| This village of potters is one of the most popular
destinations in Oaxaca's Central
Valley and travelers are encouraged to spend time at the family
workshops as well as at the Mercado de Artesanias on the main road
entering the village.
The best-selling pottery in the city, and in fact, the state of
Oaxaca is the traditonal green-glazed ceramics. The traditional
ceramic is used for salsa bowls and containers for chocolate. Fanciful
designs include bowls shaped as iguanas and turkeys. Atzompa pottery
is both decorative and utilitarian.
LANGUAGE LESSONS -- A rodete is the reed ring that
keeps rounded pots and jars from tipping. The large ceramic bowl
used to make tejate are called apazle.
POTTERS
Among the potters are a number of innovative artists. Of note is
Dolores Porras, who along with her husband Alfredo, pioneered a
painted ceramics style in the late 1960s. Vases and dishes of every
conceivable size are adorned with figures. The family workshop is
located on Hidalgo #502. Note that they do most of their firings
on the weekends. Figures range from mermaids to colorful striped
bowls.
Another artist Enedina Vasquez Cruz, whose detailed clay work
uses natural colors. Her workshop is on the edge of town on Calle
Libertad (not numbered).
Alicia Leticia García Blanco specializes in small engraved
figures in terra cotta ceramics. She creates mermaids, angels and
nativity and procession scenes. The workshop is located at Avenida
Juárez #109.
Antonio Ruiz Maldonando works from Buenavista #1180. His in-laws
also sell the work from Oaxaca City's Sánchez
Pascuas market.
NEARBY
The town is located a few kilometers from the archaeological site
of Monte
Albán.
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