There are hundreds of workshops for barro negro, the black pottery in San Bartolo Coyotepec, a short drive from Oaxaca. But whether you’re a bargain hunter, a retailer seeking product, a decorator, a folk-art collector, or a potter, a visit to Doña Rosa’sought not to be passed up. Doña Rosa (1900 – 1980) was the innovator of the process.
Son Don Valente provides daily demonstrations with anecdotal information about the history and contemporary impact of his parents’ innovation to the process. He’s instructed Mexican personalities and the likes of Nelson Rockefeller and President Jimmy Carter.
For thousands of years, pottery was produced in the village using the same technique as Don Valente illustrates, without wheel or any modern-day inventions, only locally available "tools." Until the early ‘60s, other village families were eking out a livelihood producing utilitarian pottery, while his family for the previous decade had been making shiny black decorative pieces. With the advent of plastics, which were colorful, durable, and inexpensive, the demand for purely functional pieces dropped.Accordingly, townspeople began copying the method used by Doña Rosa, who had been immune from market forces impacting the traditional grey pottery industry. Today, virtually every town potter makes only decorative pottery using Doña Rosa’s innovation, continued by her family: the shine is created by rubbing quartz over the almost-finished piece before firing. The black is achieved by baking for only 8 to 10 hours. If it remains in the oven for 12 to 14 hours, the color changes to grey, and the piece can then hold liquids, taking on almost iron-like qualities. A 30-day process is illustrated in 15 to 20 minutes.
The showroom contains extremely reasonably priced pieces, predominantly decorative, but some also simple and functional. Regarding the former, you’ll find a broad range in size, form, and style, suitable for both modern and traditional home décors. The family provides packing and shipping services and takes special orders. A restaurateur friend recently custom-ordered charging plates and related table accessories. Certainly visit some other shops in town if you have the time, but include a demonstration at Doña Rosa’s as part of your visit to San Bartolo Coyotepec.