Dolores Porras (Mexican, 1937-2010), Art Pottery Mermaid Bowl

Santa María Atzompa, Oaxaca, late 20th century, a painted earthenware bowl decorated with a mermaid to interior applied and inscribed features, signed to underside.

15 in. diameter

Born in Santa Maria Atzompa, Dolores Porras embarked on her artistic journey at the age of 13, working alongside her father and adoptive mother. Prior to establishing her own workshop, she honed her skills in the studio of the renowned innovator, Teodora Blanco Núñez, where she acquired expertise in the decorative pastillage technique.

In the early 1980s, in collaboration with her husband Alfredo Regino Ramírez, she started to experiment with a novel technique for producing brilliantly colored ceramics. Dolores devised a translucent white glaze that gave her pieces a nearly iridescent quality, using it as a backdrop for vibrant contrasting colors. She introduced decorative bas relief forms, including mermaids, faces, fish, cacti, flowers, and regional animals. This work marked a significant shift from mere utilitarian pieces to true works of art.

This evolution in color and decoration was pivotal, as was her mentorship by the Mexican artist from the Esmeralda School of Fine Art, Roberto Donis. He encouraged Dolores to experiment with more abstract and non-traditional forms and combine these with vivid color, something unheard of in Atzompa. This aperture led Dolores to evolve not only as a potter but also as an artist. She began to sign her pots with her name as any artist should. Her work was so radically different from the traditional pottery of Atzompa that other potters began to work within this style, leading to the establishment of a distinct "school" of pottery that continues to thrive today.

Bio courtesy of ONORA.

A few nicks to rim and one to mermaid's applied lips; otherwise good estate condition.