Return for 5th year to Cabot’s Pueblo Museum on Feb. 28 through March 2
By Judith Salkin
As a young man Juan Quezada became fascinated by the artifacts of the pre-Hispanic pottery of Paquimé in the Mexican state of Chihuahua and taught himself to recreate the pottery by studying and experimenting with native materials of the area.
Mata Ortiz, named after the town where Quezada later taught his family to make the intricately decorated pottery, is how the modernized hand-made clay pots are now known and collected worldwide.
One of the major shows for this pottery in the U.S. is the annual Mata Ortiz Pottery Event held for the past four years at Cabot’s Pueblo Museum in Desert Hot Springs.
The Fifth Annual Mata Ortiz Pottery and Taxco Shard Jewelry event is coming up Feb. 28 through March 2 on the grounds of the Desert Hot Springs museum.
This year’s show features art by Martin Cota, considered to be one of the most innovative younger Mata Ortiz potters, and Miguel E. Quezada, younger brother of famed potter Damian Quezada and a nephew of Juan Quezada.
The weekend includes demonstrations by both artists from unformed clay to decorative pots and ollas, painting the pottery and outdoor firing techniques.
On Sunday afternoon, families are invited to participate in olla (cooking or storage pots that are often unglazed) painting.
Firing demonstrations and Q&A sessions are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28 and March 1, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Sunday, March 2, at 11 a.m. in the courtyard of the museum, weather permitting
The family olla painting activity will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday while supplies of ollas last.
Cabot’s Pueblo Museum is the preserved pueblo build by hand by Cabot Yerxa. The house was built in the style of Hopi pueblos to house Yerxa and his collection of Native American arts and crafts.
Admission to the Fifth Annual Mata Ortiz Pottery and Taxco Shard Jewelry event is free; museum tours are $11. The museum is located at 67616 E. Desert View Avenue in Desert Hot Springs. For information on the museum, call (760) 329-7610 or go to www.cabotsmuseum.org
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