Hector Gallegos, Jr. and Laura Bugarini Cota in their Mata Ortiz home; photo by Ron Sullivan.
Ron and Vicki Sullivan
Looking for an exquisite accent piece for your Southwest home? Highly acclaimed Mata Ortiz potters Laura Bugarini Cota and husband Hector Gallegos, Jr. will be at Quail Creek’s Kino Conference Center on October 14, 15 and 16. They may have exactly what you have been looking for.
In the fall of 2014, a Hall of Fame was created in Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico to recognize those individuals who have made significant contributions to the art of Chihuahua. On March 19, 2016 Mata Ortiz master potter Laura Bugarini Cota was selected as one of the Outstanding Women in Arts for 2016 in the State of Chihuahua. The Governor of Chihuahua presented her with the award. Laura was inducted for her many ceramic achievements. She developed a fine line painting style that is widely admired.
Hector’s technique is different from the traditional Mata Ortiz pottery. He says, “I usually work on etched designs, drawing stories of our region and its creatures. I feel that when I paint, I give a life and a story to the pot. I often work on collaborations with my wife, basically on combinations of her tiny details and my etchings. It really motivates me to keep innovating and improving when a person likes my work.”
Joining Laura and Hector will be Lydia Quezada, Pabla T. Quezada and Moroni T. Quezada with their keen eye for black-on-black Mata Ortiz pottery as described in the September issue of The Crossing.
Rounding out the October event is jewelry made from contemporary Mata Ortiz pottery shards and 92.5% silver by Agustin Torres Beltran, a Nahuatl Indian in Taxco, Mexico. Each piece is one-of-a-kind, totally hand formed.
Schedule
Friday, Oct 14 – 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.
All day
Pottery forming, painting demonstrations and sales
Viewing of DVD of The Mata Ortiz Pottery phenomenon
Saturday, Oct 15 – 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
All day
Pottery forming, painting demonstrations and sales
Viewing of DVD of The Mata Ortiz Pottery phenomenon
11:00 a.m. Pottery firing, weather permitting
Sunday, Oct 16 – 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
All day
Pottery forming, painting demonstrations and sales
Viewing of DVD of The Renaissance of Mata Ortiz
11:00 a.m. Pottery firing, weather permitting