Like so many other Mexican families, the Martinez family lives together in a two-story home with a large patio area in front. Here is where they proudly display their work when you visit them. One by one, they bring out platters, bowls, in all shapes and sizes but with one thing in common - they are all decorated in the punteado style.

Rosy is 30 years old and Marcos, her husband is 34. Marcos' brothers, Antonio is 34 and Rodolfo is 38, are among the approximately 500 families who make pottery in the town of Capula, Michoacán.

The men were taught their craft by their father, Rodolfo, who was taught by his father, making this a third generation family of punteado artists. Working with clay in the family goes back much further but the punteado (a delicate pointillist technique) style has only been in existence for about 45 years.

All their ceramics are lead-free and can be used as everyday ware, even put in the microwave. They collect the clay they use locally and one platter can take two months to complete.

Although the entire family has been making lead-free pottery for approximately six years Antonio suffers from kidney and liver problems as a result of years of exposure to lead in his childhood. He is committed to increasing awareness about the health and environmental benefits of lead-free production.

Antonio works with the organization Barro sin Plomo, a non-profit group that helps Mexican artisans create sustainable products, while preserving traditional art forms and educating artists and consumers about the health and environmental benefits of lead-free production.

The lead-free plates, platters, dinnerware, casseroles are all exquisite from a distance but when you get up close and can see that the designs are created by thousands of tiny dots, it is mind-boggling how precise their work is. Artists trying to continue using the "old ways" have a difficult time when their prices are compared against something machine-made from China. This is Mexican folk art at its finest!

Contact information:
Calle Juan Aldama #240
Capula, Jalisco
443 327 3386 (caseta)

Or contact Marianne Carlson at 01152 376 765 7485 or email mariannecarlson@gmail.com