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Wholesalers of Fine Nicaraguan & Peruvian Crafts |
POTTERY AND OTHER CRAFTS OF NICARAGUA AND PERU
Pottery-making has been a
part of the culture since pre-Columbian times. Traditionally,
it was the role of women in a community to hand build utilitarian
pottery pieces for storing water and use in cooking.
Today several
of the groups that we work with are small womens' cooperatives
that have modified these designs and incorporated modern techniques
to reach a larger market.
In addition, with the introduction of
the wheel, men have entered this field as a way to supplement
their agricultural work.
AYACUCHO POTTERY
Ayacucho pottery has its origins in the Andean town of Ayacucho, Peru.
While many of the Ayacucho artisans left the area and relocated in Lima due to the violence in their area,
they retained the traditional techniques.
The technique used by artisans is similar to the pre-Columbian technique used by the Wari culture.
The clay is sun-dried until pliable. Complex forms are shaped using the coil method.
Simple forms are created with molds. The pieces are either painted before or after the firing.
The themes depict local culture and religious scenes.
We work with several artisans who do this type of pottery.
One association that we work with is Ichimay Wari.
About a dozen artisans who migrated to the Lima area during the violent years make up this group.
They live in a suburb of Lima called Lurin.
Atesania AACLA, an associaton in Quinua (near Ayacucho), is made up of 16 small workshops.
This association was formed about 8 years ago in order to market their products outside the Ayacucho area.
Like the other artisans we work with, these members have developed this art since childhood,
having it passed from generation to generation.
SABONETA, NICARAGUA
Rustic clay piggy banks and piggy pots come from Saboneta, a small agricultural town in Nicaragua.
Two dynamic women, Olga and Martiza, have organized together several other women in the community,
in order to get marketing and technical assistance from Potters for Peace, a local NGO.
They want to better their lives and the lives of their children by the sale of their pottery.
Now when they go the markets in nearby towns, in addition to the traditional utilitarian pottery,
they take fun creative pieces that reflect their environment.
RIO ARRIBA, NICARAGUA
This little piggy bank…
One little piggy went to market and one little piggy stayed home, but this little piggy trotted down
a long dusty road to find his fame and fortune.
Marta Gutierrez from Rio Arriba in Northern Nicaragua hand makes each one.
She is as full of personality as the banks are.
These are the old fashioned kind that have to be broken to get to the money.
From a ball of clay she gives each one such life that you just won't want to break it open.
SAN JUAN de ORIENTE
This small community
of farmers began experimenting with the wheel several decades
ago. Over the last 30 years, the pottery of this community has
passed through several phases and has evolved into something quite
eclectic. In the last decade many of the potter from this community
have received worldwide recognition for their work. The pieces
are inspired by traditional pre-Columbian designs, as well as,
outside influences from the array of international potters that
have participated in Potters for Peace exchanges. The potters
use mineral oxides, mainly chrome, cobalt, and iron to color the
vases. They fire them at low temperatures in brick kilns. Most
the artisans in this village work in small family groups. Once
a year San Juan de Oriente holds a pottery competition and the
potters work long hours to produce a unique award-winning entry.
See information on more than
30 potters of San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua.
WOODEN TRAYS from EL YAGUAL in EL SALVADOR
El Yagual, the small workshop where these charming trays are crafted was started back in the 80's.
It started with one woman's vision and unique design sense and has been growing ever since.
They specialize in bright lively designs such as Central American animal, plants, and fruits.
The wooden trays are hand-painted and then sealed with varnish.
We recommend using them for decoration or for serving drinks.
Clean with damp cloth.
THE COOPERATIVE OF DUCUALE GRANDE
A little over a dozen women make up this cooperative in Ducuale Grande, Nicaragua
and they have been working together
for many years. They work jointly on the lovely pieces, often with each
women taking a different phase in the process.
The pieces are first either hand-built or thrown.
Each one is burnished with a river stone to produce a beautiful shine.
Finally they apply a slip and then it is re-fired or smoked to produce the two-toned color that makes it unique.
The vases are not recommended to hold water.
Dona Mercedez Vega’s Pottery
Dona Mercedez is well known in the small town of La Paz Centro, Nicaragua.
She has been making traditional pottery in this small Nicaraguan town since she was a young girl.
She and her sisters, like most other girls here, learned how to make comales from her mother in order
to bring in money for the family.
As a young women she began working with Potters for Peace,
a non profit organization in Nicaragua.
She dared to stray from the traditional utilitarian pieces she was familiar with to more decorative pieces.
Over time she built a small workshop, experimented with the local clay colors,
and began having a distinctive style all her own.
Santa Rosa Pottery of Nicaragua
This is the last agricultural cooperative from the Sandanista era.
These families bought the land and support their families through the sales of trees and
livestock that they raise.
There are three young couples that are part of this cooperative that love to make pottery.
They say it is in their blood.
They have a small workshop in the center of the coop from where they make flowerpots for a nearby store.
Their new creations are lovely tree of life centerpieces.
Mola Cooperative of Panama
Lively Mola animals are made by the Mola Cooperative of Panama.
Over 1000 Kuna women are members of the cooperative.
The molas are handmade and use a reverse appliqué technique.
Several layers of various colors of material are stacked together
and then the design is cut into the layers creating a colorful scene.
The Kuna women make their traditional shirts from these colorful molas.
Nicaraguan Balsa Wood Carvings
Lively balsa wood creatures come from the beautiful Nicaraguan island of Solentiname.
Located in the southern part of Lake Cocibolca, these islands
are the home to many painters and sculptures.
The animals are hand carved and painted, and they reflect the nature found in the surrounding environment.
Cusco Hands Workshop
These lovely ornaments are made in the highlands of Peru and reflect a combination of ancient and modern.
They are made in the Cusco Hands Workshop by a group of dedicated young artisans.
In their words, they use the inspiration of the culture and legacy of their ancestors and
combine that with the modern designs of today to create a unique work of art.
Florentino’s Peruvian Whistles
Beautiful whistles were first introduced to Peru in the days of the Inca.
They are hand-formed from local clay in villages around Cuzco and then fired in a traditional pit oven.
The black birds are smoked.
They are then hand painted by Florentino with acrylic paint using ancient motifs from the Inca and Nazca cultures.
To play the water whistles, fill them up almost to the top.
When it is filled up to the right level, blowing on the mouthpiece will produce a beautiful chirping sound.
Keep experimenting with the water level until you achieve this chirping sound.
We recommend that these be used by adults and children over the age of five.
THE WOMEN OF LOMA PANDA
(photo right)
The setting of Loma Panda is truly amazing. The workshop of this
small group of women is perched on a hilltop overlooking a river
and rolling hills. These half dozen women use the tri-color clay
of their surrounding area to hand build truly adorable creations
such as ceramic dolls, angels and make believe creatures.
THE WOMEN OF LA NARANJA
(photo below)
The small group of women in La Naranja who produce the clay drums
came together relatively recently. Several years ago they were
invited to a drum- making workshop facilitated by Potters for
Peace.
From all those who attended
the workshop, they were the only group that returned to their
community and applied what they had learned. They know all too
well from their lives in a poor agricultural community that nothing
should be taken for granted or wasted. They use their hands, the
clay from the nearby river, and the skins from the cattle of neighboring
communities to create these hearty sounding drums.
THE POTTERY OF CHULUCANAS, PERU
The town of Chulucanas is located in northwest Peru, a long dusty ride from Lima.
It is in that area that pre-Columbian vessels with a negative smoke resist technique were found in burial
sites of the Vicus tribe. Unfortunately this technique had been lost over the centuries, and at the time of the
findings the potters in the area were making only terra cotta vessels.
In the late 1960's several local potters, with the help of a few interested supporters in the area, founded a
group called Sanoc Camayoc, or Masters of Clay. The goal of this group was to rediscover the
pre-Columbian techniques that had been used by their ancestors in the area.
Through many trials and errors they discovered the technique used to create the black on white and white on black patterns.
It is through this group's revival of the traditional techniques that Chulucanas pottery
has achieved worldwide recognition. Today there are over 700 workshops in this community.
The form of each vase is built by hand-turning and using a wooden paddle and smooth stone,
to thin and smooth the sides of the vessel. The vases are then painted with a base coat of clay
and mineral oxides, burnished and fired. At this time the vases are repainted in the areas that
the base color is to be retained. The vases are smoked twice with smoldering mango leaves.
Any area that did not receive the second engobe application absorbs the smoke and turns a dark rich brown.
The engobe is then washed off, revealing the lighter color.
THE COOPERATIVE OF CINCO PINOS
(photo right)
This cooperative is nestled among stands of pine trees in the
northern mountains of Nicaragua. The women use this natural resource
to weave amazing pine needle baskets. This cooperative was formed
several years ago with the help of a European organization and
continues to grow by inviting other women of the community to
join in its success.
THE SOAPSTONE OF SAN JUAN DE LIMAY
San Juan de
Limay is located in the northern mountains of Nicaragua. They
are closely located to two soapstone quarries. Most of the artisans
are male but there is one small women's cooperative learning the
trade. They carve the soft stone with hand tools such as knives
and chisels.
THE POTTERY OF CUSCO, PERU
The pottery of Cusco, Peru is inspired by
the Incan civilization.
Palemon Cuno Surco
Palemon Cuno Surco is the artisan behind highly detailed traditional pottery from the Cusco area of Peru.
He presently lives in the small village of Ccorao.
He loves everything traditional, and is presently building a traditional adobe Inca home.
He is one of the few artisans in that area who specializes in this intricately designed geometric pottery.
His work supports the continuation of this tradition and inspires other young potters in the community.