Nicaraguan Pot: Colored Parrots in Relief

These Nicaraguan pottery pieces come from San Juan de Oriente, a small village near Nicaragua's capital, Managua, where potters are well known for their excellent clay work. Every artisan in this village works in small family groups and their art is a tradition passed down from generation to generation. Every piece is signed by the individual artist who created it. These fine art pieces are perfect for any southwestern décor and will be cherished for generations.

Making pottery begins with the preparation of the clay and shaping of each individual piece. Pieces are polished to remove stones, smoothed out and left ready for the application of color. Designs are drawn or traced onto the pieces with a pencil using different colored oxides. Colors are applied with paintbrushes and once dried each piece is smoothed, polished and dried again over the course of a week. Firing takes 8 to 9 hours in kilns artisans usually construct themselves. When the kiln has cooled, pieces are removed and shined with a soft cloth and neutral polish to bring out a show quality luster.