Ceramicist, Teodora Blanco Nunez, was born February 28, 1928, in Santa Maria Atzompa, Oaxaca, a village interestingly known for its women potters. Her parents were ceramicists and she began adding her own sculptural touches when she was just a little girl.
Nunez developed a new style "munecas" that is still created today by members of her family and other artists who have adapted it to their own needs. Her munecas are human "doll-like" figures with "pastillaje" (also developed by Nunez) bits of clay, flowers, animals, etc. applied to the surface, creating an intricate facade. Her creatures are usually part human part animal or fantasy figures. They are often quite large, as the one below illustrates. Her favored subjects are female figures, nursing mothers, mermaids, nativity figures, and churches.
Teodora Blanco Nunez is an artist who became famous during her own lifetime, earning enough wealth so that she was able to send her children to school. Although she was monetarily comfortable, she and her family remained on the family land in Oaxaca, as they still do today.
Her work was completed using rudimentary tools, clay from a nearby source that is black until fired in a wood fired kiln, after which it turns red. The pieces are rarely glazed, instead keeping the primitive raw clay appearance. The figures are sturdy in build, large heads with almond shaped eyes, widely spaced, giving them an Asian appearance(as she herself had).They are adorned with Oaxacan peasant decorations: earrings, necklaces, clay pots.
No comments:
Post a Comment