Guadalajara-D'Casa Stoneware

Chiripa partners are on a buying trip to Mexico. Here's the first communication we received:

8/14/200
Chiripa has landed in Mexico! We started this morning by visiting the ceramics workshop of our friend Enrique Castro Compos and his family (D’Casa Stoneware). We found the modest workshop tucked into a typical residential neighborhood in Guadalajara. Guadalajara is a city of 4 million souls but, like other Mexican cities, it feels smaller because everything is on a fairly human scale.

Enrique’s workshop has no signs or advertising to distinguish it from the surrounding residences. But when you knock on the door, Enrique invites you in to a small world of beautiful ceramics.



Enrique’s life is a compelling story. He lost is father at age 12, and his mother at age 16. He and his 4 brothers had no other family to support them -- no grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins. So the brothers had to support themselves. There was widespread poverty, and at times they had nothing to eat, But they stuck together and, somehow, made their way.

By constant hard work, Enrique made it to the University of Guadalajara, and eventually graduated with a degree in chemical engineering. He worked for 34 years, as a production supervisor for major ceramics companies, before starting his own business with his wife. He and his wife worked hard to build the small business, and to support their family of 5 children. The grown children have gone on to professional careers.


Enrique, shown here with his youngest son Carlos, is proud of his family ́s achievement. He has put his professional experience to work in producing a very high quality product, but he also credits his wife for developing the business. Son Carlos now plays an important role in keeping things running.

End of message from Mexico.
One of the fun and popular items that we carry on the Chiripa website is the 4-piece tequilla set. Tray/cup/salt shaker/plate for lime. At $17 it makes a great gift!


Every piece is carefully made by hand. The consistent shapes makes D'Casa stoneware a perfect choice for your dinnerware.


And the precise painting is equally consistent, yet maintains a definite hand-made feel.

We will continue to carry this line and will be adding more pieces to the website in the near future.

Oaxaca-Weavers, Bulmaro Perez Mendoza

Summer marches on. The Sidewalk Sale was a huge success. Some treasured items from our first buying trip found new homes. We are now preparing lists and making initial contacts for the next trip to Mexico scheduled for later this month.

But, I never finished the reports and photos from the last trip! I'll do a couple posts to introduce you to some of our favorite people and places in Oaxaca. We'll start with the village of Teotitlan del Valle, a short trip outside of Oaxaca City. It is the center for quality rug weaving. One of our first contacts there was Bulmaro Perez Mendoza. It was a Chiripa (happy accident) that we met him. We were walking from the main highway into the village when a car stopped to offer us a ride. Nelson (Bulmaro's brother) wouldn't take no for an answer and all four of us piled into his small car that also carried his wife and two children. It was a happy ride and he took us to the weaving workshop of his family: Father and Sons Rugs (Centenario #27). We learned of the rug-making process including the use of natural materials in the dyes. The following photo is Bulmaro giving a demonstration to visiting tourists and his mother carding wool in the background.


The color red comes from the cochinilla bug that grows on the cactus. You can see the white spots on the cactus in the next photo. Depending on what is mixed with the red powder from the dried bugs (an acid like lime or a base like alum), the weaver is able to achieve different shades of red (from purple to cardinal red).


We were fortunate on our last trip to arrive just after the family had spent two months dying the wool for this year's rugs. We were shown an upstairs room lined with beautiful shades of naturally dyed wool.


Bulmaro's wife told us that after the wool is dyed it retains the smell of the plant used to color the yarn. In this next photo she is smelling pecans!


A new house has been built closer to the main highway and Nelson has moved in there to work in his own space. He has learned well from his brother.


I photographed an older man weaving on the patio, but it wasn't until later that I learned that he is the father of "Father and Sons Rugs."


One of the prize rugs we brought back to the shop is this spectacular tapestry of birds on a red cochinilla background. The rug is signed by Bulmaro. It's not up on the website, yet. Stop in the shop to see it. It measures about 2.5 x 5 feet and is $550.


The rugs at Chiripa are some of our most treasured products. We hope they go to homes where people will enjoy them as much as we do!