SFA to open Mata Ortiz pottery exhibition

Mata Ortiz pottery such as this example will be exhibited in the upstairs hallway of SFA's Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, beginning with an opening reception at 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 14.

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and Friends of the Visual Arts will open an exhibition of Mata Ortiz pottery at 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 14, at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

The entire pueblo of Mata Ortiz in northern Chihuahua, Mexico, creates outstanding handmade coiled pots, following centuries old methods, explained Christian Cutler, director of SFA galleries.

The artists imprint the ollas, or pots, not only with recreations of ancestral symbols, but also with their own unique artistic language, Cutler continued. "They have gone through the imitation of pre-Hispanic ceramics and have moved on to a sophisticated creation of contemporary art."

Mata Ortiz ceramicist Julian Hernandez will be present at the opening reception, and all of the pieces he brought for the exhibition will be available for purchase. A percentage of the proceeds will benefit the SFA School of Art student scholarships.

This is the second trip Hernandez has made to Nacogdoches. The pieces that he brought with him last fall were well received by East Texans, according to Cutler. "We virtually sold out of the approximately 25 pots last year. Our patrons will be thrilled to see the exquisite examples included in this selection."

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. Regular gallery hours are 12:30 to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free. For more information, please call (936) 468-1131.