Mata Ortiz, Chihuahua, Mexico

In the early 1970s, an extraordinary group of beautifully made pottery began to appear in the El Paso, TX, area of the Southwest. It was being brought across the border from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico. In the next 20 years, the pottery of Mata Ortiz would be appearing in high-level galleries in Santa Fe. Museums began mounting exhibits and extolling the creativity of these master potters.

A potter named Juan Quesada had been the creator of these first pieces and was the spark that ignited the flame in his tiny village of Mata Ortiz—much like Maria Martinez did to her pueblo of San Ildefonso.

A good reference for the works of these Mexican potters is The Miracle of Mata Ortiz, Juan Quesada and the Potters of Northern Chihuahua, by Walter P. Parks. (See our Book Section to order this book).