanderwagen gave us the distinction of being the first on record to buy a piece of "Matiz" jewelry. The name "Matiz" is more than simply a contraction of "Mata Ortiz;" it means in Spanish a hue of color, and color is one of the hallmarks of this new jewelry.
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