Entrance
When nearing the town of Izúcar de Matamoros in the state of Puebla, you will be greeted by an abandoned Bacardi Rum distillery, maybe a sign of better times. Eventually you come into the town center, which seems like any other nondescript small town found anywhere in Mexico. Then you start noticing the Artesanías de Barro (ceramic artisans) signs placed on garage doors or hanging in some non-intrusive location, down residential streets or at a tiny storefronts.
Barro policromado is a specialty here in Izúcar de Matamoros, and the Balbuena Alonso family has been creating these colorful pieces for generations. Not as detailed and intricate as some of the other forms of barro, this particular work is still quite colorful and highly decorative, celebrating traditional symbology and themes. Calaveras (skeletons and skulls), mermaids, classic “Tree of Life” pieces, mythical creatures, hand formed and meticulously painted into useful items, sometimes picture frames or candle holders, but always calling on a rich tradition.
Maria Luisa Balbuena Palacios, the matriarch of the family, is famous for the imaginative shapes and themes, and her husband Joaquin, who’s large and small pieces are representative of the Izúcar style of policromado, both in composition and decorative painting. Joaquin does not sign his pieces, as he considers them a joint work by the family. The children work together with mother and father, both in decorating the pieces and selling. This is truly a family business and truly representative of traditional Mexican Folk Art. Please click on any image to view, or start with the first and make your way through them.
