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POTTERS
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of BRITISH

COLUMBIA
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Memories of Michoacan

by Nora Vaillant and Judy Osburn

Some of you who attended the Canadian Clay Symposium last
spring may have seen the presentations about traditional Mexican
cookware given by Eric Mindling or picked up a copy of his book
(Barro y Fuego) about potters in Oaxaca, Mexico. His colleagues in
clay, Macrina Mateo and Alberta Sanchez, without visas, were sadly
unable to be at the symposium (hopes are high to reschedule their
master class at the Museum of Anthropology in the coming months).
‘The feedback from potters who heard Eric speak at the symposium
was very positive. Each session enjoyed lively question and answer
periods and his book sold out by the end of the day (even though the
book has yet to be published in English). In response to the level of
interest at the symposium we decided to submit this article about our
experiences and memories of the joint trip we took with Eric to learn
about pottery being made in Michoacan in 2007.

OOK

It was a rainy day in November when I received a phone call from
my friend, Judy Osburn. “Would you be interested in going on a
pottery tour in Mexico? I’ve been Googling pottery and there are two
openings left to go to Michoacan in February. What do you think?”

I thought for less than a moment before replying, “That sounds
great, but I don't do tours.”

“I dont normally take tours either, but you should look at this one.”

I checked out the site for Traditions Mexico and was intrigued
despite my misgivings. Still I wanted to know more about the tour
leader, Eric Mindling. I did some research and came upon an article

Red devil on motorcycle from Ocomichu, Mexico.

he had written in Studio Potter magazine about a family of potters in
southern Mexico. I discovered that he had lived in the state of Oaxaca,
known for its traditional crafts, for two decades. He had also given a
presentation at NCECA about his work with potters in Mexico. For
me, these credentials spoke of a serious commitment to and knowledge
of clay and its artisans. I signed up for the ten-day package.

Before long Judy and I were standing in the lobby of our hotel in
Morelia, the capitol city of Michoacan state about an hour-long flight
west of Mexico City. In walked a tall, sombrero-wearing gringo. It was
Eric. Our group of ten ceramic enthusiasts hopped aboard the van
parked out front ready for an adventure. We were joined by Miguel
Angel Nunez, a professor of archaeology well versed in the local,
indigenous Purepechan culture. Later in the week, as our guide in
the colonial town of Patzcuaro, he led us on architectural walks and
enlivened the rich history of the region with his expert storytelling.
Straight away we were bumping down a dirt road headed to the first
of eight villages we planned to see over the course of our week's travels.
Eric’s well-chosen musical soundtrack punctuated by his informative
and humorous commentary set the tone as we passed through the
countryside.

On that day we trundled to a stop in a small village outside the
adobe walled enclosure of a potters home. From the street it was
impossible to identify this as a place where pottery was made, no
sign was hung out front, but a warm welcome greeted us within. We
were instantly lead to a shady corner of the courtyard and given an
extensive demonstration showing the way this extended family of
potters prepared their clay, formed their pots and finished surfaces.
The laughter shared between the potters and our Spanish speaking
guides put me immediately at ease. Clearly, Eric was no stranger to
their home, but regarded as an old friend and colleague. The jokes
and easy give and take with every person in the household indicated a
relationship built over many years. And, indeed, we soon learned that
Eric had known many of the families we visited for over a decade when
he began seeking out the makers of exceptional pots to provide work
for galleries in the United States.

By mid-day, just about the time our tummies began to rumble, we
were invited to sit at a large table set in the courtyard and were soon
served a meal like no other we had ever tasted. All the food was grown
in the village. Everything was cooked on the open hearth located next
to the kiln. Happily, this was to become the pattern of nearly all of
our days on this trip: a remarkable behind-the-scenes tour of a potter's
work, methods, and context within a living tradition.

When Judy and I began reminiscing about our trip she recalled.
“T felt like I was on an amazing adventure and I was completely
safe. There was a sense of trust. I was able to take in all of these new
experiences because I could let go and relax. Eric’s knowledge and
the way he shared it with us through the stories he told put me at
ease.” The overall impression was that everything was humming along
in harmony with the daily and seasonal rhythms of life and we were
invited to take part in it for a short time.

Each day we arrived in front of a closed unmarked door in tiny
village. When that door opened an entire world opened to us. There

Continued on Page 6

Potters Guild of BC Newsletter : October 2013

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