Around Lake Patzcuaro-Santa Fe de la Laguna

Photos and thoughts from the February 2012 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

We don't often get to the far north side of Lake Patzcuaro. But, in the small village of Santa Fe de la Laguna one can find some of the most beautiful and contemporary-looking lead-free pottery. It is the work of Nicholas Fabian and his wife Maria del Rosario. On this trip we arrived to find no one home. And then, a Chiripa (happy accident): Maria came walking down the street and welcomed us into their home. 

 Maria wearing a traditional Purépecha rebozo 

in front of a wall of newly made pottery.

After we had selected the new product for Chiripa I asked Maria to step into their courtyard for another photo. To me, she projects pride and honor. She and Nicolas were part of the first group of potters in that area that recognized the need to switch to lead-free production techniques. She is a proud of their indigenous heritage and confident in their art. She is the one that makes the forms and Nicholas is the one who etches the designs. They are a partnership and both names are etched on the bottom of all pieces.

We were sad to miss Nicolas on this trip, but we learned that he now has access to email when he goes into town. Next time, we'll plan ahead.

A true team: Maria del Rosario and Nicholas Fabian photographed in 2008.

-kl

Around Lake Patzcuaro-Manuel Morales

Thoughts and photos from the February 2012 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Some of our most amazing and memorable experiences traveling in Mexico come from visiting workshops in small villages. The artists are in their natural element.

Master potter Manuel Morales lives and works in Tzintzuntzan, Michoacan, Mexico. Using pre-columbian themes and geometrical designs, he has managed to combine images from his indigenous Purepecha heritage and influences from the greater world of art history. His workshop is the building that was the first hospital in that area. Manuel's work has won numerous national prizes and is coveted in the U.S. and Europe. Chiripa feels fortunate to have several new pieces on the way.

Our current (4/12) remaining piece can be found on the Chiripa website.

We first met Manuel when visiting his mother, also a potter. Ofelia Gamez died about a year ago; a great loss to the community and Chiripa.

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new shipment from Mexico. Sign up for the Chiripa mailing list (lower right corner of homepage) if you would like email notifications. -kl

How We Bring Beauty to You-Part 2

Photos and thoughts from the 2012 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Continued from the last post. . .
We eventually regrouped, gulped down some liquid yogurt for lunch, used the baño, and hailed a cab on the street. We told the cab driver we wanted to go to the village of Capula, a center of indigenous ceramic craft. The driver whistled, scrunched up his face and calculated: “Pues, es muy lejos...” (translation: “it’s very far” -- i.e., “it’s going to cost you a bundle”). We agreed on an estimated fare, jumped into the cab and headed out. On the way we passed miles of stone fences, laboriously constructed over the centuries – each stone lifted and set by strong brown hands. The fences looked like they had always been there.
 
In Capula, after bumping down many wrong streets and asking many puzzled bystanders, we finally rediscovered the home of the Juan Rosas family (whom we had not seen for 2 years).  Their son Juan (“Chino”), a brilliant ceramic painter who has won national awards, opened the door. Chino recognized us immediately and sent word to his father, who was in the market. Juan ran the entire distance, and leaned against a wall to catch his breath before he could speak to us. His wife Lourdes joined us later:  “Qué Milagro!” (“What a Miracle”) she said. “We have been thinking about you, and wondering why you hadn’t been back. But now here you are!” Her beautiful smile spread from ear to ear.

 Lourdes with her three sons: 
Brian (Koby), Juan Jr (Chino) and Misael (translator and accountant)

We bought some fine ceramics from the Juan Rosas family, while others gathered around to watch. The family will pack and deliver the ceramics to a stone carver in another village. The stone carver (with whom we had already placed an order), will carry the stone and ceramic pieces to Guadalajara in a pickup truck (we hope they get there). In Guadalajara, crafts from our many other Mexican stops will be consolidated in similar fashion for export to Chiripa.  The daisy chain process takes months.

In Capula, we also bought some delicate ceramic Catrinas from other sellers. These had to be wound in toilet paper and bubble wrap, carefully placed in a box, and carried with us to Patzcuaro. It was getting late in the afternoon, and the taxi driver was getting nervous.  Finally, we were ready. 

The stone carvings in Tzintzuntzan seem to grow up from the ground.

On the way back to Patzcuaro, we stopped to see the stone carver and tell him about the ceramics shipment that would be coming his way. He was eating a light meal with friends, at a makeshift outdoor table under a shade tree. At sunset, the taxi driver finally dropped us at our hotel and we give him a handsome tip (“Muy bién,” he beamed).
 

We left the box of delicate Catrinas in our room and used the baño.  After a long and hard day’s work, we decided that we deserved supper and a beer (“merecemos una cerveza”) at Lupita (photo of patio seating on the left), a new favorite restaurant up near the Basilica.  But first, we had to visit the artisans selling woven linens and milagro hearts....   -JKM

A Quest for Ceramics

From the Aug 2011 log on the Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

About 25 miles from Pátzcuaro, in Michoacán, is the indigenous Purépecha village of Capula -- known for its fine ceramic work. We hired a taxi to take us to the village. The taxi dropped us in the town center, and we proceeded on foot. We hoped to find Fernando Arroyo, a recognized master artisan, who makes finely decorated ceramics. Arroyo and his wife Belem were among the first Capula artisans to make ceramics with lead-free glazes.    

After a half-hour of trial-and-error, we knocked on the door of a little adobe house that we hoped was that of the Arroyo family. The door opened, and Fernando and Belem welcomed us into the family workshop.  Our eyes adjusted as we stepped down into the dark little room, which has a low ceiling, a dirt floor, and no electric lights. But just beyond the workshop there is a sunny little courtyard. The family bicycle is parked against the courtyard wall, where Arroyo has hung examples of completed works.

A special kiln, needed for the production of lead-free ceramics, stands in one corner of the workshop (the kiln serves as a storage cabinet when not in use). The workshop benches are crowded with ceramic pieces in various states of completion. You would be amazed at the stunning, elegant pieces created in these humble surroundings. We chose as many as we could carry, and Fernando packed them with newspaper in a cardboard box. 

Fernando’s son and a neighbor boy sat in the doorway, looking on. 

When the transaction was completed, the entire family gathered for a photo.

We carried the box, heavy with ceramic treasure, back to the town center (calling on other artisans along the way). There is only one taxi in Capula, and it was standing empty next to the public market. We finally tracked down the driver, a gentle and amiable man with a dry sense of humor, who agreed to drive us to Pátzcuaro. En route, he talked about his passion for the beautiful Michoacán environment, and about his efforts to reduce the plague of litter on town streets and country roads. We gave him a good tip, and he used it to buy ice cream (a Pátzcuaro specialty) for his wife. “She will love me for this,” he beamed.  -JKM

The Next Generation

Musings from the Feb 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

After breakfast, we visit our friends at D’Casa Ceramics. In their home workshop, the Castro family makes the fine, stoneware that you can find at Chiripa. Enrique, the veteran proprietor, worries about the general state of affairs in Mexico and the world, but is very happy that his son (also named Enrique) is now helping to run the business.  

Enrique, Sr., takes pleasure in showing us the craft that he has learned over many years, and discloses to us his secret glaze formula (no lead) which he has hand-written in pencil. 

 Enrique explains that he personally perfected his unique designs and techniques based on years of experience, including many experiments and “fracasos” (failures). There are no “fracasos” now, and the Enrique’s work shows a master’s dedication to beauty, quality and durability.

This year we found the painter working on our "house" pattern: Rosy. 

You can see the finished product on our website. Click on the image below.

Dining Room with a View

From the log kept by JM on the August 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

August 21, 2010. It seemed like a fine morning to eat at the Hotel de la Basilica. The hotel, which sits on a hill in the center of Patzcuaro, is named for the basilica that sits just across the street. The basilica was constructed from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Its huge bells ring out across the city, a soulful reminder to faithful and unfaithful alike.

The hotel dining room offers splendid views over a jumble of red-tiled roofs (reminiscent of hill towns in Italy) to the lake and mountains beyond. Morning clouds hang half-way up the mountains. The dining room is small, but we have our choice of tables because tourists are scarce these days. The hot coffee is delicious on a cool morning.

 A lovely table setting features hand-made ceramic plates from the nearby village of Capula. (Chiripa has just a few of these very same plates which are made with a lead-free glaze.) The centerpiece is a colorful, handmade castle of firecrackers (not available at Chiripa), of the sort commonly put to use at fiestas here. The centerpiece also includes hand-woven straw ornaments from the nearby town of Tzintzuntzan (which we plan to visit after breakfast). Heavy, hand-blown glassware and hand-formed ceramic mugs complete the table setting.

In Patzcuaro, hand-woven table linens are also a specialty. Men weave the fabric on heavy wooden looms. Skilled seamstresses then fashion the fabric into napkins, placemats and tablecloths. At Chiripa you can find Patzcuaro table linens in a riot of bright colors. They look great with hand-made ceramic plates from Capula and hand-blown glassware from Tlaquepaque! Enjoy the colors, textures and hand-made character of Mexico in your home.

Hard Times

Text from JM's log on the Feb/March 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico. Photo captions by Kathryn.

February 20, 2010 – HARD TIMES

“We may have to shut down if things don’t improve.” Like many other artisans, Enrique is deeply concerned about current economic conditions. He and his wife Gloria run D’Casa Ceramics, a small workshop that produces hand-crafted Talavera-style ceramics. Each piece requires hours of careful hand painting. The ceramics are then fired at high temperature to produce a durable and exquisite product.

The showroom/office at D'Casa Ceramics, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

Enrique engages the guys while Gloria figures our total in the background.

The artists work in the back room painting patterns on stoneware.

Their fine brushes are made from squirrel tails.

Enrique and Gloria worry about their small family of talented painters, who rely on them for a steady wage. (Enrique showed us the ceramic jar that held the wages to be paid that afternoon.) If Enrique and Gloria are forced to shut down, the world will be a poorer and less beautiful place. Chiripa is helping to sustain this handcraft tradition. You can share in the beauty, and keep the tradition alive!

Another painter working on a very detailed platter.

The completed piece waits to be fired.

We sell this platter at Chiripa and online.

Other pieces in the Rosy (teal) and Imperial (blue) patterns.
Stop at the shop to see what's on hand.

Day 11: The Lake Patzcuaro Loop

Friday, August 14: The Chiripa 2009 Summer Buying Trip to Mexico

Friday starts with a trip to the local market Patzcuaro. We find fun magnets here, but pass on the piles of pottery because we can't verify that it is Lead-Free. It's a very local market with things you'll find in typical Mexican homes.

A report on the day's activities included a tour guided by Dirceau and Beto of Echery Pottery. Places and people on the list:

The Juan Rosas Family in Capula

The Fernando Arroyo Family in Capula

The Nicolas Fabian Family in Santa Fe de la Laguna

A new potter [I wonder what he or she makes]

Isidro Lopez Saldivar, the stone carver in Tzintzuntzan [and I'm sure they didn't drive through this city without stopping for the cornhusk flowers that are a staple of the shop.]

And I wonder if they stopped at El Tirgre for lunch.

And then when back in Patzcuaro a trip to Once (11) Patios to look for delicately painted jewelry and barrettes. A very full day.

No time for photos on this post. You can search by any of the names above and see previous posts about the families and the art they produce. You can also search on our website for products we sell by these artisans.

A Great Idea!

Retail shops like Chiripa benefit from customer feedback. Recently, one family purchased a cookie jar for their kitchen counter. But, it wasn't going to hold cookies! Their great idea was to use the covered jar to hide their kitchen compost container. They loved the idea of a beautiful hand-painted piece on their counter instead of the ugly plastic container with their kitchen scraps. I wanted to pass on the idea to my readers. Here are a couple photos of a jar in action.

It's strawberry season in Wisconsin. Time for a pie.

Who would know that this beautiful jar hides the scraps?

"Cookie/Compost Jar" by Ferdinand Arroyo, Capula, Michoacan, Mexico.

Any other ideas?

Names and Faces

Chiripa is committed to promoting the artists who's work we carry. We often give customers copies of the photos we set by the beautiful crafts that we sell. One thing that sets us apart from other "galleries" who offer bios of artists is that we travel to the places where the artists work and live. That means long trips to remote places in Mexico. It's the heart of this business.

The following photo is one of my favorites from the Feb 2009 trip. The Juan Rosas Family in Capula, Michoacan has been featured previously on this blog. (See post from March, 2008.) This was the first time that the entire family was at home at the time we arrived.


I want to put names with faces. On the far left (on my right) is Juan Rosas, the father of the family. On my left is Lordes Martinez Reyes, the wife and mother. Behind her is Juan Manuel Rosas Martinez, or Chino. All three of them are master potters and/or painters. To Chino's right (behind me and Lordes) is Missael Enrique Rosas Martinez, a quiet boy who's learning English in school. He got to practice with the Gringos! And to Enrique's right is Jim M the "translator" of our group. In the front is Brian (Kobe) Rosas Martinez. Kobe, like most children we meet is fascinated by Jim L's white beard. Many think they are seeing Santa Claus as we tour Mexico.

That was one stop on one day in February. We hope there will be more visits with the Juan Rosas Family. You can find some of their pottery for sale on our website. That link will take you to pottery. Enter "Juan Rosas" in the search field and you'll see what we currently feature.

We were delighted to hear today that the shipment from that February trip is almost here. There will be a delay before I have time to post again.

El Grito and a Night Ride

NEWS FLASH: The goods described in the past few posts and a few more to come are now on a truck making it's way to the border. We'll let you know when to expect to see product on the Chiripa floor!

[Continuing journal written by Chiripa partners on a recent buying trip.]

August 21

The town of Dolores Hidalgo is important in Mexican history. There, in 1810, the radical priest Father Hidalgo launched the Mexican rebellion against Spain with his famous cry of rebellion (“grito”) in the parish church. These days, Mexican presidents are still obliged to shout a symbolic “grito” every year on independence day.

Things did not go well for Father Hidalgo. He was captured and executed, and his head was publicly displayed for 4 years as an example to other would-be rebels. But the rebellion eventually succeeded, and Mexico won its independence from Spain.

Today, we were in Dolores Hidalgo to look for high quality Talavera-style ceramics for Chiripa. Dolores is a ceramics center, and one of our favorite producers is the Liceagui (Lee-say-ah-GHEE) family.

Estella, Gerardo, and Maria

Beth checks our sums.

Today, we returned again to their pleasant shop to personally select the charming and useful pieces that our customers enjoy (including the popular “fish plates” that always make us smile).


It was nearly 3:00 PM when we finished our order, and rushed to the Dolores bus depot to begin our 8-hour marathon bus ride to the city of Puebla (where we hoped to find a hotel). We caught the bus with 3 minutes to spare. Two hours later, after a violent electrical storm, we got off the bus in the booming city of Querataro. There we caught another bus (with 5 minutes to spare) for the 3-hour trip to Mexico City.

Mexico City is an unfolding drama. It was the site of the epic encounter between Cortés and Moctezuma -- between the Old World and the New – that is still playing itself out today. When Cortés arrived in 1519 (after burning his ships so he couldn’t turn back), Mexico City was already one of the biggest cities in the world (bigger than any city in Europe at the time). The population collapsed after the Spanish conquest (mainly the result of smallpox and other diseases brought by the Spaniards). But today, it is again one of the world’s biggest cities.

The city sits in the high central valley of Mexico, at an altitude of 7,400 ft. (over 2,000 ft. higher than Denver), and is prone to earthquakes. When Cortés arrived, the city was built on an island in the middle of a lake. The lake is gone now, but the earthquakes remain. Huge volcanoes loom over the valley, and sometimes you can see them when the view is not obliterated by smog. This is a place of raw natural forces and raw human struggles. A taxi driver in Michoacán once warned us to be careful in Mexico City – it has a reputation for danger, even among Mexicans.

As our bus approached the megalopolis, farm and ranch scenes gave way to the gritty reality of urban life. There were recently-constructed ghettos of identical, bleak, wall-to-wall cement houses, intermingled with makeshift tin, wood and cardboard shacks. Smoke rising from the shacks confirmed that people were, against all odds, living within.

Children from the shacks played in streets strewn with rubbish, between walls covered with graffiti. Their parents probably came from some famished village, looking for a better life. I wondered: what kinds of bathrooms do these people have, and what happens to the waste? There are people who scratch out a living by combing the dumps for useful trash items. But you can also find wealth, refinement, learning, elegance, lovely buildings and parks, fine museums and restaurants, and friendly neighborhoods in this great city.

We arrived at the bus terminal in Mexico City, and eventually got on another bus for Puebla. It was dark now, and the city lights stretched on forever. Our bus traveled, in reverse, the original route taken by Cortés when he crossed the high mountain pass and first set eyes on the Aztec capital.

We arrived in the big city of Puebla after 11:00 PM, without a hotel reservation. But a friendly taxi driver took us to one of our usual hotels near the Zócalo (central plaza), where we found an available room. We were glad to have a bed.

A Gift From The Past

[Continuing journal written by Chiripa partners on a recent buying trip.]

August 17, 2008

The Pre-Hispanic world is everywhere present in Mexico – in the customs and crafts, in the food, in the ancient stone ruins, in the indigenous languages still spoken in many rural villages, and above all in the beautiful faces and forms of the people.


Today, we are traveling outside Patzcuaro, to the Purépecha village of Santa Fe de la Laguna on the far side of the large lake. The village is poor and worn, except for the stunning mosaic mural in the plaza (executed by local artisans).


But down a quiet side street (dirt lane), we find the home of a modern master of the indigenous ceramics craft – Nicholas Fabián. Nicholas and his wife, María, are leaders in the lead-free ceramics movement that is now gaining worldwide recognition. Lead-based glazes pose a serious health hazard to traditional potters and their families. Nicholas and María started using lead-free glazes after María suffered a frightening miscarriage. They made the switch with help from the non-profit organization Barro Sin Plomo (“Clay Without Lead”), which Chiripa helps to support.

A smiling Nicholas, remembering us from past visits, opens the door and ushers us into a lovely interior garden. He points with pride to his latest home improvements – including a new studio and ceramics kiln – made possible by his ceramics sales. Around the studio we see the sublime, hand-etched pots that have made Nicholas’ reputation and built a comfortable life for his family. Nicholas is building on an ancient tradition.


As we make our pottery selections, he shows us tangible evidence of that tradition: a pre-Hispanic ceramic bowl that he recently unearthed, not 2 kilometers away, while digging potter’s clay for his own use. The bowl, though worn by the centuries, is almost fully intact. It is elegantly formed, and stands sturdily on 3 legs. It is made from the same orange-brown clay that Nicholas still uses today. It is a beautiful gift from the past – formed by a kindred artistic spirit who lived in another age.

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.

Black Pottery

We are often asked if we carry black pottery from Oaxaca. We had been reluctant to invest in it because of its fragile nature. How much of it would actually survive the truck ride? We decided to give it a try in February when we visited Dona Rosa Alfareria, San Bartolo Coyotepec in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico.


Visit the Chiripa website to see a couple examples of the work or stop in the shop for a wide selection of styles.

For some background information I'll reprint from the business flyer:

"Dona Rosa Real de Nieto ( 1900-1980) stood out as a personality in Coyotepec for many years. Recognized with medals and diplomas, her works were appreciated by collectors and her fame surpassed the borders of Mexico. She gave black pottery a shine when she accidentally discovered that it can be polished. This is what today we call black pottery. In her last years she continued transforming clay into beautiful pieces with the strength and abilities of her best years. Her son and grandchildren now, with a master ability, continue the family tradition.

"The Potters of Coyotepec continue to use their traditional method of turning post without a wheel. This consits of two concave clay plates, one upside down supporting the other. This method is of prehispanic inheritance. The pieces are molded on this device. The process takes 20 to 30 days, and goes from molding to decoration, to slow drying in closed rooms, polishing with a quartz stone and finally to baking where the pieces acquire their black color depending on the baking time."

In addition to beautiful pottery, the village of San Bartolo Coyotepect hosts a very good museum that features many of the artisan crafts of Oaxaca. I also appreciated the detail of the pavement on the streets!


By the way, not one piece of pottery was broken in shipment. We attribute that to the fine job of packing done at Dona Rosa Alfareria.

Pineapples

All of the new inventory is unpacked and a representative sample is on the shelves in the shop. So, we can go back to the trip in February.

After our visit in Ocumicho (see the April 22nd post), we made an unplanned stop at the workshop of Pedro Hernandez in Tangancicuaro, Michocan, Mexico. Pedro is part of the Barro Sin Plomo (Clay Without Lead) group and is one of the maestros of the ceramic pineapples so popular in Mexico. Pedro is on the right on this photo.


Being a Midwesterner, I've never had a particular affinity for pineapples, but this stop has changed that. We watched as Pedro rolled strings of clay, broke off tiny bits, and placed each with precision on the larger clay piece.


Our demonstration was interrupted by a meal being served to the family. I often decline home cooked food and almost always beverages as a guard against food my digestive system cannot handle. I was tired, hungry, and thirsty. I accepted the freshly made tortillas, the meat and broth filling, and the fruit punch. It was one of the best meals I've had in Mexico. And I must be getting Mexican food tough, for there were no ill effects. Street food next???


We bought a conservative amount of the beautiful pineapples created in Pedro's workshop to test the market in Madison and on the web. Below is a photo of our display at the shop.

I've put a couple pineapple samples on the website as well.

A long drive back to Patzcuaro gave us time to reflect on all the places and people we had visited that day. We continue to be amazed at the artistry and resourcefulness of these hard working and generous people.