Virginia and Salvador Baca

Mata Ortiz

Virginia Lozoya de Baca and Salvador Baca are traditional potters originally from the village of Mata Ortiz. I'm told Virginia started it by learning the techniques and methods from one of her sisters. Salvador was working as an accountant back then. As her skill grew he got more and more interested... Around 1995 he stopped going out to work and became a full-time potter. He first learned from his wife's sister, Gloria Lozoya de Veloz, then studied more with Jorge Quintana after he and Virginia moved their family to Nuevo Casas Grandes because of the better schools for their kids.

Virginia usually forms the pots, Salvador usually cuts the openings, burnishes the finish and paints his personal interpretations of Paquimé designs. They fire together, outside on the ground with plenty of manure to create the small black on black pots they are most famous for.