Bugarini, Elvira

Elvira Bugarini is a potter from the village of Mata Ortiz in northern Mexico. She seems to mostly make various forms of seed pots and small jars, then decorate them with intricate geometric designs. Her designs are very similar to what she learned from her sister, Laura Bugarini, when Laura was teaching her how to make pottery. However, Laura’s geometric designs are well ordered next to Elvira’s crazy placements of design.

Elvira earned a Best of Show ribbon in 2013 at the annual Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Women Potters of Mata Ortiz exhibition. At the same show she also earned First Place in the category for Innovation and Second Place in the category for White Clay/Polychrome Paint.

In 2013, Elvira earned a First Place ribbon at the CLAY 2013 International Juried Exhibition. Then in 2014 she earned a Second Place ribbon at the prestigious annual Concurso Ceramica Nacional held in Tlaquepaque.

Elvira often collaborates with her husband, Jesus Manuel Pedregon, in the decorations on her pieces. He often begins by placing larger and more colorful bands of design around a piece. Then Elvira places her finer geometric designs onto the surface he hasn’t painted. When done, only Elvira signs the pieces.

Both Elvira and Laura had a hand in teaching their younger half-sisters, Luz Angelica Lopez Cota and Karla Lopez Cota, how to make pottery. However, both those sisters prefer to make sgraffito-and-painted designs usually incorporating birds, branches and flowers in their design.