This decorative piece, shaped as an Armadillo and made from Burnished Clay, was hand-crafted by Master Artisan Luis Cortez. It has a hand-painted pattern with an impressive symmetry, all of it in traditional colors and with the characteristic shimmer of Burnished Clay pieces from Tonala, Jalisco.
Its decoration comes from tradition, respecting strokes and technique, and using imagination elements from Cortez, such as Floral lines, the movement of leaves and colorful garigole patterns.
- Handmade and hand painted in Mexico by Luis Cortez.
- Hand polished in Mexico using Pyrite stone by Irma Cortez.
- For decorative use only, this is a porous ceramic style, and is not suitable for holding liquids.
Details:
This piece is currently not in stock. Once your order is processed, the artisan will receive an order to produce a replica of the item you ordered. Given the handcrafted and artistic nature of their pieces, your purchase may have some variation in color and decoration. It is these same variations that make every item unique.
Elaboration times range from 30-45 days.
Measurements:
4.72" high x 7.87" width x 12.60" long
Weight:
2.87 lbs
Burnished Clay is one of Pottery's oldest techniques, as well as the one with the most Pre-Hispanic tradition, from which other techniques came to be. Drawing mastery is one of its most notable features, represented with a “pure" decorative style, which is predominant in these pieces, including abstract floral motives, symbolic animal representations and even geometric shapes. Traditional Mexican Elements are added to its themes: Such as the Eagle, Snake, Nahual (A Shapeshifting being commonly found in the Mexican mythology), Nopal (Cactus), and Pre-Hispanic patterns that form the synthesis of a very particular and characteristic scenario.
For its elaboration, clay-filled molds are used. The handles, “ears”, and other details are molded separately, and then embedded on the whole piece. It is then left to dry, before getting a soft sanding. After that, the piece is given an “Engobe” bath (a watery mix of clays) with the dual purpose of covering the smallest pores and serving as a background base for the paint. The painting of the design is achieved by mixing local types (of clay) with different tones.
Burnished Clay acquires its name from the shimmer obtained by rubbing the pieces with a burnishing tool made from a mineral named pyrite. The burnishing process starts by sanding the raw piece with river stones or very thin wet sanding paper. Once the piece is dry, it is bathed with a color that serves as a background for the decoration. Colors applied to the piece are all from mineral origin, prepared by mixing liquefied clay from the region, known as “flor de tierra” (or the Soil’s flower in English). For painting, several different traditional brushes are used, some of them made from cat’s fur, dog fur, squirrel’s tail fur, or even Fox’s tail fur. Once the piece is decorated, it is then burnished. The whole production process comes before the piece is fired, therefore, if a piece is not well crafted, it may be damaged while in the fire. The firing temperatures oscillate around 600ºC (around 1112 Fahrenheit), traditionally using firewood obtain a low flame.
Luis Cortez
Luis Cortez arrived to Tonala in the year 1980 and asked to become an apprentice in Salvador Vazquez Carmona´s Workshop, where he spent around seven years learning the basics, such as the use of the brushes and the elaboration of vases. He then decided to become independent and start working on his own, creating a unique style, characterized by the colorful palette he employed, differing from the more traditional paleetes, as well as the use of wood in his clay pieces.
Luis was awarded with the “Premio Angel Carranza” Award in 2013, also known as the “Premio Nacional de la Ceramica de Tlaquepaque” and was awarded to him by President Enrique Peña Nieto.
Luis has been working with clay for at least half his life, and has quickly become a true Master of the Burnished Clay technique with his Pottery. The elegance found in the shapes of his Pottery designs originates from his creative imagination. Whenever you ask him about where he gets his inspiration, he simply replies: “I get to feel the shapes while I’m working with the clay”.
His pieces are color-filled, the precision and symmetry in his strokes is simply magnificent to behold. Being daring and audacious by integrating non-traditional designs and colors in his works, is something that has made his pieces unique.
30 years of trajectory and career, being the first of his family dedicated to this craft. Luis faced challenges such as being rejected for not belonging or being born in Tonala and not being born from an artisan family. These challenges motivated Luis to persevere in his quest in becoming a Master Artisan in the Burnished Clay technique, not only Tonala, but throughout the Whole of Mexico.
