Our ceramic selections encompass a variety of pieces that convey beauty, grace, fantasy, humor and utility. In pre-Hispanic times, potters of the Americas made figures, pots, vessels, musical instruments, pieces for personal adornment and masks for everyday and ceremonial use. This pre-Hispanic influence is still apparent today in the continuity of techniques, forms and decoration passed down from generation to gereration. One of the most widespread of the folk arts, ceramicists tended to live in the same neighborhoods or villages producing clay pieces that not only expressed their cultural heritage but were true works of art. Clays were found usually in the same region and came in a variety of colors. The main techniques used are hand-modeling, mold-made or turned on a potter´s wheel. The objects were then low fired, high fired, fired in underground kilns or in open air kilns. The decoration of these forms are either burnished, stamped, engraved, painted, cloisonned, glazed, slip painted, incised or appliqued. Most of the forms have changed little over the years but there continues to be a dynamic development of exquisite pots, clay forms and figural ceramics from traditional and individual folk artists.
