Discovering Mata Ortiz - An ancient Pottery Tradition 3 DAY 2 NIGHT Tour Package

A remarkable artistic revolution has taken place in a tiny remote town in Chihuahua, Mexico. In the village of Mata Ortiz, an ancient pottery tradition from the forgotten city of Paquimi has been reborn, transforming it into the home of one of the foremost expressions of Mexican ceramics.

Inspired by ancient potsherds he found as a boy, the self-taught master potter Juan Quezada, created a contemporary artwork that parallels the art of indigenous ceramists to the north, the Hopi, Zuni, Acoma Indians and others. In the early 1970's, Quezada began experimenting with clay, trying to replicate the ancient art form on the pots of the Paquimi culture. He rediscovered old clay sources in his hometown and reinvented mineral based pigments, resurrecting in the process an entire artistic tradition.

Mata Ortiz pots are hand built without the use of a potter's wheel. The shaping, polishing and painting of the clay is entirely done by hand, often with brushes made from children's hair. The preferred fuel for the low temperature firing is grass-fed cow manure or split wood. Though these characteristics hark back to the ancient pottery traditions of the region, Mata Ortiz pieces incorporate elements of contemporary design and decoration. Together with his extended family, neighbors, and an increasing number of young clay workers from surrounding areas, Quezada continues at the forefront of this exciting artistic movement that has also offered the community much needed income.

These amazing creations have transcended the borders of Mexico. Mata Ortiz pieces have been on exhibit in such prestigious museums as the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, the American Museum of Ceramic Art in California, the Museum of Man in San Diego and the Museum of Peoples and Cultures at the Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Join us on a visit to new generations of artisans in their homes, where you will also have the opportunity to purchase their unique creations. We will also visit the ruins of Paquimi. Dating back to the 14th century, this UNESCO World Heritage Site was an important regional center with multi-storied adobe buildings, ball courts and effigy mounds, dedicated to craft production and macaw breeding. There is an adjoining museum that exhibits artifacts from the Paquimi culture as well as surrounding indigenous groups, including the Chichimeca, Mogollon, O'odham, and Anasazi.