Gallegos, Graciela

Graciela Martinez de Gallegos taught her husband, Hector Gallegos Esparza, how to make pottery. She had learned the art from their neighbor, Armando Rodriguez. Armando lived just north of their home in Barrio Americano in the village of Mata Ortiz in northern Mexico.

In the beginning, Graciela was experimenting with simple figures. Then Armando taught her how to make pots. From there she moved into making wedding vases, urns and long-necked vessels with clay animals on them.

These days, Hector does most of the painting for Graciela, adding cuadrillos, serpents, butterflies and other Paquimé and Mimbres-Revival designs. As he’s the painter, it’s usually Hector who signs the piece when it’s done.

Like most of the men in Mata Ortiz, Hector would rather be on horseback tending to his cattle but the team of Hector and Graciela have gotten really efficient: their pottery business brings in more than 95% of their annual income.