News — handmade
Capula Pottery: A Closer Look
Arroyo artesania Capula ceramics clay handmade lead-free pottery traditional
Artisans in Capula sell thousands of quickly produced pieces like the ones in these photos every week (cazuelas, bean pots, plates and bowls) because it’s traditional and VERY inexpensive. What a lot of people don’t realize is that there are artisans in Capula who create similar pottery for cooking and serving food, pero es otra cosa--it's a whole other thing. Their work is definitely not ordinary, and “charming” doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Returning to Zipiajo!
artesania authentic blouses clay crafts embroidery folk art handmade Michoacan textiles traditional
We met Elvia Silva Bartolo in 2004 while Doug and I were shooting our documentary. She’s in Zipiajo, a Purepecha village way off the beaten track where a few artisans make unpainted terracotta clay pots and gorgeous embroidered blouses.We didn’t know about the embroidery at the time, and until we were in Elvia’s workshop we had no idea that she had an incredible talent for sculpting clay animal figures. We bought a few small ones that day, and later purchased some that won prizes in Michoacán state fairs. She has a piece in the prestigious Museo del Arte Popular in...
Traditional Copper Cazos and the Covid Crisis
authentic cazo copper handmade Mexican pot Santa Clara del Cobre traditional
Mexico By Hand has sold a lot of hammered copper cazos this past year. Ever since the pandemic began we've had so many orders I honestly have lost count. Sales of cazos have helped to sustain us through these tough times of cancelled events and retail closures, and our customers as they are sheltering at home seem to appreciate our efforts to supply them. I suspected that the artisans in Santa Clara del Cobre are really hurting now due to lack of tourism and the cancellation of major sales opportunities for artisans like Semana Santa and Dia de los Muertos, and I hoped that...
Adios 2020!
artesania authentic crafts folk art handmade Mexican
Beautiful pottery—but is it food-safe?
artesania ceramics clay crafts handmade lead-free Mexican pottery traditional
