Width - 3.3 inches
Height - 1.5 inches
Mouth - 0.4 inches
Weight - 3 ounces
I seldom sell miniature from the village of Mata Ortiz because of their fragility. One artists whose work I will gladly offer is that of Elena Mera, and now her son Toño Rodriguez. This is a team effort of this mother son duo. Ms. Mera has taught her son Toño the dedication and love of the craft and she has taught him how to put in the extra effort for these miniature pieces to assure their durability. Native red clay is used, forming thicker walls, and they are fired extra long but at lower temperatures to assure a harder vessel. Ms. Mera's skills in fanciful festive designs are well known. This piece has a white lined, 5 pointed 'Flying Star' design. Singular white points of celestial light dot between the legs of this star. There is a triangular crosshatch pattern which blankets the equator tying this artwork into one complete whole. They have even managed to place both their signatures on the underside! The textures and designs are all an homage to the Artists ancestors, the Paquime Culture of the Casas Grandes Region from 1000 years in the past. This Mata Ortiz is modern Chihuahua culture married with the ancient spirit of the region.