We took a trip with our friends Karen and Tami to San Marcos Tlapazola, a rural agrarian village that specializes in making red pottery.

San Marcos Tlapazola is a rural Zapotec agrarian village tucked into the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountains.

The village has a 16th century church and is known for its pottery production.

It is the women of the town who are the pottery makers. Teresita, a pottery maker, met us by chance on the road near her home and invited us in to watch her work. She began by sweeping out her workspace.

The process begins as Terasita tears off a lump of clay from one of the many bags of clay that she has dug up from the mountain.

She begins to work the clay.

The joy she feels in her work is contagious as she sprinkles corn meal on the work surface.

Her strong hands continue to work the clay.

She forms a round ball.

She uses a corn husk to roughen the surface.

Gradually a cylinder is formed.

She works from the inside out and we begin to see the final shape.

The pitcher needs a handle.

She smooths the surface with water.

Teresita presents a finished piece that has been fired. The new piece sits on the ground ready to be fired.

Nearby is the women’s collective where many of the women bring their pieces to be fired.