PROCESS

The full manual process of our ceramic gives each piece developed a unique touch.

1. Sieving: The mud we use, which is our main raw material and is also known as clay, is diluted with water and strained with a sieve. Then the mixture is left in deep containers without being moved for approximately 15 days. By this process, the water gets separated from the mud and is then extracted from the density of the clay. Afterwards, the clay is placed in other containers in order to continue the process of dehydration.

2. Kneading: Clay is manually kneaded to eliminate bubbles. Then, it´s d stored in blocks called pellets, which are deposited in containers made up of bricks.

3. Molding: The clay is taken from the pellets and placed in plaster molds to make "low pieces" (plates, trays, salad bowls, etc.) and in a potter's wheel to make "tall pieces" (jars, vases, etc.). When the proper consistency is obtained, little impurities are eliminated and pieces are molded and polished. After this, they are placed on shelves at the drying chamber. Pieces can also be dried outdoors, where heat from the sun is an advantage in drying time. Depending on the size and thickness of the pieces, they will stay long enough to achieve total dehydration.

Once the pieces get dried, they go to the first furnace firing. Asperities are removed and the pieces are taken to the glazing area, where they are immersed in a container with glazing liquid. A wide brush is used to cover the piece entirely.

In this area there are two types of decoration: one that is totally made in cobalt blue, inspired by the traditional Talavera from Puebla with a technique called "plumeado" (plumed),and another one that is made with designs of different colors. The pieces that are decorated in color are first embodied with small floral drawings, which are also the base drawings for the entire piece. They are drawn in black and filled with specific colors. As a second step, the total filling of the piece is made in the rest of the spaces with designs that come from the ideas and inspiration of each decorator. This second step is called "terminación" (finishing). Finally, the edges of the pieces are covered with a thick layer of cobalt blue. This way the pieces are finally prepared to enter the furnace

This part of the process, the decoration, is crucial, since it has directly influenced the taste of our customers. This also includes a very important factor: the overall time in which the decoration of pieces take, according to their physical nature, like their size, shape, and the type of designs that are reflected in the piece. In our work we have made an effort to use decorative motifs that are delicate and discrete in size but also striking, well made, without big drawings or chopped defects. All of this has led us to achieve a level of quality in our pieces that has placed us little by little in the ceramics market from Puebla.

Once the pieces are decorated and finished, they pass through the stage of the second firing, in which they are introduced in the furnace for several hours at a temperature that reaches over 1,000 centigrade degrees. As a final step, the pieces are checked in order to make sure they are free from defects or bubbles due to the firing. If this happens, the defects are corrected pieces and are fired again