Width - 4.5 inches
Height - 4.5 inches
Mouth - 1.25 inches
Weight - 12 ounces
Walking far along the winding dirt roads of Mata Ortiz, into the back lairs of homes and cantinas and stores, you might be fortunate enough to find the studio of renowned craftswoman Ailadi Mijarez. From tucked away places come hidden gems.
Ms. Mijarez limits the number of pieces she creates due to the intense work and long days she puts into creating just one Mata Ortiz Pot. I pick out only the finest of her pieces, the pieces with the thickest walls and the shiniest glaze and the deftest etching.
Her pieces mimic the shape of the native gourds and pumpkins that spontaneously sprout up along the roads and back streets of this Chihuahua village.
Ailadi’s hand work is skilled and precise. The etched line can be so thin and so close together that they blend to appear like actual petals, feathers or fur.
In this piece are six swallows in mid-flight all around the pottery. The scene is one of movement and purpose as the birds admire the local flowers. Pride and skill are two ingredients Ms. Mijarez adds to each of her creations along with local glazes on native white clay.
All the artists of Mata Ortiz create breathtaking pottery of fine quality. I find the superior built pieces and sell them here at competitive prices.