Lisa Orr, MFA and potter, has a passion for the pottery of Mexico. When she could not find any videos or films to share her love and knowledge of the craft and art, she decided to produce her own with the aid of a cinematographer. Her first documentary was Pottery of Mexico Vol 1: Pineapples of Patamban and San José de Gracia (Michoacán). Lisa sent me this video and with the collaboration and kindness of Eric and Vicky of Patzcuaro’s charming Posada Yolihuani, last week we were able to show the documentary to a number of interested people. It is well done and informative. One sees the renowned piña pottery with new appreciation.
Lisa will soon release a documentary on Mexico’s Árboles de Vida (Trees of Life). The third documentary in the series will feature the pottery of Ocumicho, Michoacán, and show the influence of master potter Marcelino Vicente. Some of maestro Vicente’s pieces are in the collection of the Museo Regional de Artesanías de Pátzcuaro. It is a pleasure to see the tribute that Lisa’s documentaries pay to Michoacán artisans.
I was put in contact with Lisa Orr by friend and fellow writer Philip Russell, an historian of Mexico. We expect both Lisa and Philip to visit us in Pátzcuaro within a few months, on a trip relative to the Ocumicho film.
Some links:
www.lisaorr.com – Lisa Orr, MFA, Potter
www.potteryofmexico.com – Buy Documentary DVD
The History of Mexico by Philip Russell (2010)
Posada Yolihuani, Pátzcuaro
Folk Art & Crafts – MyPatzcuaro blog
2 comments:
I've never seen piña pottery here in Sonora, and would love to have a chance to buy a piece. Guess I'll have to hit the road and go looking for it. Would I find it in Patzcuaro?
A good time to see the many renowned artesanías of Michoacan is in Pátzcuaro when everything is displayed in tianguis for Semana Santa and Night of the Dead. The photo in the post was taken on Plaza Vasco de Quiroga during the period of the Night of the Dead ongoing celebrations. You can generally find some pieces for sale in the local craft galerías, but I like the great choice available in the artisan fairs.
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