A prehistoric ruin near Chihuahua, Mexico, Paquime’ (Casas Grande) was the birthplace of a potting tradition that now flourishes in the Village of Mata Ortiz. It was discovered in the early 1970's. Old shards of pottery reflected a tradition of colorful, but primitively formed pottery. A Mexican worker identified as Juan Quezada was inspired to try replicating the best of it by building pottery in the authentic traditions of the earlier artisans. His work and that of other villagers evolved into a superior quality of hand-built, hand-decorated bowls and ollas that rivals, and in some cases, surpasses, that of Pueblo artisans that had come to be the gold standard of pottery art.

Extremely thin walls, formed without the use of pottery wheels, combine with nature-based slips and paints in vivid contemporary abstractions. Today, the pots of Juan Quezada’s inspiration are so respected and desirable that they are displayed in museums from the Smithsonian to European collections.

Most of Quezada's family and Mata Ortiz village potters (more than 300 at current count), now contribute to the breathtaking beauty and superb quality that comes from this little village. Their pots are built in coiled clay technique and polished by hand. The clay comes from local deposits that are said to be known only to the artists who “harvest” it. The paints also are natural in origin. Each pot is fired on the ground, not in kilns, in fires fueled by dung. The pottery finds its way to American buyers through collectors and dealers who travel to Mata Ortiz to buy directly from the artists.