Esteban de la Cruz Miranda & Rodrigo de la Cruz Cabrera: Ceramics
Esteban de la Cruz and his son, Rodrigo, live in the small isolated community of San Augustin Oapan in the State of Guerrero. The tradition of making handcrafted and hand-painted ceramics has been in their family for five generations. While the traditional methods for producing these pieces are being replaced by cheap recreations, using molds and unnatural acrylic paints, Esteban and Rodrigo’s family remains dedicated to the history and culture of the craft and only produce their unique ceramics using natural techniques.
The duo produces a variety of figurines and one-of-a-kind ceramics including pot shaped canteros, round aquadoras, human figures, bowls and rustic animals. They take donkeys into the mountain to harvest the clay and gather the natural sources used for pigments such as plants and stones. After firing the hand-formed designs in open-air, hardening in place their desired shapes, the surfaces are intricately painted with various images including nativities, wildlife and other figures of cultural and historical significance to the family.
The family has won national, regional and local awards for their amazing work and dedication, however, the traditional art form is at risk of disappearing. Because of the isolation of their home and the lack of tourism, it is difficult for buyers to reach these artists. The passion, history and love that goes into making these joyful ceramic works of art exceeds value. When you admire the time Esteban and Rodrigo spend to finish a piece, you will instantly see the difference in the quality and skill that goes into their work compared to the mass produced and quickly manufactured replicas sold in many tourist communities and marketplaces.