Juan Quezada

Juan Quezada single handily revived the Casas Grandes ceramic tradition. As a young boy, Juan collected firewood in the mountains above his village. He often found pottery shards from the Indian culture that once thrived in Northern Mexico. Juan reasoned that if these pottery shards were found here, everything to make them must be nearby. At age fourteen Juan began experimenting. Juan never had a ceramic teacher nor had he ever seen pottery fired. Fifteen years later, through trial and error, Juan reinvented an entire ceramic technology.

To study with Juan is to see a genius at work. Juan is the most inspirational teacher I have ever worked under. His enthusiasm and technical knowledge in ceramics are unparalleled. Juan Quezada offers seven-day workshops in Mata Ortiz Mexico.

Classes originate in the United States then drive into northern Mexico to Juan's village. Field trips include a tour of the archeological ruins of Paquimé to learn more about the Indians that inspired Juan's artwork and the Cave of the Olla. Classes may be held in the village of Mata Ortiz where there are local family or hotel accommodations and a workshop in Juan's house.

A second, more adventurous option is to attend the class at the archeological site, Cave of the Olla. Students camp and work in an outdoor workshop in the pristine Cave Valley.







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