Santa María Atzompa is practically walkable from Oaxaca. It was founded between 650 and 850 C.E. as a satellite town to the ancient Zapotec city of Monte Alban which, in turn, had been established 500 BC. Visible from anywhere in the central part of the Valley of Oaxaca, the impressive ruins of Monte Albán are a must-see. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, I was not able to visit the archeological site. It is open now and you can easily combine the visit to Monte Alban with an art crawl through Atzompa.
Atzompa has been a major producer of pottery since the Monte Alban period. Most of it at that time was the gray pottery in variety of shapes. After the Spanish conquest, Santa Maria was added to its native name of Atzompa (“high water mark” in Nahuatl), and lead glazing techniques were introduced. In the mid 20th century, Atzompa was the main producer of ceramics for the region, and its products were shipped to all parts of Mexico and exported to the United States. Alas, lead in lead-glazing became a problem and Atzompa pottery fell out of favor.
In the 1990’s, Mexican government financed development of lead-free glazes to be mass marketed. Around the same time, potter Dolores Porras devised a natural lead-free white translucent glaze on which to paint colors such as bright oranges, blues, greens and yellows. Around 2000, a pottery cooperative was formed. The new collaboration and new materials have fully revived the market. You can find the cooperative members’ pieces in the crafts market in town. Or, and this is way more fun, you can visit individual studios, watch the artists work, talk to them and buy pieces in talleres.
Señora Dolores Porras in a mural on her taller 
Dolores’ son Rolando Regino Porras continues his mother’s pottery tradition 
Recent works by Rolando 
Works from the Porras atelier 
Rolando’s wife mixing glaze pigment
Angélica Delfina Vásquez Cruz, also known as the Ceramista del Preciosismo, winner of many national and international artist and artisan awards, in her studio 
Traditionally themed sculpture by Angélica Cruz waiting to go into the 750 degree C kilm 
Natural (mineral) pigment used in the Atzompa ceramics 
Pulverized pigment 
Pigment ready for use 
Angélica Cruz
Kiln in action 
Adrian Martínez Alarzón’s art 
Adrian Martínez Alarzón, my favorite ceramics sculpture artist, combines traditional Atzompa ceramics art and whimsical figures. His works were supposed to be featured in a group exhibit in MOMA and in an installation at Whitney… this summer He hopes to be invited again. His mother, María, has one of the most famous ceramics workshops in Atzompa and both of her sons followed in her footsteps 
Adrian Martínez Alarzón’s art 
Glaze pigment used by Adrian Martínez Alarzón and his mother’s atelier 
Adrian Martínez Alarzón’s art 
Adrian Martínez Alarzón’s art 
Adrian Martínez Alarzón’s art 
Adrian Martínez Alarzón’s art
Adrian Martinez’ brother Francisco has his own taller in the hills of Atzompa 
Young apprentice, Miguelito, helps out in his Dad Francisco’s ceramics studio. He is the fourth generation potter in his family.
Artista Eugenio Torres en el taller Barro Blanco 
Works by taller Barro Blanco 
Taller Barro Blanco
Vagabonding Zwindling 