Customer Reviews

The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz

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There have been other books and journal articles written about this remote Mexican village, but with the publication of "The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz," a more comprehensive exposure is given to the talented artisans living there. No longer will Americans snub their noses at the Made in Mexico country of origin trademark.The incredible pottery of Mata Ortiz has done much to dispel the notion of Mexican art as being inferior to American art.People the world over can now appreciate the beauty of the works that are produced in the village since the book clearly shows the artists with full-size colored photographs of their creations. In addition, but not less important, the authors introduce us to the potters in such a personal way that we can't help but feel an attachment to them and to their lives.We also learn of the historical importance of the ancient Casas Grandes ruins from which Juan Quezada, the founder of the movement, first explored and experimented. This nearby pre-Columbian city was an important trading center from Mesoamerica to the Southwest and was noted in the 12th to the 15th centuries for its high quality pottery production. Now, people will have a greater understanding of the connection between the tribes of Mexico to the tribes of the Southwest. This book has it all and is most welcomed by experts and collectors alike.

This is the best pottery book I have ever found! It is layed out in an informative, and beautiful manner. Not only is the pottery exquisite, but the photographs represent the pieces at their best. It is easy to understand, and gets one passionate about an art movement, that we can actually be a part of, in this twenty-first century. It is highly unsual to be living during a time when a new art movement is going on, and still striving for it's pinnacle. We see this with the unequalled workmanship of the Matiz Ortiz people in their Casas Grandes/Matiz Ortiz pottery. I really enjoyed getting to know each potter by name and photo, coupled with seeing their work, and feeling a part of their extended family. Juan Quesada, the founder of this artistic movement, is a highly spiritual individual, generous and gifted beyond belief. He is the reason that this wonderful pottery is being shown to the world. I am an artist that does pottery, and a retired teacher. I would recommend this book to all art teachers, and anyone who appreciates great art.

This book was my introduction to the world of the artisans of Mata Ortiz, Mexico, and their amazing ceramic creations. While the decorative motifs and other aspects of the pottery were familiar to me, I found that the photography, which I suspect was done with specialized "light painting" techniques, brought out the form, texture, and pattern of the pieces with wonderfully rich detail and nuance. The images were clearly created by a photographer who was very intent on rendering a physical, tactile sense of the objects she was recording. Coupled with other photographs of the artisans at work, and the surrounding Mexican landscape, the book is a compelling portrait of both the people who create the works of art and the art itself.

Almost 40 years ago Juan Quesada from the village of Mata Ortiz in Chihuahua singlehandedly revived Casa Grande style pottery. This book is a beautifully illustrated account of his success, along with the other artists of the village who learned from him. Becoming familiar with these artists should lay to rest the notion held by many Americans that Mexican imports are second class. These paper-thin pots are as beautiful as any you will ever see. This book has color photographs of many of the potters from Mata Ortiz as well as pictures of their pots. There is information on how the pots are made-- they are all built by hand from native materials, painted with brushes made from the artists' children's hair and fired over cow dung.

The book has a lot of interesting details-- for instance, when the Pope visited Mexico a few years ago, he was given three of these magnificent pots. Another fascinating tidbit is that one of every seven citizens of this village makes these pots. They have gone from doing manual labor to creating works of art.

Owning this book is the next best thing to owning a Mata Ortiz pot.

"The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz" is a treasure trove of information about the treasures that are the Mata Ortiz people and pottery. It is well laid-out, well written, and well...wonderful!! The only thing that would make my copy better are autographs by Juan Quezada himself and every other potter in the book.

Unfortunately for whatever reason, Juan's son Alvaro is not featured in the book. He is indeed an exceptional artist.

I was able to meet Alvaro and Juan Quezada in Nov 2006 in their family gallery in Mata Ortiz and found them and their entire family to be humble friendly and genuinely thrilled that people love their wonderful creations.

If you have not had the opportunity to visit Mata Ortiz, "The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz" will inspire you to go. If you have, it will make you pine for it and it's people.

If you're interested in learning about the Mata Ortiz pottery, this is a must have book. It gives you more detail about the different artists and what to look for when purchasing this pottery. Definitely a must have if you are collecting this pottery.

This is a great book for all that are curious about Mata Ortiz pottery and the people who make it. If you want to start collecting, it's a great book to have for a reference source. All artists mentioned in this book are of high caliber, as good, some even better than the Native American potters of the Southwest. At this time, these wares are also less expensive and affordable to most people. Hopefully they will be a good investment for the future.

Susan Moesch

A wonderful collection of photographs combined with dialoge about this remote village in Mexico. It describes the journey to get there, then details the lives of the talented people who live there. The photogtaphy is outstanding. A must for any person collecting or thinking of collecting pottery from this village.

We are planning a trip to the region in Mexico where Mata Ortiz pottery is made, and wanted to know more about the individual potters and the way the pottery is made. We hope to purchase some of this unique pottery and wanted to know a bit more about the distinctive patterns, dyes and shaping of the pots that are unique to Mata Ortiz. This book satisfied our many interests and answered our questions quite well. When we take our trip in November, we will have some good information to help us enjoy it all the more.

I've personaly been to Mata Ortiz and everything the book contains is acurate! Go ahead and buy it, of course there is no substitute to actualy going there but this will give you a great idea of how things are.
Thanks!