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This tradition started in the middle of the past century in the tiny village of Juan Mata Ortiz in northern Chihuahua, México, as a form of revival of the pottery from Casas Grandes – the culture that thrived in this part of the continent before the Spanish arrived.
In 1882, years after an Apache encampment was massacred by Mexican troops, this is where the tribe’s legendary leader Geronimo and his men came to avenge the killings, burning Mexican commander...
Its originator, Juan Quezada, was discovered in 1976. With a few notable exceptions, most of the potters are young. In fact, this pottery is so new that there is no agreement as to what it should be called. Some use the name “Casas Grandes” after those who occupied the area hundreds of years ago.
Named after the modern town of Mata Ortiz, which is near the archeological site, the style was propagated by Juan Quezada Celado. Quezada learned on his own to recreate this ancient pottery and then went on to update it.
Juan Quezada Celado (born May 6, 1940; died December 1, 2022) was a Mexican potter known for the re-interpretation of Casas Grandes pottery known as Mata Ortiz pottery. Quezada is from a poor rural town in Chihuahua, who discovered and studied pre Hispanic pottery of the Mimbres and Casas Grandes cultures. He eventually worked out ...
6 de sept. de 2020 · In 1924, the Mexican government renamed the town Mata Ortiz in honor of Juan Mata Ortiz, a local man who made a name for himself in the Apache Wars of the previous century. Juan Quezada, born in 1940, moved to the town of Mata Ortiz as an infant.
History. The town was originally established as “Pearson” during the Porfirio Díaz presidency in the late 19th century with its economy based on agriculture, timber, cattle and the nearby railroad. After the Mexican Revolution the town’s name was changed, to honor Juan Mata Ortiz, a local hero who fought against the Apaches in ...
