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The Village of Mata Ortiz is located in Mexico in the State of Chihuahua.

Purely speaking, while the artisans there are "Natives," they are not "Native American Indians," as defined by the Indian Arts & Crafts Association, of which we are members.

Nonetheless, their work was inspired by the original Casas Grandes pottery that preceded the modern American Indian pottery movement

The earlier work was crude in its form, polish, and paint. Over the years, under the tutelage of acknowledged master potter Juan Quezada, however, the Village of Mata Ortiz potters have refined their techniques.

Today, they are among the finest artisanal potters in the world. They follow the old method of hand-forming the pot from coils of clay, working to almost paper-thin walls. The shape and symmetry of the pots created by the finest of these artists are flawless. The pots are hand-painted in the oldest native tradition, using symbolic animal designs and geometric patterns.

The grace and form of all pot shapes from bowls to vases to ollas, is quite remarkable. Some of the most stunning work, however, has been done in effigy pots. These bear three-dimensional representations of creatures ranging from lizards and snakes to turtles, frogs, and birds.

Despite the extensive development of the art of Mata Ortiz from primitive to fine, the prices for the most part have not followed suit. The work of the finest of the artists commands healthy prices, although they normally cost less than equivalent work by a Native American Master. The lesser know potters, who are producing extraordinary work in their own right are very reasonably priced.

Click on the thumbnail to get a better look at each item.

	PB38 Lopez Saenz	P921 Rojas	PC26 L. Corona
	PF16 Loya	P870 Matz Domingo	PF14 Tena
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