Barro Chorreado

High in the mountains of Oaxaca’s Mixteca region, there is one small village where a handful of families make barro chorreado pottery. Vessels are made from unglazed native clay in many parts of Oaxaca, but in no other place is it traditionally embellished with resin extracted from oak bark, as it is here.

In Vista Hermosa, pottery has traditionally been practiced only by the female members of the community, and that continues to be the case today. In this workshop, two generations of one family collaborate to produce their work. Each family harvests clay from naturally occurring deposits in the mountains, collecting and transporting it by hand.

In use, it is helpful to keep in mind that unglazed native clay vessels are not entirely water-tight. Slow filtration of water through the base of piece will occur if water is left standing inside for more than a couple of hours.

Each of these pieces is shaped entirely by hand, resulting in substantial variation.

Fruit Bowl

A classic fruit bowl with a Oaxacan twist…

Pitcher

An adaptation of the barro chorreado pottery technique to the form of a pitcher…

Vase

Contemporary vase design formed and finished in a traditional manner…