Hector Javier Martinez with one of his sgraffito pieces.
Ron and Vicki Sullivan
Mark your calendars for the fall 2019 Mata Ortiz pottery, jewelry, and Zapotec weaving show coming to Quail Creek’s Kino Conference Center on Oct. 11, 12, and 13.
Appearing for their first Quail Creek show are Mata Ortiz sgraffito-style carvers Hector Javier Martinez and his wife Gabriela Perez. Javier started painting figures on his pots before he developed his famed sgraffito style. He uses only a needle for carving and etching the designs, plus a whetstone to keep the needle tip sharp. His pieces feature highly detailed Dia de la Muertos figures celebrating with music, dance, and libations. Gaby carves the lettering. Often, he is commissioned to make very large pieces depicting iconic landmarks of great cities like Seattle, El Paso, Mexico City, San Francisco, and Paris! The options are endless!
Also returning for the fourth consecutive year are Lydia Quezada, Pabla Talavera Quezada, and Moroni Talavera Quezada. Lydia, sister of world-renowned potter Juan Quezada, and her family will be demonstrating their intricate slip designs.
If you have ever wanted to paint with a master, now is your chance. Register for the second “Paint with Lydia” workshop on Friday, just before the show opens. Class is limited to 15 pre-paid participants who will learn from Pabla and Moroni Quezada as their mother paints.
All supplies will be provided, and no experience is necessary. Cost is $100, payable by cash or check. To register, contact Ron and Vicki at [email protected].
Join us once again for master Zapotec weaver Porfirio Gutierrez’s “Traditional Zapotec Dyes: Survival in the Modern World” lecture and dye demonstrations every day at 1:00 p.m. Peruse his displays of eye dazzling natural-dye colors as they appear to dance and glow, evoking the many moods of his Zapotec heritage in Oaxaca. Woven by hand, he and his family evoke the intricacies of traditional Zapotec art.
Rounding out the event is jewelry made from contemporary Mata Ortiz pottery shards wrapped in 92.5% silver by Agustin Torres Beltran, a Nahuatl Indian in Taxco, Mexico. Each piece is one-of-a-kind, totally hand-formed.
Friday, Oct. 11, noon to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 12, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 13, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.