SALVADOR and VIRGINIA BACA
Mata Ortiz Potters

Mata Ortiz pottery is known for its excellence. The talent and skills of these self-taught potters never cease to amaze. And one of the best examples of excellence is the pottery of Salvador Baca and his wife, Virginia. Their pottery is the thinnest produced in Mata Ortiz today. They work as a team, each one focused on extremely fine work. Virginia builds the pots and Salvador polishes and paints. The results are pots pinched and polished to within 1/8” thick and painted with extremely fine details.

They started potting in 1995, learning from Virginia's sister, and they later studied with Jorge Quintana. Most of their pieces are made using the reduction firing method, producing black on black stone-polished clay. They have also worked in polychrome and tan clays. They produce many shapes and sizes, but the most popular by far is their highly polished, high-handled wedding vases. The satiny finish is accomplished after hours of hand polishing.

Already considered the quintessential potters for the thin walls, high polish, and fine details, they don't rest on this reputation. Instead, they constantly push themselves, their skills, and their imaginations to produce ever more creative pieces.