San Bartolo, Mexico
MEET AMANDO
BLACK CLAY Of Oaxaca
World-famous Barro Negro comes from one region: San Bartolo Coyotepec
The special properties of this clay cannot be found anywhere else. Each piece is shaped by hand (no potter’s wheels here) and baked in a fire of thick black smoke. Invented in the 1950s, it is instantly recognizable and sought-after around the world.
A family tradition
Amando learned the 2,500-year-old firing technique on the knees of his great grandmother
Amando, who was taught by his great-grandmother, has a strong technical background in high temperature ceramics and has also studied under Japanese masters.
An ancestral secret
The process of making black clay is widely protected
Amando works with his family in an atelier in his home in San Bartolo. When an artisan inherits the secrets of the Barro Negro pottery, it carries through to their work. And when you receive a product from one of these local artisans, you become the keeper of that ancestral DNA.
AS SEEN IN
San Bartolo, Mexico
Amando's collection
global community
MEET our other artisan partners from around the world
We celebrate slow design and artisan craft from thousands of artisans around the world. From Mexico to Uganda to Japan, we are excited to introduce you to our artisan partners.