The term “artisan” is used so frequently in modern times that the essence of this venerated noun has almost been lost: to devote ones self, years at a time, with focused attention and energy to learning a trade, a set of skills, and techniques to nurture creativity into the world. As we continue a march towards the digitalization of everything, trading our critical thinking for advancing artificial intelligence. Could it be a collective benefit for humanity if we hold this human creativity, this dedication and commitment that artisans practice with higher regard. To respect or acknowledge it is one of very few attributes that makes us humans quite unique.
What do you see when looking around your immediate space, such as your home, garden, office, or communal space?
Are there objects that you consider to be "decorative art" or " works of art"?
Do you draw a distinction between "art" and "decoration"?
That's gratuitous… Yes! There is a notable difference between the two terms,
not solely between "decorative" and "art" but also the process by which art is made. Suppose one is not familiar, even mildly familiar, with the process of creating a particular artistry. In that case, it's quite easy to not recognize, misunderstand, or not appreciate the subtleties that signify creative originality and quality of work.
Refrain from letting the title on aisle #900 of your local Ikea or a mega menu category of Amazon confuse you. Monday morning marketing teams worldwide work endlessly to fabricate social content and media campaigns to tell you a story. Engineered by crews of photographers, graphic designers, and creative writers take this media deck and overlay it with a suite of AI editing tools. The finished presentation is so highly produced that you may believe your smartphone was handmade by a team of humble artisans.
01. EARTHEN Every finished piece of Talavera pottery begins with a mixture of just two natural elements. Sediment in powder form, commonly referred to as earthen. Water is added to the natural sediment, and the two source materials are mixed for hours until they reach proper consistency. 02. CERAMIC MOLDING Once the clay compound is adequately mixed, it is poured into prefabricated molds. Molds are casts created from an original that is entirely sculpted and shaped by hand. Inside the mold is where the clay compound is poured, which casts the shape of the raw clay compound. Molds can be any shape or size. A shape as simple as a bowl, a plate, or a pot. (image 02 is a group of raw clay pots sitting upside-down. The bottom mold has been removed, allowing the clay to dry at room temperature while the tops of pots sit within the mold, allowing it to take shape). 03. TAKING SHAPE Molds can be as complex as an intricate pattern or sculpture, like a catrina figure. (image 03, the bust of an elegant Carina being removed from its mold after drying at room temperature for several days.) Once raw clay has been removed from molds, they are placed on large carts with casters, allowing multiple pieces to be rolled into large kilns where the raw clay figures(naked of their casts) will be subjected to intense heat. This will be the first of two kiln firing processes known as “bakes” or “burns”. The first bake transforms the soft clay on a molecular level; at temperatures up to 1700˚F/920˚C, the earthen compound hardens into ceramic.
No, the digital device from which you may be reading this was not handmade. And unless you are very intentional about your acquiring habits, neither is the chair you are sitting in, the jewelry you are wearing, or the shoes on your feet. Talavera for example, is a complex artistry. Known for its vibrant colors, cultural significance, and distinctiveness of individual pieces. Through the artisanal creation process, no two pieces of Talavera will ever be precisely the same. The unique formula of Talavera is attributed to the matrix of ceramic making, mold making, variations of hand-painting, and glazing or firing. Modern forms of Talavera are native to Central and Southern Mexico. The process behind creating the vibrantly colored glazed ceramic is complex and very expensive to produce. It requires a variety of raw/natural materials, and aside from the artisanal disciplines, it calls on many distinct technical skills to achieve quality work. You might be familiar with a type of Talavera pottery from visiting your local home & garden store or airport gift shop. More often, the Talavera that fills these retail outlets is not of the highest quality and, by association, is not created by artists who've studied the varying techniques nor cultivated the skills to the extent of a dedicated artisan.
Into The Fire
01. GIANT OVEN Marianne (designer and cofounder of Zenwaro) takes in the heat and power of a mega furnace while in mid-burn during production at one of the partnered artisan studios of the Tierra Collection. This particular ceramic furnace or kiln weighs over 2 tons. During a regular burn the internal temperature reaches over 1700˚F/920˚C. The heat is so intense that viewing the internal inferno via a small window is not recommended. The force is so loud of this mega kiln that the concrete foundation of the entire studio vibrates with energy. 02. READY TO FIRE! Cured and painted tableware are loaded inside of a much smaller furnace for their second bake. This particular kiln is specialized for plates, bowls, cantaritos, mugs, all sorts of ceramic dinnerware.
Like beauty, “Art is in the eye of the beholder” yet its also subject to individual opinion and interpretation.
Suppose art is a form of language. As some scholars, artists, and everyday enthusiasts have exclaimed it to be. Also suppose that you are not familiar with this art/language. Can you begin to interpret a new language without exposure?
01. AFTER BURN Once removed from the kiln and allowed to cool, the clay is noticeably different; no longer a soft nor a primer grey color, the ceramic is white and very hard. The ceramic pieces are inspected for impurities, approved pieces are then moved to a different area of the studio where the first group of artisan painters are waiting. (01. Carlos begins the first of two painting techniques called "trazado," which literally means layout, route, or tracing.) This painting technique requires a very specific brush to draw out the borders and trace the textured areas of the sculpture. This trazado or track is commonly painted in a shade of black or dark blue colors. Like painting by numbers, the track shows the next group of artisan painters where to paint the vibrant mixture of colors and patterns. Carlos is essentially providing a blueprint for the colors to overlay. | 02. ALL OF THE COLORS While traditional Talavera is restricted by a governing body to a small pallet of approved colors, this new generation of skilled artisans has added a range of new color palettes made with natural pigments and contain no lead or toxins. (02. Liquid paint colors are separated and mixed with actual glass.) The glass is pummeled to a consistency close to powder. During the second bake, this mixture is heated to such an extent that the glass forms a hardened glaze over the entire surface. In a process called "glazing," the glossy glaze protects the ceramic and hand-painted imagery(allowing it to be both heat and waterproof). The glaze and heat together draw out the intensity of each color. Like turning up the saturation filter on a photo editing app, the glazing fertilizes the muted base coat into rich colors with a forever-lasting shine.
The Walled Garden of Talavera Artistry
Concerning the artistry of Talavera, a few institutions have clarified that Talavera requires credentials. A specific regulatory agency known as the Consejo Regulador de la Talavera has defined authentic Talavera as only being created within or hailing from the state of Puebla, Mexico. Strict testing that is less focused on toxicity and purity of material and is more of cultural integrity purposes is conducted across the complex glazed ceramic manufacturing process. This begins with lab scientists who test natural raw clay when it is pulled from the earth. Each subsequent step in creating the glazed ceramic pottery is scrutinized by the authority of sciences & artistry of the University of Puebla. Inspectors and faculty examine the raw earthenware to ensure it is a suitable compound, test the glaze to verify it hardens at a specific temperature, and study the color pallets against approved traditional pigments. These scholars of Talavera even study the hand-painted patterns to ensure the overall matrix is in accordance with conventional guidelines. Only pieces that meet this protocol of “the highest historical Talavera standards” are authorized to have the signature of certified Talavera.
Less than a dozen certified artisan workshops are permitted to label and even call their work "Talavera." You have now entered the walled garden of Talavera. Similar to scotch, to be genuine scotch alcohol, it must be made in Scotland. Only pottery from a handful of artisan workshops that meet the standards of the Consejo Regulador de la Talavera is authorized to have the potter's signature, the workshop's logo, and the unique hologram that certifies the piece's authenticity.
01. POLISHING COMES FIRST. Once raw clay is removed from the mold, excess clay must be removed from individual pieces. The polisher uses a water-soaked sponge and brush to smooth out the entire surface of the molded clay figure. | 02. RAW COLOR A group of fully painted Beatles Crossing Over Abby sculptures are waiting to be place into the kiln for their final burn. This limited edition sculpture is available to order in the Tierra Collection. | 03. PRODUCTION COMPLETE This set of photos shows the progression of both painting and the way color/finish develops as individual clay to ceramic pieces make their way through the production process. The entire production process can take anywhere from one to three months, depending on the number and type of pieces. (03 Inside the studio, a completed 6ft' tall Catrina sculpture stands in the center of the showroom. Her dress features commissioned art. A renowned artist is brought into the studio to hand paint the imagery of Frida Kahlo dancing with a santa muerte skeleton figure.)
Like liberty is integral and intwined with the fabric of the United States as is creativity in Mexico.
Creativity is so much a part of Mexico's DNA that its national currency features artists(multiple artists). Mexico holds these artisan achievements in a similar regard as revolutionaries. Both the US and Mexico share an appreciation for credentials. To be recognized for achievement is almost an obsession. In the US, Ivy League universities represent one of many fixations of our credential economy. In Mexico, it is often not much different; see above, Consejo Regulador de la Talavera.
While artisan studios and state government-sponsored subsidiaries outside of the state of Puebla have and continue to petition the Consejo Regulador de la Talavera to allow other accomplished artisan studios and workshops the opportunity for recognition; this “walled garden of esteemed certification” remains elusive. But over the past few decades, a new generation of skilled artisans have decided to depart from the trappings of traditionalism and introduce a whole new palette of colors, advance new ideas, and lean on nontraditional cultural influences to create a new style of Talavera in a divergent and imaginative way. Juxtaposed with the credential economy, this new generation of artisans has little interest in being recognized by colonial institutions; they practice a pure form of ambition. Which is to create, innovate, and incorporate ideas/concepts and sometimes even incorporating ideas and concepts from foreign cultures. In many ways this new generation of artisans is using parts of the traditional Talavera art form as a bridge built upon core values that will help us imagine the next level Talavera artistry can be taken to.
These artisans are not constrained by a strict regulatory body that limits the boundaries of their creativity. Their passion for new ideas and creativity are not limited by specifications and certifications leading to a prestigious notoriety.
This collective of artisans are the talented individuals who create the pieces that comprise the Tierra collection from Zenwaro. Tierra is an extension of their story and a sample of human creativity that is in constant always progression.
