Mexican Talavera Style Floral Ceramic Soup Bowls (Pair), "Sunshine Kaleidoscope"

Update (July, 2019)

“I have been working hand-in-hand with NOVICA for some years, which makes me feel very proud and content.

“I have spent more than 30 years working in the magical Talavera technique, which I learned from a young age. But I did not stop there; I want each one of my pieces to have meaning and history. Because of this, I worked hard to learn the most possible about it in order to achieve pretty and quality pieces.

“It has been exactly 20 years since I met NOVICA, which has given me the opportunity to expand my creativity and talent, and this has been reflected in my sales. Their support has meant a lot for each one of the families that works with us.

“We continue working with the same technique that we have used for 20 years, managing to give a unique design that honors the traditional Talavera from Puebla. This led us to make necessary changes in each one of our designs, but with better quality and more passion in the creative process.

“Our objective has always been to distribute our work at the international level, with that touch that characterizes us as a village. Thanks to our constant work, we have received many honorific mentions. We have managed to add to our catalog and give our clients options in bringing this beautiful tradition to each corner of their homes.

“We have been given the wonderful opportunity to create a line of jewelry with the essence of Talavera. These pretty pieces have opened doors and a new market for us, which has allowed us to grow and be informative regarding the pieces that we offer.

“For us, quality is our primary focus. It is embodies what we are, and we are tremendously proud to offer pieces that are made entirely by Mexican hands.”

Original Artisan Story

"Hello, my name is Alonso Luis. I come from Puebla and create the traditional majolica ceramics in the Talavera style. I began this work in 1989 because of the excitement I felt when crafting such ceramics – traditional, yet free of lead.

"Our work is completely carried out in the traditional way, the way its been done here for hundreds of years. The clay is acquired raw. It is a virgin material that comes directly from mines called barriales and has not undergone any kind of industrial alteration. We try to make a good selection from the best types of clay, since it is the first factor that decides the quality of our products.

"When clay of satisfactory quality has been selected, it is cleaned and prepared until a material of smooth plasticity is achieved. When it is easily malleable, it goes to the potter's wheel. The pieces are shaped, then dried – a very delicate process. Finally, they enter the kiln for the first time, at a temperature of 1050°C for 15 minutes. After this stage, the piece is known as "bisque," or "greenware."

"For the next step, we permit the piece to cool thoroughly, then submerge it in glaze. It is then sent to be decorated, and our artisans draw exclusive motifs freehand on the bisque. Colors are applied, and the piece is fired once more to achieve a glassy finish.

"I am a person who is concerned about the environment – its conservation and its rescue. This is reflected in our ceramics, as everything we make is lead free.

"Another characteristic of my work is that my ceramics can be used in the microwave oven. However they are not designed for use at high temperatures, therefore they should never be used on the stove or in a conventional oven.

"Our ceramics are resistant and we have a wide variety of designs. All of them bear two fundamental characteristics – originality and the tradition known as Talavera from Puebla."

Talavera is a distinctive art form brought to Mexico by artisans from Talavera de la Reina, Spain, already influenced by Moorish designs. The artisans of Puebla then incorporated Chinese designs, thus creating the blue and oyster-white patterns traditionally associated with Talavera. Nowadays one may appreciate "contemporary" designs that include yellow, green, and red.

National and international conventions require that a rigorous procedure be followed in the elaboration of authentic Talavera products. A trademark is the fact that each individual item will be slightly different.