Baudel Lopez

Mata Ortiz

Baudel Lopez is a potter from the village of Mata Ortiz. He began working with clay in the early 1990s and has since taught the traditional art to all his older brothers. He says he learned by watching others but he doesn't point at any single person as his teacher.

In 1992 the drought in Chihuahua was so bad some of the family's cattle died and prices were too low to sell the others. Times were hard but that was when his family reaped the rewards of having allowed Baudel, the youngest son, the time to learn to work with clay and paint on it. The income from his pots helped all his family through the drought.

He seems to work mostly with brown and red clays to make pots two to three inches high. His trademark painting and sgraffito designs are very intricate. The shapes and organic openings of his pieces are quite distinctive. He sometimes collaborates with others, usually Soralla Acosta.


Intricate painted geometric designs on a red jar with an organic opening
Contemporary red jar with an organic opening and intricate painted geometric designs
5.25 in H by 4 in Dia
Measurement includes stand
Paquime geometric designs decorate a polychrome melon jar with an organic opening
Polychrome melon jar with an organic opening and decorated with Paquimé geometric designs
5 in H by 5.5 in Dia
Sgraffito and black paint geometric designs on a red jar
Red jar with sgraffito and black paint geometric designs
5.25 in H by 5.25 in Dia
Melon bottom and Paquime designs on the upper half of a black on black jar
Black on black jar with melon bottom and Paquimé designs on the upper half
3.75 in H by 4.5 in Dia
Sgraffito and painted geometric design on a black on black jar
Black on black jar with a sgraffito and painted geometric design
5.25 in H by 5.25 in Dia
Measurement includes stand
Sgraffito and painted geometric design ona melon-ribbed polychrome jar
Polychrome melon-ribbed jar with an organic opening and sgraffito and painted geometric design
5 in H by 5.25 in Dia
Melon bottom and Paquime designs on the upper shoulder of a red jar
Red jar with melon-shaped bottom and sgraffito and painted Paquimé designs on the upper shoulder
4.5 in H by 5 in Dia
Measurement includes ring
Sgraffito and painted shard and geometric design on a polychrome brown jar
Polychrome brown jar decorated with a sgraffito and painted shard and geometric design
5.25 in H by 5 in Dia
Measurement includes stand
Sgraffito and painted geometric design on a melon-ribbed polychrome jar
Polychrome melon-ribbed jar with an organic opening and sgraffito and painted geometric design
4.5 in H by 5.25 in Dia
Measurement includes stand
Sgraffito and painted fine line and geometric design on a polychrome jar
Polychrome jar decorated with a sgraffito and painted fine line and geometric design
5.5 in H by 4.5 in Dia
A sgraffito and painted geometric design on a melon-ribbed polychrome jar
Polychrome melon-ribbed jar with a sgraffito and painted geometric design
3.75 in H by 4.5 in Dia
A sgraffito and painted geometric design on a polychrome jar
A polychrome jar decorated with a sgraffito and painted geometric design
2.75 in L by 2.75 in W by 3 in H
A sgraffito and painted geometric design on a polychrome jar
A polychrome jar with a sgraffito and painted geometric design
2.75 in Dia by 3.25 in H
Measurement includes stand

Mata Ortiz/Casas Grandes Potters