Sedona News – The Sedona Heritage Museum will host a sale of original, direct-from-the-village Mata Ortiz pottery on Thursday, March 23 and Friday, March 24.
Thursday the 23rd from 4-6 p.m. will be a preview and pre-sale, limited to the first 50 RSVPs. Guests will enjoy wine and cheese and a chance for intimate one-on-one time with the artist. Please call with your RSVP, 928-282-7038.
On Friday the 24th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m., the general public will be welcome to meet the artist and see and purchase these one-of-a-kind original pieces of art. This is an informal ‘come and go’ during the day in the Museum’s historic Apple Packing Shed.
Before his death, geologist and co-author of “The Artistry and History of Mata Ortiz,” John Bezy worked with the potters of Mata Ortiz for more than 30 years. He introduced this group of potters to Sedona. Now, artist Oralia Lopez is continuing the tradition of bringing pottery from her village in Chihuahua, Mexico, direct from the artists’ homes and studios.
Lopez has set the standard in Mata Ortiz for finely executed geometric pottery designs and will be showing the results of her intricate painting skills, along with the work of her family, neighbors and fellow artists. A selection of her and other Mata Ortiz artists’ pottery will be available for sale at prices similar to direct prices in her village.
Mata Ortiz pottery developed in a small village in Chihuahua, Mexico. Traders from this ancient city greatly influenced the Anasazi, Hohokam, and Mogollon cultures of the Southwest. Pottery from this site was the inspiration for modern Mata Ortiz ceramics. Seen as a revival of an ancient Mesoamerican pottery tradition and based on 600-year-old processes, materials, pigments, and designs, this style of pottery is truly a work of art. It has evolved from imitating pre-Hispanic designs to contemporary expressions by each individual potter or pottery family who produce distinctive individualized ware.
These events are free to attend. Purchases support the artists and the Sedona Heritage Museum.
The Sedona Historical Society operates the Sedona Heritage Museum located in Jordan Historical Park, 735 Jordan Road in Uptown Sedona, Arizona. Open daily 11 am – 3 pm. For more information call 928-282-7038 or visit www.sedonamuseum.org.