Walter Parks, author of "Miracle of Mata Ortiz," (Rio Nuevo Publishing, 212 pages, soft cover) first met Juan Quezada in 1984 while consulting for a California art gallery.  Considered a classic reference guide by those enamored with the art, the book features beautiful photos and a great overview of the renaissance of a sleepy village that pottery rebuilt.

Books & Video

Written for children but equally charming for adults is the children's book "The Pot that Juan Built"(Lee & low Books, 32 pages, hard cover.)  The beautifully illustrated book tells the story of Juan Quezada and Mata Ortiz pottery in a combination of traditional story-telling and rhyme that all ages will find fun.

University of New Mexico professor Bill Gilbert has written and produced multiple pieces on Mata Ortiz (all excellent) and, in 2000, he created a video  specifically for the university and museum exhibitions.  The video, "Mata Ortiz Today," (Dos Feos Productions, VHS) is, sadly, available only in VHS format but features fascinating interviews with 15 of the village's best-known artists.

Written in a light, almost flip manner at times "Southwestern Pottery: Anasazi to Zuni" (Cooper Square Publishing, 200 pages, soft cover) is a terrific overview of the pottery that made the Southwest famous even before there were countries, borders or pueblos with names.  With 1100 images, a great reference guide for comparing design and influences between tribes and generations.

For those who just can't get enough of the stunning four-color images depicted in the book by the same name,"The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz: The Postcard Book"(Rio Nuevo Publishing, 30 pages, soft cover) is exactly what it sounds like; east-to-tear-out postcards featuring 30 of the finest images from the book.  For the real aficionado, frame 'em as mini pieces of exquisite art.

A difficult to find title by expert Bill Gilbert, "Potters of Mata Ortiz: Five Barrios, Seven Families"(Treasure Chest Books, English, soft cover) is worth searching out. This 1995 title sprang out of a collection of Mata Ortiz potters on exhibit in Albuquerque, NM and the author brings a personal face to the individual neighborhoods (barrios) and people whose art was displayed.

Considered by many to be the "must read" book for anyone interested in learning about Mata Ortiz pottery and the talent behind the clay, "The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz" (Rio Nuevo Publishing, 208 pages, soft cover) was written by a collection of experts and features beautiful, four-color images of both the pottery and the people who craft it from their hearts.  260 photos.

A great resource for those a) in possession of a VHS player and b) intrepid enough to track down a copy, "The Potters of Mata Ortiz" is a 48-minute documentary-style visual exploration of the potters of Mata Ortiz. It focuses nicely on both the current production as well as the inspiration provided by the prehistoric tradition of Casas Grandes ceramics.

Understanding how all of the peoples and cultures of what is now Mexico and the American Southwest influenced each other and came to share design can be confusing.  "The Desert Southwest: Four Thousand Years of Life and Art" (Ten Speed Press, 208 pages, soft cover) does an excellent job tracing the history of centuries of conflict and resolution between Natives, Hispanics and Anglos as well as their respective artistic accomplishments.

There's a fascinating story behind the revitalization of pottery creation in Mata Ortiz and the reputation that the village has gained for creating world-class art is well deserved. 


The book and film resources referenced below will inform you via text and words and enchant you with images of art not only born  from the artist's heart, head and hands but from the very earth, clay and dirt that make up Mata Ortiz and Casas Grandes.



Gallery Mata Ortiz 

A fast, easy read at only 64 pages, "Portraits of Clay: Potters of Mata Ortiz,"  (University of Arizona Press, 64 pages, soft cover) is a photographer's tribute to the art form of Mata Ortiz pottery and to Juan Quezada, the man who brought the traditional craft back from near-extinction. Stunning black-and-white images and insightful quotes  from individual artists.

For those driven by visuals,

"Mata Ortiz Pottery Today"  (Schiffer Publishing, 176 pages, hard cover) is a glorious introduction into what makes Mata Ortiz pottery unique in the art and art collectibles world.  It goes into great depth on six of the distinct ceramic styles and categories - black, polychrome, sgraffito, colored, miniatures and special shapes - that have come to characterize Mata Ortiz style. 



Available in DVD, "The Mata Ortiz Pottery Phenomenon"  (60 minutes, DVD, English) is a 2007 production that delves into the history,  economy and the current day Mata Ortiz ceramic community.  The documentary provides a look at actual pot building all the way from the gathering of the clay to the design, ceramic construction, painting and firing.