Felipe Ortega Ceramics

Credited by many with reviving the art of the apache bean pot.

Felipe ortega ceramics.

It s completely dark outside except for the stars and a few strings of holiday lights. For those who were lucky enough to know him felipe ortega s passing runs deep even more so because this craftsman was one of only a few master teachers left who handcraft micaceous rich clay pots just as his native american ancestors had done for centuries. He is widely known for his mastery of micaceous clay ceramics and his charismatic teaching style. Many historians writers and collectors viewed felipe ortega as an artist who kept traditional apache pottery making methods alive.

Of jicarilla apache descent and fluent in 12 languages felipe honors the ancient over 400 year old tradition of his ancestors working the mica rich clay indigenous to this region of new mexico. This story comes to us from edible new mexico. Felipe ortega mica cookware. Sunfoto by george morse felipe ortega works on a micaceous clay pot at his studio in la madera.

He offers classes in making micaceous pottery and has a bed and breakfast for housing his students and guests. A selection of bowls and cooking pots are laid out. His pots are not intended to be simply displayed but to be used for cooking beans and other foods. It s dim inside johnny ortiz s farmhouse.

It s just after 6pm but it feels like midnight in la madera. I thought to myself this unique cookware bespeaks the hand of an. May 24 2015 explore lander miranda sandra s board felipe on pinterest. They looked like pueblo pottery but my experience with those had been limited to decorative pieces.

Felipe ortega is recognized as a master potter in the jicarilla apache tradition by the smithsonian institution. Felipe ortega micaceous pot. This video was created a few years back so the contents and the following statement reflect where felipe was in his career at the time. The world recently lost a great talent.

Felipe ortega is an apache medicine man and artist. See more ideas about ortega pottery clay. He took a more down to earth view of his work. He conducts classes out of his studio in la madera new mexico and at northern new mexico community college in española.

Felipe s studio at owl peak pottery foundation lamadera new mexico. Our mission is to provide an artist in residence venue to conduct art education to community members while honoring.