Mata Ortiz Pottery Buyer's Guide: The Earth's Bounty into Your Home's Beauty

Phil has written one of the first guides to buying and collecting Mata Ortiz pottery. This little book will provide the beginning and veteran collector with valuable information about the village of Mata Ortiz and its pottery. He will not tell you who or what to buy, but will guide you through the process, no matter your preference.

We understand that preference is personal. We will not try and steer you to anyone or any one style of pottery. What we will do is explain a little history of the village, the pottery phenomenon, how the pottery is made, and what questions to ask if you want to buy. We will add a few details about getting here to the village and what to expect when you come.

This book is written from a village perspective. The author lives full-time in the village and knows the potters and the pottery. He sponsors the village baseball team and serves on the village water commission! He and his wife have dug clay and manganese and have seen the process from start to finish. They know enough to leave the pottery making to those with the amazing talent to turn the bounty of the earth into the beauty of your home.

The author brings a strong historical sense to the collector. The purpose of the book is not to speak for the potter. They are fully capable of doing that for themselves. Phil simply knows first-hand the experience of coming to the village for the first time and has over a decade of experience of many trips, ultimately building a home for his family along the beauty of the Palanganas River.

Phil will not sell you a pot, nor lead you to the pot or potter "you should buy!" There will be few names mentioned in this book. The style, potter, and price are up to you. This is your basic guide to the world of Mata Ortiz. In a few pages, we hope to help you become a devotee of the village and its wonderful people. Bien venido a Mata Ortiz!

Mata Ortiz Pottery Buyer's Guide is available as a Kindle eBook and as a paperback. In the eBook version the photos are in full color; the paperback photos are black and white. Otherwise, the text is identical in both.