Mexican artisans often reflect on the hardships they have endured attempting to keep their craft alive. Stoic, with faces to the sun, hands and feet firmly planted in the soil, many of the craftsmen from this part of the world live perched precariously on the battle line of globalization verses preservation of ancestral traditions. Life's hardships have taught them a sense of personal harmony and fellowship. And their folk art, from utilitarian to magnificent, reveals a background that stretches from before the Spanish conquest up to present day. It is folkart that the world craves, and a tradition that some modern artisans are struggling to maintain.

Sixty-five-year-old potter, Natalio Chichipan Estrada (shown above with his daughter Julia), is a tenacious man of few words, has his studio located along the main road into Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán, Mexico. When asked how many generations ceramics went back in his family, he said he didn't know — many, many generations. It isn't just a livelihood, it is a lifestyle that is passed on through generations. He has been working with clay since he was a boy. At 40, he entered a piece of his work in his first concurso (judged show) and won First Prize. He was astounded. He has been winning prizes ever since.

As is customary, his calling is a family affair. His nine children all participate in some part of the process that generates the amazing forms Natalio creates. He works in various ceramic medium in order to keep up with what people want to purchase. We asked him to concentrate on his barro bruñido (burnished) pottery, blanco y negro (black and white) and alta temperatura (high temperature) for the Feria.

Before the modern conveniences were made available to potters, this work used to be seasonal. Unfired pieces must dry naturally before being placed in the kiln, otherwise they will explode under the oven's high temperatures. During the rainy season (late June through September), greenware doesn't dry well due to moisture in the air. Some artisans took other work such as harvesting corn, etc. to sustain themselves during this time of the year. The remaining dry months were committed to production of utilitarian ceramics, pieces that require two firings before completion.

Natalio uses different types of clay for the different types of ceramics he creates. Clay is gathered from the surrounding hills and returned to the workshop, where it is mixed in proper proportions to make it both strong and flexible so it can resist humidity and heat.

The art piece is formed by hand and then placed in the shade to dry. As it loses its moisture, it becomes hard. The slight irregularities of the piece's surface are polished out with a river stone and water. Using small amounts of water to wash one side of the piece, they deftly sand the area with a smooth stone. The designs come from their imaginations and memories of the Purépecha culture that dominates this area of Michoacán.

Contact information:
Natalio Chichipan Estrada
Calle Zaragoza S/N
Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán
434 344-3267
taurupis_04vida@hotmail.com (daughter Julia)

Or contact Marianne Carlson at (from the US) 01152 376 765 7485 or email mariannecarlson@gmail.com.