MATA ORTIZ CALENDAR OF EVENTS

The Window on the Mata Ortiz World

Maintained by Spencer and Emalie MacCallum

 

Updated March 1 08

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Publications

 

Under New Titles, we attempt to list all items appearing within the last 12 months or in preparation. Titles added since our last update are identified by a double asterix (**). Under Selected Bibliography are several dozen items we judge to be classics in the literature (a comprehensive bibliography of more than100 titles is available on request). Films (CD, VHS, DVD) are listed next, followed, under Miscellaneous, by items such as art prints and a photo show.

 

New Titles

 

Carroll, Pat

        2006    “Picture This,” The Patriot-News, April 23. An excellent account of

Carl Socolow winning the prestigious Guggenheim fellowship to do a photo coverage of Mata Ortiz over several years duration documenting the changes in the everyday life of a village when a highway opens it to the outside world. Contact The Patriot-News, 812 Market Street, Harrisburg PA 17101, 800-692-7207.

 

Fisher, Richard D.

  2006  Grand Canyons Worldwide. An encyclopedia view of earth’s canyonlands with breath-takingly beautiful photographs throughout. Includes 50 pages on the author’s outside-the-box thinking on the Chaco Canyon Anasazi-Paquimé archaeological enigma. ISBN No. 0-9678907-1-3, softcover, 340 pages. $29.95 plus $5 shipping from Sunracer Publications (520-882-5341), PO Box 86492, Tucson AZ 85754.  sunracer@cox.net   www.coppercanyon.org   www.canyonsworldwide.org

 

Gilbert, Bill

   2008  Land Arts of the American West. Will contain a section on Mata Ortiz and an interview with Hector and Graciela Gallegos. To be released in October by the University of Texas Press.  

 

Golub, Robert M.

   2006   “The Cover,” Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), vol.296, no.9 (September 6), pp1032-33. A well-written analysis of the prehistoric ceramic art of Casas Grandes and contemporary work of Mata Ortiz.

 

Hayes, Allan and Carol, with photographs by John Blom

   2006   The desert Southwest: 4,000 Years of life and art. These authors of the highly recommended Southwestern Pottery: Anasazi to Zuni (Flagstaff AZ: Northland 1999), have now produced a history of “Little Chichimeca” (the desert area below the Mogollón Rim as far south as Mata Ortiz and from the longitude of El Paso to southern California), beginning with the Tucson Farmers along the Santa Cruz River, 2000 B.C., to today. Besides hundreds of color photos and the promise of “a surprise on every page,” the book includes a significant section on Mata Ortiz. 200 pages. Lists at $35 from the publisher (less from Amazon.com): Ten Speed Press (510-559-1600, 800-841-BOOK), PO Box 7123, Berkeley CA 94707. Contact Al or Carol Hayes (415-332-3489), 33 Spencer Ave., Sausalito CA 94965.   al[at]thehayescompany.com  summerhouse.antiques[at]gmail.com

 

Jaramillo Esparza, Joel

   2007  “Sigue Exposición en el Museo,” El Diario del Noroeste (Nuevo Casas Grandes, Chihuahua), February 26, pp. 1-2. Covers the exhibition, Caprichos Naturales, sponsored by INAH at the the Museum of Northern Cultures in Casas Grandes, of 56 pieces of Roberto Hernandez’ art in natural forms of wood, from furniture to bowls and abstract sculpture. jaramillojoel@yahoo.com.mx   ncg@diario.com.mx

 

**Muchnic, Suzanne

  2007  “All from the Clay of Mata Ortiz,” Los Angeles Times, Calendar, 29 June, pp E24-25. Well-written article about the American Museum of Ceramic Art (MOCA) show in Pomona, June 9-August 25. Some inaccuracies: describes the technical process as it was 20 years ago, not as it is today, and mistakenly names the ASU Art Museum in Tempe, rather than the Arizona State Museum in Tucson, as the venue of one of the first exhibitions of Mata Ortiz pottery.

 

Pedraza Reyes, Javier

   2007  “Y la Tercera…En el Museo de Paquimé.” Nosotros No. 439, Nuevo Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, February 19, pp13-14. An account of Spencer MacCallum promoting Juan Quezada, restoring adobes in Casas Grandes, and then with Emalie MacCallum promoting the wood art of Roberto Hernández through an exhibition at the Museum at Paquimé.

 

Pitezel, Todd A.
   2007   “Surveying El Pueblito on
Cerro de Moctezuma, Chihuahua, Mexico.” Kiva, the Journal of Southwestern Anthropology and History, 72(3).   www.altamirapress.com/RLA/Journals/Kiva/Contact.shtml

 

Powell, Melissa S., Ed.

  2006  Secrets of Casas Grandes: Precolumbian art and archaeology of northern Mexico. Museum of Indian Arts & Culture / Laboratory of Anthropology. Catalogue accompanying the exhibition (November 5, 2006 – October 7, 2007) of the same name. Chapters by Melisa S. Powell, Maria Sprehn, Christine S. and Todd L. VanPool, and Timothy D. Maxwell. Museum of New Mexico Press (505-476-1155), POB 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87504. www.mnmpress.org.

 

**Reid, Megan

   2007   “Breaking Down the Borders: A Local Photographer captures the heart of Mexico’s Casas Grandes” Flagstaff Live Online, November 1st. A well-written account in depth of the experience of photographer Raechel Running as artist-in-residence at Casa Azul, Center for Casas Grandes Studies, on the occasion of an exhibition at the Flagstaff Photography Center, “Lagrimas de Luz: Tears of Light.” Includes a dozen photos of Hacienda de San Diego, Cave of the Olla, La Cabalgata 2007, Juan Quezada, etc. http://www.flaglive.com/flagstafflive_story.cfm?storyID=160893&sid=122#morephotos

 

VanPool, Christine S. and Todd L. VanPool

   2007   Signs of the Casas Grandes shamans. The definitive study of the iconography and cosmology of Paquimé. Cloth, 6 x 9, some color plates. ISBN 10: 0-87480-874-X. The University of Utah Press (801-581-6771), 1793 E. South Campus Drive, #101, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-9402

 

VanPool, Christine S., Todd L. VanPool, and David A. Phillips, eds.

   2007   Religion of the pre-Hispanic Southwest. Archaeology of Religion Series, edited by David S. Whitley. Fourteen papers are presented on prehispanic religion, many dealing with the Casas Grandes region. Scheduled for release in March by Altamira Press (301-459-3366), 1840 San Miguel Drive, Suite 207, Walnut Creek, CA 94596. http://www.altamirapress.com/

 

Wiscombe, Julie

   2006   “Grant Helps Unearth History of Ancient Mexican pottery,” BYU NewsNet, August 31. The Museum of Peoples and Cultures at BYU received a grant from Museums for America to catalog and mount an exhibition (Wealth of the Lost Red City, May 2007-April 2009) of its prehistoric Casas Grandes pottery and to make the catalog available on the web. http://nn.byu.edu/story.cfm/60541

 

 

Selected Bibliography

 

Bartra, Eli

   2003   "Engendering Clay: Las Ceramistas of Mata Ortiz." In Eli Bartra, ed., Crafting Gender: Women and Folk Art in Latin America and the Caribbean, Duke University Press, pp 98-125. A scholarly study of Mata Ortiz with discussion of its women potters, the latter based on interviews conducted on-site between June and July, 2000. Only by comparison with the masterful treatment of Mata Ortiz, and not otherwise, the discussion of the women potters comes across as somewhat thin, doubtless reflecting the brief time available for interviewing in the field. Flawlessly translated from the Spanish by Ryan Long. One of the better pieces of writing on Mata Ortiz. The book contains ten essays, nine of them by women, on women folk-artists, one each in Suriname, Puerto Rico, Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina, and four in Mexico. Paper $22.95, cloth $79.95 (shipping $4 plus $1 each additional book). Order from Duke University Press (888-651-0122), PO Box 90660, Durham, NC 27701. orders[at]dukeupress.edu http://dukeupress.edu/

 

Andrews-Goebel, Nancy

   2002   The pot that Juan built (New York: Lee & Low Books). David Diaz, a Caldecott Award winner, illustrates this picture book for children of all ages about Juan Quezada and the pottery of Mata Ortiz, Mexico. An afterword with photos by Michael Wisner helps adults expand on the story of Mata Ortiz pottery for young readers and listeners. Nancy Andrews-Goebel has been professionally involved in early childhood education for 25 years, teaching preschool through college. She and her husband had a home in Mata Ortiz, where they produced the documentary video, Mata Ortiz pottery: An inside look. For those in the know, the book is flawed by David Diaz' arrogance in placing his own designs on Quezada's pottery. Had this book been about van Gogh, Picasso or any other well-known artist, it is unlikely Diaz would have portrayed their art without concern for what it looked like in reality. Diaz further stretches artistic license by prominently depicting Juan Quezada hand building a pot by the continuous-coil method of the Indians of the American Southwest rather than his own method which he developed. An editor should have caught these problems with the illustrations as well as smaller problems with the text on most pages. For example, in speaking of using a bean to burnish pottery, the author comments, "Of course dried beans can be found in any kitchen in the village." The bean in question is an inedible wild bean, the chilicote—not the kind that would normally be found in anyone's kitchen. Even so, The Pot that Juan Built works wonderfully as a children's book. The problems are not the sort that a child would see. The book retails from Lee & Low Books, New York, (www.leeandlow.com) for $16.95. ISBN 1584300388. A Spanish language edition is available. Contact Ron Goebel (805-995-2742), Goebel Imports, 772 S. Ocean Av, Cayucos CA 93430.  ronaldgoebel[at]msn.com

 

Christman, Ernest H.

   2002   Casas Grandes pre-Columbian pottery decoded: Of gods and myths

 (Albuquerque NM: Tutorial Press). This monumental effort by a lay person to interpret the symbols on prehistoric Casas Grandes pottery, drawing on known Aztec iconography, contains more than a thousand color photographs. 208 pages, hardcover 8.5” x 11”, ISBN 0-912329-16-5. List $85 (postpaid when payment accompanies order), but for description of contents plus a $75 Web Special price visit http://www.tutorialpress.com. Tutorial Press, Inc. (505-296-8636 voice/fax), PO Box 11123, Albuquerque NM 87192. dchrist[at]flash.net

 

Corwin, Shelley

   1997   "Working with Juan Quezada," Ceramics Monthly 45:4 (April). A descriptive account of learning Quezada’s clay methods at a workshop at the Zen Mountain Center, home of Tom Fresh in the San Jacinto Mountains near Idyllwild, CA. Available from Ceramics Monthly (614-523-1660), Box 6102, Westerville OH 43086-6102. (Single copies $9 postpaid in the U.S., subscription $28.)

 

Dale, Shelley

   2002   Juan Quezada (Santa Monica, CA: Norman Books) Illustrated by the author and available in Spanish or English, this superb children's picture book tells Juan Quezada's story in his own words. In the book, Grandfather Juan, Grandmother Guille and their grandson, Chato, make pottery while sharing Chato's favorite family story: how Juan re-invented the lost ceramic art of their area, shared his knowledge with family and neighbors, and created a better life for their village. The author is an arts educator and is available for classroom and workshop visits. The English version has a glossary for Spanish words used in the text, and both versions contain a map, history, reference and an art lesson plan (bilingual in the Spanish version) that meet national education standards. This book is approved by the California Department of Education for supplementary curriculum material and is the only primary-source picture-book biography in both Spanish and English. Forty pages, fully illustrated. Ages 4-12, Grades K-6. English hardcover ISBN 0-9708617-4-5, paper 0-9708617-5-3, Spanish hardcover ISBN 0-9708617-0-2, paper 0-9708617-1-0. Either language hardcover $16.95, paper $9.95. Available from major distributors or directly (at a larger discount) from Norman Books. Ms. Terry Callahan (310-899-9310 / fax 503-961-9523), Marketing, Norman Books, 900 Euclid Street Suite #302, Santa Monica, CA 90403. normanbooks[at]adelphia.net    http://www.normanbooks.com/

 

DaRosa, Alison

   2000   "Ancient Art Reborn," a collection of articles in the travel section of the San Diego Union-Tribune for Sunday, January 31, 2000. For this work, travel editor Alison DaRosa was awarded the prestigious San Diego Press Club Award for "Best Travel Piece;" the (international) Pacific-Asia Travel Association Award; and the Lowell Thomas Gold Award, the United States’ most prestigious travel journalism award, sponsored by the Society of American Travel Writers. Picked up by many newspapers nationwide at the time, the articles were later featured in the travel pages of the San Francisco Chronicle for Sunday, November 14th.

 

Donnelly, Karen

   2000   "The Art of Innovation," in the Arts Section for April, The World & I Magazine, monthly publication of the Washington Times. Article based on an interview with Michael Wisner. Single copies of the magazine available for $10.50 by writing to 3400 New York Ave., Washington DC 20002, or calling Customer Service 800-822-2822. The article can be viewed on their website, http://www.worldandi.com/, for a $3 fee for a one-day pass to their Online Edition.

 

Ellig, Connie, with photos by David Hopps and Tomás Castelazo

   2004   “Master Potter Awes Art Aficionados,” Stories & Archives Section of EnsenadaGazette.com, August 13. Atrractive text, photo coverage of a pottery-making demonstration and sales event featuring Macario Ortiz and family at the Galería Pérez Meillón, Ensenada BC. On-line publication at http://www.ensenadagazette.com/macario04.html

 

Fisher, Richard D., Editor

   2003   The Copper Canyon, Chihuahua, Mexico. Tucson: Sunracer Publications. Rick Fisher has outdone himself in this edition of Copper Canyon with his own magnificent pictures, more than 100 in color and nearly as many in black-and-white, of the country and people from the Canyon northward to Mata Ortiz, and enhanced by several scientific papers investigating the case for a stronger connection between Anasazi, Hohokam and Mesoamerica. Prominently featured is his own “The Puzzle of Oasis America: Children of Kokopelli.” Sponsored by the Government of Chihuahua, Secretary of Commercial and Tourism Development. ISBN # 0-9678907-0-5. Available for $20 postpaid from Sunracer Publications (520-882-5341, fax 4454), Box 86492, Tucson AZ 85754.  sunracer[at]cox.net    http://www.coppercanyon.org/

 

Fomento Cultural Banamex

   1999   Grandes maestros del arte popular Mexicano. Candida Fernández de Calderón and Alberto Sarmiento, eds. (Mexico City: Fomento Cultural Banamex) Juan Quezada is included in this definitive illustrated reference book on contemporary Mexican popular artists and their work. Although some consider that much of Mata Ortiz art transcends the category of popular art, few Mexicans and a minority of Americans as yet accept ceramics in the category of contemporary fine art. For a contrary view, see the foreword to the exhibition catalog, Crossing Borders /Transcending Categories: Contemporary Art from Mata Ortiz, Mexico, by Stuart A. Ashman, director of Santa Fe's Museum of Fine Arts, and an essay in the same publication by University of New Mexico art professor Bill Gilbert, "The Village of Mata Ortiz." Grandes Maestros is available in English as Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art. $59.50 from Amazon.com

 

Gilbert, Bill

   2000   "The Village of Mata Ortiz," in Crossing Borders / Transcending Categories: Contemporary Art  from Mata Ortiz, Mexico, catalog of the summer 2000 exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe, NM. This important, 8-page essay asks where Mata Ortiz art fits in the American  art  market and suggests that it is best categorized as contemporary fine art. The catalog includes a foreword by Museum of Fine Arts director Stuart A. Ashman, an introduction by Joseph Traugott, the Museum's Curator of Twentieth-Century Art, and 24 color plates. Paper cover, text in Spanish and English. Out of print.

 

   1999   The Potters of Mata Ortiz: Five Barrios, Seven Families (Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Art Museum with ExhibitsUSA). This catalog for the traveling exhibition of the same name (September 1999 thru August 2001) is more than a catalog; it is an important book in its own right. It follows the format of the catalog of the 1995 UNM Art Museum show also curated by Bill Gilbert, The Potters of Mata Ortiz: Transforming a Tradition.  The only visual distinction between these two besides the different subtitle is color; the earlier is a distinctive green, this a distinctive blue. It would be easy, therefore, to mistake this for a reprint or revision of the former, which it is not. The book focuses on the recognizable stylistic differences among the neighborhoods and pottery families of Mata Ortiz and contains genealogical trees for seven of the best known pottery families, showing generational relationships for 111 artists. Text in Spanish and English, 64 pages, many black-and-white illustrations of artists and village, 36 in color of the ceramic art. Order from University of New Mexico Art Museum (505-277-4001 / 7315 Fax), Center for the Arts #1017, UNM, Albuquerque NM 87131. Paper $22.95 (ISBN 0-944282-21-0). Discounts 2-4 copies 20%, 5-20 copies 30%, 21-50 copies 40%, 51-100 copies 50%, 100+ copies 55%. Expected to remain in print another year (385 copies left in inventory).  guts[at]unm.edu

 

   1999   "The Alchemy of Clay," Artes de Mexico No. 45, pp 36-45. Translated into Spanish as “Alquimia del Barro,” pp 168-181. One of six articles in this number of Mexico's premier art magazine, the entire number being devoted to the ceramic art of Mata Ortiz. $29.95 plus $4 shipping from Lomas Publishing, Box 40730, Tucson AZ 85717; phone 520-578-3008 or fax 520-908-8807.

 

   1995   "Mata Ortiz: Traditions and Innovations," Ceramics Monthly 43:10 (December), pp 51-56.

 

   1995   "Juan Quezada, Mexican Potter," The Studio Potter 24:1 (December). Edited transcript of a thoughtful interview with Juan Quezada.

 

   1995   The potters of Mata Ortiz: Transforming a tradition. Catalog of an exhibition curated by the author at the University of New Mexico Art Museum, Albuquerque NM. A scholarly evaluation of the ceramic art of Mata Ortiz. Many photographs in black-and-white and color plus 18 color plates illustrating the work of the 18 artists represented; University of New Mexico Art Museum. Out of print.  guts[at]unm.edu

 

Hills, Jim

   1999   "Dialects of Clay," Artes de Mexico No. 45, pp 52-79. A good survey of the emerging village styles. One of six articles in this issue of Mexico's premier art magazine which is dedicated to the ceramic art of Mata Ortiz.

 

Hucko, Bruce

   1999   Southwestern Indian pottery. Las Vegas, NV: KC Publications, Inc. This 65-page, 9"x12" flexible-cover publication with striking photographs by the author reviews all the various styles of Southwest Indian pottery and comments at the end on trends and collecting. Sticklers for accuracy that we are, we note that in the otherwise attractive two-page spread on Mata Ortiz pottery on pages 54-55, the author credits Juan Quezada with learning about black-on-black pottery from María Martínez, San Ildefonso Pueblo, and introducing it to Mata Ortiz. However, it was Lydia Quezada, Juan's youngest sister, who early in 1980 innovated that technique, doubtless unconsciously influenced by María whom she had met a few months earlier during the Maxwell Museum exhibition of Mata Ortiz pottery at UNM, Albuquerque. This highly informative survey of Southwestern Indian pottery is part of KC Publications' Southwest Indian Arts and Crafts Series. ISBN 0-88714-148-X. Order for $8.95 from KC Publications (800-626-9673), PO Box 94558, 3245 E. Patrick Lane, Las Vegas NV 89193-4558  kcp[at]kcpublications.com   http://www.kcpublications.com/

 

Johnson, Grace and Spencer MacCallum

   2000   "The Research Pottery Collection of Spencer H. MacCallum Illustrating the Development of Juan Quezada's Art Through a Chronological Series of His Work." In San Diego Museum of Man, From Paquimé to Mata Ortiz: The legacy of ancient Casas Grandes. San Diego Museum Papers No.40. Proceedings of the Museum's biennial Latin American Symposium held in San Diego CA on March 26, 2000. Included here is a chronological series of black-and-white photos of 135 pots by Juan Quezada from the Spencer H. MacCallum Collection, the majority dating between 1976 and 1979, showing the development of Juan Quezada's early painting style. $16.95 plus shipping ($3 first copy and 50 cents each additional) from the publisher. Order from Museum Gift Shop (619-239-2001), San Diego Museum of Man, 1350 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101.

 

Kokrda, Ken, Barbara Moulard, and Richard F. Townsend, ed.

   2005   Casas Grandes and the ceramic art of the ancient Southwest. This superb book served as the catalog for the exhibition by the same name held at the Art Institute of Chicago April 22-August 13, 2006. Hardcover, 208 pages, the book contains more than 140 color illustrations of 90 pieces of prehistoric Casas Grandes pottery and, to give their prehistoric Pueblo cultural context, 50 pieces representing other major styles: Mimbres, Four-Mile Polychrome, Hohokam, Sityatki polychrome from the Hopi Mesas, and some large Tularosa and Socorro ollas (Anasazi not represented). Published by Yale University Press in conjunction with the Art Institute of Chicago. ISBN No. 0300111487. Lists $45 but available for $25 from Amazon.com.

 

Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences

   2000   Transforming a tradition: The potters of Mata Ortiz. On-line résumé of an exhibition of Mata Ortiz pottery held at the Museum November 4, 2000 January 7, 2001. http://www.lakeview-museum.org/pastexhibits/potters.html. Provides an excellent example of a museum integrating an exhibition with the people and resources of its community. The exhibition was traveled by Exhibits USA. Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences (309-686-7000), 1125 W. Lake Avenue, Peoria, IL 61614-5935.

 

Levin, Elaine

   1980   "Juan Quezada: Potter in a New Tradition," Ceramics Monthly, September, pages 50-57. Available on-line in Spanish translation at: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/6895/mataortiz.htm

 

Lowell, Susan

   1999   "The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz," in The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz by Susan Lowell, Jim Hills, Walter Parks, Jorge Quintana and Michael Wisner (Tucson: Treasure Chest Books 1999), pages 15-79. This volume is the definitive treatment of the ceramic art of Mata Ortiz, an eye-catching book (208 pages 9" x 11" with 260 color illustrations) which reflects this brilliant new art tradition from numerous different perspectives and describes the work of more than 100 ceramic artists. Reviewed in the November 1999 American Indian Art Magazine and also in Ceramics Monthly (47:9). Paper $29.95 (ISBN 1-887896-08-2); Cloth $50 (ISBN 1-887896-18-X). Order from Treasure Chest Books (local 520-623-9558 / fax 624-5888; long-distance 800-969-9558 / fax 800-715-5888), Box 5250, Tucson AZ 85703-0250.

 

Lowell, Susan, Jim Hills, Walter Parks, Jorge Quintana and Michael Wisner

   1999   The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz (Tucson: Treasure Chest Books). This is the definitive treatment of the ceramic art of Mata Ortiz. An eye-catching book of 208 pages 9 x 11 with 260 color illustrations, it reflects this brilliant new art tradition from different perspectives and describes the work of more than 100 ceramic artists. Reviewed in the November 1999 American Indian Art Magazine and also in Ceramics Monthly (47:9). Paper $29.95 (ISBN 1-887896-08-2); Cloth $50 (ISBN 1-887896-18-X). Order from Treasure Chest Books (local 520-623-9558 / fax 624-5888; long-distance 800-969-9558 / fax 800-715-5888), Box 5250, Tucson AZ 85703-0250.

 

MacCallum, Spencer H.

   2000   With Grace Johnson. "The Research Pottery Collection of Spencer H. MacCallum Illustrating the Development of Juan Quezada's Art Through a Chronological Series of His Work." In San Diego Museum of Man, From Paquimé to Mata Ortiz: The Legacy of Ancient Casas Grandes. San Diego Museum Papers No.40. Proceedings of the Museum's biennial Latin American Symposium held in San Diego CA on March 26, 2000. Included here is a chronological series of black-and-white photos of 135 pots by Juan Quezada, the majority dating between 1976 and 1979, showing the development of his early painting style. $16.95 plus shipping ($3 first copy and 50 cents each additional). Order from Museum Gift Shop (619-239-2001), San Diego Museum of Man, 1350 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101.

 

   2000   "Reflections on Juan Quezada Celado--The Man and the Artist,"
In The Best of
Mexico's Copper Canyon 2000. Sunracer Publications
Tucson AZ 85754.  sunracer[at]cox.net

   1998   Introduction to Sandra S. Smith, Portraits of Clay: Potters of Mata Ortiz. Tucson: University of Arizona Press.

 

   1994   "Chronology and Perspective on the Mata Ortiz Phenomenon," Kiva, The Journal of Southwestern Anthropology and History 60:1 (fall), 5-23. Introduction to this number of Kiva, featuring five papers devoted to Mata Ortiz pottery. Although stingy with photos, this number of Kiva is the best available source for detailed information about the early history of the potters and their techniques. Copies of the Journal $10 postpaid from the author (915-261-0502)  sm[at]look.net

 

   1994   "Pioneering an Art Movement in Northern Mexico," Kiva, The Journal of Southwestern Anthropology and History 60:1 (fall), 71-91. One of five papers in this number of Kiva which is devoted entirely to Mata Ortiz pottery. An account of the early development of the pottery and of many specific innovations of the various potters. Copies of the Journal $10 postpaid from the author (915-261-0502)  sm[at]look.net

 

   1981   "A Story of Three Pots: Juan Quezada and the New Palanganas Pottery Tradition," NCECA Journal (National Council on Education in the Ceramic Arts) 2(1). An informative account of the pottery movement, techniques, and Juan Quezada’s demonstrating at the 1980 NCECA Conference, where he successfully fired a pot outdoors in a driving rain.

 

   1979   "An Odyssey Complete and Continuing," in Juan Quezada and the New Tradition (catalog of a traveling exhibition partially funded by the National Endowment for the Arts). The Art Gallery, California State University, Fullerton CA. An early, detailed account by the person who in 1976 discovered Juan Quezada and over the next six years gradually introduced him to the art world. Includes an article by Charles Di Peso, "Roots of the New Tradition: Prehistory of the Casas Grandes Valley ," plus 21 black-and-white and 12 color plates. Out of print.

 

   1978   "Ceramic Revival in the Casas Grandes Valley," Masterkey 52:2 (April-June). Southwest Museum, Highland Park, Los Angeles CA. An early, informative account of the potters and their pottery-making techniques with photographs of the work of each of the potters working at that time. Reprints $4 from the author (915-261-0502)  sm[at]look.net

 

   1977   "A Ceramic Arts Revival," American Indian Art Magazine 3(1). An account of the discovery of Juan Quezada with outstanding photographs in color of his very early work.

 

Maxwell, Timothy D.

   2002   “Casas Grandes Region: Prehistoric Life in the Chihuahuan Desert,” El Palacio 107:3 (August) pp 12-19. Museum of New Mexico (505-476-5055), PO Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87501.  info[at]miaclab.org  www.timmaxwell.us   http://www.museumofnewmexico.org/

 

Parks, Walter P.

   1999   "Mata Ortiz: A Ceramic Renaissance," Artes de Mexico No. 45, pp 20-35. One of six articles in this number of Mexico's premier art magazine. The entire number is devoted to the ceramic art of Mata Ortiz. $29.95 plus $4 shipping from Lomas Publishing, Box 40730, Tucson AZ 85717; phone 520-578-3008 or fax 520-908-8807.

 

   1999   "The Potters of Mata Ortiz," Southwest Art (December). This is Parks’ foreword to The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz attractively reproduced as an article with excellent illustrations. Order copies (singles $5, yearly subscription $32.) from Southwest Art (877-212-1938), Box 420235, Palm Coast FL 32142-0235.

 

   1993   The Miracle of Mata Ortiz: Juan Quezada and the Potters of Northern Chihuahua. Riverside CA: The Coulter Press. This remains the definitive history of the Mata Ortiz pottery phenomenon. There have been several printings of this book, differing only by the addition of names to the list of potters in the back. Thus to identify a printing, look on the back cover at the number of potters it says is listed. The current number is 380, and this printing will probably last through 2004.  Paperback ISBN 0-9637655-0-7. Single copy $19.95 plus $2.25 shipping. Order from Treasure Chest Books (local 520-623-9558 / fax 624-5888; long-distance 800-969-9558 / fax 800-715-5888), PO Box 5250, Tucson AZ 85703-0250.

 

Price, William F.

   1994   "Through a Mother’s Eyes: A Conversation with Doña Paulita," Kiva, The Journal of Southwestern Anthropology and History 60:1 (fall), 5-23. One of five papers in this number of Kiva which is devoted entirely to Mata Ortiz pottery. A charming transcript of a conversation with the mother of Juan Quezada. Although stingy with photos, this number of Kiva is the best source of detailed information about the early history of the potters and their techniques. Copies of the Journal $10 postpaid from Spencer MacCallum (915-261-0502)  sm[at]look.net

 

Quintana Rodríguez, Jorge and Jim Hills

   1999   "The Potters," in The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz by Susan Lowell, Jim Hills, Walter Parks, Jorge Quintana and Michael Wisner (Tucson: Treasure Chest Books 1999), pages 81-185. This volume is the definitive treatment of the ceramic art of Mata Ortiz. An eye-catching book (208 pages 9" x 11"  with 260 color illustrations), it reflects this brilliant new art tradition from numerous different perspectives and describes the work of more than 100 ceramic artists. Reviewed in the November 1999 American Indian Art Magazine and also in Ceramics Monthly (47:9). Paper $29.95 (ISBN 1-887896-08-2); Cloth $50 (ISBN 1-887896-18-X).Order from Treasure Chest Books (local 520-623-9558 / fax 624-5888; long-distance 800-969-9558 / fax 800-715-5888), Box 5250, Tucson AZ 85703-0250.

 

Sanders, Joe Ben

   2003   Three Rivers petroglyph site: Self-guided tour book—an interpretation of the first thousand feet of glyphs based on Hopi oral traditions. The author, a professional archaeologist who has made a specialty of studying the traditions of the living Indians of the American Southwest, identifies the inhabitants of Paquimé as Hopi and explains the destruction of the city in terms of Hopi traditions recorded in petroglyph sequences at the Three Rivers site near Tularosa, New Mexico. $25 from Center of the Universe Press (575-671-4797), Box 1, Bent, New Mexico 88314.

 

Sharp, Jay W.    

   2002   "Paquimé: The Last Great Center of Puebloan Influence," DesertUSA Magazine (May), a monthly internet-based magazine. Excellent overview of the archaeology of Paquimé, entertainingly written. Published on-line at: www.desertusa.com/ind1/ind_new/ind13.html. Contact DesertUSA (858-673-6001, Fax 858-673-6007), Digital West Media Inc., 16855 West Bernardo Dr, Suite 240, San Diego, CA 92127. feedback[at]desertusa.com 

 

Smith, Sandra S.

   1998   Portraits of Clay: Potters of Mata Ortiz. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. Introduction by Spencer MacCallum. A beautifully designed little book of 65 pages (5 1/2" x 6 1/2") with 36 duotones of village scenes and portraits of potters faced by verbatim quotes in Spanish (with English translation) from the artists about their life and work. Prepared to accompany the photographic exhibit of the same name (see below under "Miscellany"). Available from the University of Arizona Press (voice/fax 800-426-3797), 1230 N. Park Avenue, Tucson AZ 85719. Single copy $10.95 + $3 shipping (ISBN 0-8165-1891-2).  orders[at]uapress.arizona.edu

 

Stewart, Tamara

  2004  "The Grand Enigmas of Casas Grandes." American Archaeology (Spring), pages 12-18. Gives a balanced view of the various viewpoints and differences of opinion regarding the origin and importance of Paquimé. 

 

Stuhr, Joanne, Eduardo Gamboa, Christine and Todd van Pool, and John Ware

   2002   Talking Birds, Plumed Serpents and Painted Women: The Ceramics of Casas

Grandes (Tucson: University of Arizona Press) This beautifully illustrated catalogue of the exhibition by the same name held at the Tucson Museum of Art from December 14, 2002 to February 16, 2003 contains articles by the then curator Joanne Stuhr, Christine and Todd VanPool, John Ware, and Eduardo Gamboa. The exhibit, which mainly featured ceramics, was the first to focus on the aesthetic contributions of the ancient Casas Grandes culture. It included for comparison a small selection of contemporary work from Mata Ortiz lent by the Arizona State Museum. The catalogue, 90 pages with some 60 illustrations, is available from the Museum Gift Shop for $35 or directly from the University of Arizona Press. Contact John McNulty (520-624-2333, Ext. 130), Director, Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85701.  jmcnulty[at]tucsonarts.com   http://www.tucsonarts.com/

 

Taylor, Ron, Jim Budde, and BSU Art Students 

   2001   Mata Ortiz Potters. Illustrated account of a Lydia Quezada and Rito Talavera ceramic workshop at Boise State University, Boise ID, October 4-5, 2001. Published on-line by the Treasure Valley Community College Art Department at www.tvcc.cc/Art/bsuworkshop/bsuworkshop.htm.

 

Turek, Norbert

   1999   "The Spirit to Learn and the Spirit to Teach," Ceramics Monthly 47:9 (November). This article, substantially written by Michael Wisner, is one of the finest technical pieces yet published on Mata Ortiz pottery and is certain to remain a classic. Also in this issue is a review of The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz. Write to Box 6102, Westerville OH 43086-6102, or call 614-523-1660. (Single copies $9 postpaid in the U.S., subscription $28.)

 

VanPool, Christine S., Rafael Cruz Antillón, Robert D. Leonard, Gordon F.A. Rakita, and Todd L. Van Pool   

   1999   Field Guide to the Ceramic Types of the Casas Grandes Region. University of New Mexico. Illustrates and describes the various prehistoric pottery types. Published on-line at http://www.unm.edu/~paquime/ceramics/fieldguide.html  [This valuable reference is currently down but is in process of being reconstructed.]

 

VanPool, Christine S., Todd L. VanPool, and David A. Phillips, eds.

   2006   Religion of the Prehispanic Southwest. Archaeology of Religion Series, edited by David S. Whitley. Fourteen papers are presented on prehispanic religion, many dealing with the Casas Grandes region. Scheduled for release in March, 2007 by Altamira Press (925-938-7243), 1840 San Miguel Drive, Suite 207, Walnut Creek, CA 94596. http://www.altamirapress.com/

 

VanPool, Christine S.

   2007   Signs of the Casas Grandes Shamans. The definitive study of the iconography and cosmology of Paquimé.  Cloth, 6 x 9, some color plates. ISBN 10: 0-87480-874-X  The University of Utah Press (801-581-6771), 1793 E. South Campus Drive, #101, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-9402 

 

Wesche, Alice M.

   1982   Runs Far: Son of the ChichimecsThis children's storybook is based on what is

known of Paquimé. Beautifully illustrated by the author, who also illustrated Volumes 1-3 of Charles DiPeso's Casas Grandes: A Fallen Trading Center of the Gran Chichimeca. Reading level: ages 4-8. ISBN 0890131333. Santa Fe: Museum of New Mexico Press.

 

Wisner, Michael

   1999   "The Ceramic Technology of Mata Ortiz," in The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz by Susan Lowell, Jim Hills, Walter Parks, Jorge Quintana and Michael Wisner (Tucson: Treasure Chest Books 1999), pages 187-197. This volume is the definitive treatment of the ceramic art of Mata Ortiz. An eye-catching book (208 pages 9" x 11" with 260 color illustrations), it reflects a brilliant new art tradition from different perspectives and describes the work of more than 100 ceramic artists. Reviewed in the November 1999 American Indian Art Magazine and also in Ceramics Monthly (47:9). Paper $29.95 (ISBN 1-887896-08-2); Cloth $50 (ISBN 1-887896-18-X). Order from Treasure Chest Books (local 520-623-9558 / fax 624-5888; long-distance 800-969-9558 / fax 800-715-5888), Box 5250, Tucson AZ 85703-0250.

 

 

Film

 

The Ballad of Juan Quezada

A short (8-minute), up-beat video documentary televised as the third segment of  PBS Frontline/World on May 24, 2006. Filmed and produced by Josiah W. Hooper and written by San Antonio Express-News reporter Macarena del Rocio Hernández. It unhappily perpetuates the mistaken belief that Juan Quezada is descended from the inhabitants of Paquimé, whose pottery shards inspired his art. Also, although the piece is about Juan Quezada, little of the pottery shown is his. Otherwise the only shortcoming of the piece is that it stops too soon; the viewer wants to see more. View it at http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/mexico403/watch.html#  An extensive printed storyline and background on Mexico appears on www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/mexico403/thestory.html. The latter cites studies revealing the negative impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on the Mexican economy, which has contributed to the northward flood of migration. Contact Josiah W. Hooper (510-232-8857H, Cell 510-604-5065), theRake Productions, 6612 Cutting Blvd., El Cerrito, CA 94530. A copy of the program can be ordered on-line from PBS in either VHS or DVD format for $29.99 at:

http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=2018349&isCrossSell=true

 

Clay Artists of Mata Ortiz

A good 30-minute video documentary of the Mata Ortiz art phenomenon, showing village and family life and techniques of the potters. Aired in February 2001 as an episode (Program #1103) in "The Desert Speaks" series produced by  KUAT-TV, Tucson,AZ, in cooperation with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and the Arizona chapter of the Nature Conservancy. The video can be purchased from KUAT-TV, in Tucson for $18.95 postpaid by calling the station at 800-841-5923.

 

Hacienda de San Diego: A Legacy from the Past

A detailed documentary of the historic hacienda, now largely ruined, of Luís Terrazas, built in 1904. Also includes coverage of the nearby pottery village of Mata Ortiz and the Cueva de la Olla. Filmed and produced in 2006 by Ron S. Bridgemon and narrated by Jesús García, of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson. Music track by the Jesús García Group, also of Tucson, and Conjunto Nopal, of Colonia Juárez, Chihuahua. English or Spanish in DVD format. 39 minutes. $20 from Ron S. Bridgemon (520-744-2243), 4545 W. Flying Diamond, Tucson AZ 85742.  admin[at]haciendasandiego.net  azcaver[at]earthlink.net

 

Juan Quezada

Filmed by William F. (Bill) Price in 1982, and thus uniquely interesting as a record of Juan Quezada’s early method of pottery making (notably painting when the clay is wet), this documentary is intended for schools but has much broader appeal. Available in English, Spanish, or Japanese. Reviewed in Ceramics Monthly in September 2000 and in kerameiki techni (The International Ceramic Art Review), March 2001. VHS or DVD format. Running time 15 minutes. $30 plus $5 shipping/handling (checks okay but not set up for credit cards) from Bill Price (818-753-3856), La Luz Productions, Inc., 6210 Simpson Av, North Hollywood CA 91606   wf_price[at]yahoo.com

 

Mata Ortiz Now

Prof. Bill Gilbert, Lannan Chair Land Arts of the American West, Department of Art & Art History, University of New Mexico, made this educational video documentary in 2001 especially for ceramic programs and museum exhibitions. Rich, beautiful, and informative, it focuses on how pottery making spread out from Juan Quezada to the rest of the village and how different families developed their own recognizable styles. Besides excellent footage of every aspect of the pottery process, it includes interviews with many of the artists in which they discuss their current style and its relationship to the prehistoric style of Casas Grandes. Featured artists include Juan Quezada, Nicolás Quezada, Lydia Quezada, Reynaldo Quezada, Macario Ortiz, Eduardo Ortiz, Nicolás Ortiz and Hortencia Ortega, Hector Gallegos and Graciela Martínez, Roberto Banuelos & María de los Angeles López, Humberto Ponce and Blanca Almeida, César Domínguez and Gabriela Almeida, Damian Quezada and Elvira Antillon, Eli Navarrete, Leonel López, Martín Cota, Manuel Rodríguez, Andrés Villalba. Running time 27 minutes. VHS format $30 plus $4 shipping. DVD format available as follows: 1-5 copies @ $30, 6-10 copies @ $20, 11-15 copies @ $15, 21 or more copies @ $12, plus shipping and handling. Bill Gilbert (505-473-2819), 3358C Highway 14, Cerrillos, NM 87010.  billgilbert[at]cybermesa.com

 

Mata Ortiz Pottery

An interactive CD by David George Lucas containing images, movies, text and music. This CD conveys a feeling for the village of Mata Ortiz and explains the distinctive approach of the Mata Ortiz artists to making, painting, and firing pottery. Especially appropriate for art education programs. Runs on Windows or Apple computers and contains a Quicktime installer, if needed, to view the four movies showing the pottery-making process. Available at $19.95 plus $3 shipping ($9.95 postpaid when ordering six or more) from Gallery West Productions (360-734-8414 / 671-5915 Fax), 1300 12th St, Bellingham WA 98225, or from http://www.bookservices.com/pottery pottery[at]bookservices.com

 

Mata Ortiz Pottery: An Inside Look

In this popular 1997 video by Ron Goebel and Nancy Andrews, Juan Quezada and other artists of Mata Ortiz comment on their art and life. Reviewed in Ceramics Monthly, Jan 1998. Running time 35 minutes. $29.95 plus $3 shipping from Ron Goebel & Nancy Andrews (Voice/Fax 805-995-2742), 772 South Ocean, Cayucos CA 93430. ronaldgoebel[at]msn.com   http://www.mataortizpottery.com/

 

**The Mata Ortiz Pottery Phenomenon

This 50-minute+ DVD video completed in August 2007 by the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) with Hillside Productions gives an over-all perspective of Mata Ortiz, its history, economic challenges, and artistic innovations. It also gives a close look at clay gathering, pottery construction, painting, and firing. Interview footage includes Juan Quezada, Spencer MacCallum, Walter Parks, Nicolás Quezada, Diego and Carla Valles, Octavio “Tavo” Silveira, Gerarda Tena, Humberto and Blanca Ponce, Macario Ortiz, Martin Cota, Laura Bugarini, Hector Gallegos, Jr. and Sr., and Graciela Martinez de Gallegos. Filmed and produced by the Holden Brothers, Joseph and Jeff in conjunction with AMOCA. $29.95 plus postage from the American Museum of Ceramic Art (909-865-3146), 340 S. Garey Avenue, Pomona CA 91766.   www.ceramicmuseum.org 

 

The Potters of Mata Ortiz

The video filmed by Barbara Goffin in 1994, now in its second edition, available in DVD format only. Running time: 47 minutes. This classic film by a professional potter who built a home near Mata Ortiz narrates the story of how pottery making began and spread in the village. Especially good on pottery technique. $35 plus $2 shipping & handling. Wholesale $20 with a minimum order of five, plus shipping. Institutional price $75 with public performance rights. Purchase directly from Barbara Goffin at 415-306-3706 or email barbaragof[at]earthlink.net

 

The Pot that Juan Built

A children’s video based on the book of the same name by Nancy Andrews-Goebel. Released in 2004 by Scholastic/Weston Woods for grades 2-5. Illustrated by David Díaz and narrated by Alfred Molina with music by Otmaro Ruíz. Based on the narrative style of This is the House that Jack Built, it tells the story of how Juan Quezada used his creative gifts to transform his impoverished village into a thriving artists’ community. Many awards include: ALA Notable Book and Pura Belpré Honor Book. See reviews of the book under author’s name. Available in four different formats: DVD (#WDVD647 ISBn 0-439-73457-6) 16 min., $59.95; Closed-Caption Video (#WMPV647VCC ISBn 0-78820-321-5) 16 min., $60; Hardcover Book/CD (#WHCD647 ISBn 0-78220-336-3) 13:25 min., $29.95; Hardcover Book/RAC Cassette (#WHRA647 ISBn 0-78820-335-5) 15.22 min., $24.95. Order from Scholastic/Weston Woods at 800-243-5020. 

 

Pueblos de Artesanos: Mata Ortiz

Colección de Pueblos de Artesanos, Vol. 11: Mata Ortiz, is a 27-minute documentary video in Spanish, filmed in 1999 by Jorge Barajas under the direction of Gerardo Lara, with music by Humberto Alvarez. Available for $6 USD from ILCE, Instituto Latinoamericano de la Comunicación Educativa (5673-3128 or 5673-3173, 5673-3184, 800-019-8100), Calle del Puente #45, Col. Ejidos de Huipulco, Delegación Tlalpán, C.P. 14380, México D.F. Contact Gerardo Lara (722-219-4577), Toluca, Mexico. lagartijanegracc[at]yahoo.com.mx   tienda[at]ilce.edu.mx   http://www.ilce.edu.mx

 

Roberto Hernández: Expressions in Wood

A documentary in DVD format, English only, of the work of master wood-artist Roberto Hernández (636-698-9181), of Colonia Cuauhtemoc, near Colonia Juárez, Chihuahua. Besides covering all aspects of his studio work, reminiscent of the late George Nakashima, the video shows him going high into the Sierras to get Aspen wood. Filmed and produced in 2006 by Ron S. Bridgemon, Megalomania Productions. $20 from Ron S. Bridgemon (520-744-2243), 4545 W. Flying Diamond, Tucson AZ 85742. azcaver[at]earthlink.net

 

Miscellany

 

Art Prints

Available prints by Juan Quezada are Mis Guacamayas and Amanecer; earlier prints are sold out.

          Mis Guacamayas, executed in 1997 but not produced until 2005, is an individually hand-pulled serigraph by IMS Industries, El Paso, numbered and signed by Juan Quezada in a limited edition of 125. Printed on heavy, acid-free archival 100% cotton stock, watermark “Archer 88;” sheet size 22” x 30”, image size 14 ¾” x 18 ½”.  Although 60 % sold, some low numbers are still available. Digital photo via email available on request. $500 plus $20 shipping/insurance via USPS Priority Mail. Contact Jim Bruemmer (575-589-0801), 7017 McNutt Road, Anthony NM, 88021. Ollas[at]aol.com   www.mataortizart.com. Also available at same price from Mayté Luján (636-692-4144), Galería Las Guacamayas, Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. MayteLujan[at]msn.com 

          Amanecer (Daybreak), pulled in July, 1999 by Tamarind printer Catherine Chauvin in a limited edition of 125, now 87-percent sold. 22” x 25.5”  Retrospective in feeling, this print combines images reminiscent of Juan Quezada’s early source of inspiration, prehistoric Casas Grandes painted pottery, with contemporary images. A sunburst breaking over the mountain gives the print its name. $350 plus $30 UPS shipping/insurance from Michael Wisner (970-923-3091), Box 5493, Snowmass CO 81615.  mikewiz[at]earthlink.net   http://southwestpottery.com/.

 

Photo Exhibit

 Portraits of Clay: Potters of Mata Ortiz. An exhibit of 54 black-and-white photographs by Sandra S. Smith of scenes of the village and of potters working. Available for museums or galleries as a stand-alone or to supplement a pottery exhibition. Each photo, framed in lucite and ready to hang, is accompanied by a short text in English and Spanish. Wherever the subject is a potter, the accompanying text consists of a quotation from the artist about his or her life and work. A beautifully designed little book of 65 pages (5 1/2" x 6 1/2"), published in 1997 with an introduction by Spencer MacCallum, is available to serve as a catalog for the photo exhibit (for book ordering information, see listing under "Selected Bibliography" above). For availability of the photo exhibit, contact Sandra Smith (520-888-0320), 5322 N. Foothills Drive, Tucson AZ 85718   ssmith321[at]earthlink.net

 

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