Alan Case Collection of Mata Ortiz Ceramic Pottery

Alan Case Collection of Mata Ortiz Ceramic Pottery

Mata Ortiz pottery originates from a small village south of the San Louis Mountains called Mata Ortiz. Pottery in Mata Ortiz, Mexico bears many names including “Casas Grandes”, “New Casas Grandes” or “Mata Ortiz”. The resurgence of Mata Ortiz pottery begins in 1976 with a man named Juan Quezada, whose family lived in the area for generations. He became proficient in this particular clay preparation and firing through years of study. Resulting in the recreation of ceramic technology from the Pre-Columbian society Paquime from 1000 to 1400 C.E. Mata Ortiz is known for being thin walled and finely painted. His growing success of Mata Ortiz sales in 1974 led to him pass on his pottery making knowledge to his eight siblings, who then passed the knowledge onto their children and a few members of the community.

The process of making Mata Ortiz pottery begins with clay. A white clay found from a nearby site in Mata Ortiz containing an appropriate balance of clay and volcanic ash is chosen. It is then washed to eliminate particles and rocks and filtered so that it can be easily polished. A refined pinching technique is used by Mata Ortiz potters to create the thin walls of the pot containing few coils and few joints, making a strong wall. Once shaped through a series of techniques, the pot is air dried, sanded and polished using different tools. The pot is then painted using a glaze mixture of mineral and liquid clay that adheres to the pot. Once this is done fine lines or geometric patterns can be painted on the pot using a unique human hair brush. Lastly, the pot is covered in a thin layer of oil and fired between 1000 degrees fahrenheit and 1500 degrees fahrenheit giving it strength and its signature “glasslike” look.

Resources: Susan Lowell et al., The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz (Tucson: Rio Nuevo Publishers, 1999), 7-9.
Lowell et al., The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz, 187-192.

Unknown

Ortiz, Alonzo (Mexican)

Quezada, Rosa (Mexican)

Ortiz, Isidro (Mexican)

Lopez Quezada, Olivia (Mexican)

De Baca, Carmen F. (Mexican)

Quezada, Lydia (Mexican)

Rodriguez Guiller(en), Manuel (Mexican)

Andrew, Felipe (Mexican)

Lopez Corona, Baudel (Mexican)

Quezada, Paty (Mexican)

Ortega, Celia (Mexican)

Chaddick, Red J. (Mexican)

Cota G. Martin (Mexican)

Guillen, Manuel (Mexican)

Quezada, Mariano (Mexican)

Cota Guilla, Hector (Mexican)

Maciaz, Hugo (Mexican)

Quezada, Mineya (Mexican)

Quintana, Eduardo R. (Mexican)

Quezada, Miveya (Mexican)

Villalba, Sabino (Mexican)

Gallegos, Guadalupe (Mexican)

Ponce, Maubel (Mexican)

Q, Aurturo (Mexican)

Mara, Maunel (Mexican)

Nauarrete Ortiz, Cesar (mexican)

Banv(u)elos, Roberto (Mexican)

Castillo, Luas (Mexican)

Sallegos, Sacido (Mexican)

Ortiz R, Felix (Mexican)

Quezada, Jesus (Mexican)

Lucern, R. (Mexican)

Quintana, Jorge (Mexican)

Flores, Ismael (Mexican)

Quizada, Nicolas (Mexican)

Rodriguez, Oscar (Mexican)

Esta Quillin, Martin (Mexican)

Cato, Gerardo (Mexican)

Mora, Manuel (Mexican)

Saligos, Durita (Mexican)

Ortiz, Cesar (Mexican)

Cota Guillen, Martin (Mexican)

Aworete Ortiz, Zerur (Mexican)

Cato Guillen, Martin (Mexican)

Galligos, Hector (Mexican)

Andrew, Octaviao (Mexican)

Moya (? uncertain)

Ledezma, Yoly (Mexican)

Carlos V. Rodriguez, Juan (Mexican)

Perez, Rodrigo (Mexican)

Lopez Cota, Luci (Mexican)

Rodriguez, Armando (Mexican)

Aimazan, Salvador (Mexican)

Veloz, Carmen (Mexican)

Quezada, Damian E. (Mexcian)

Pedregon Ortiz, Enrique (Mexican)

Ponce, Humberto (Mexican)

Martinez, Ruiz (Mexican)

Lopez, Lorurdes (Mexican)

Angel (Mexican)

Filez, Sol (Mexican)

Sanchez, Claudia (Mexican)

Lopez, Gralia (Mexican)

Bugarini Cota, Elvira (Mexican)

Mora, Julio (Mexican)

Martinez, Jesus (Mexican)

Alan Case Family Donation