Tiburcio Soteno working on a sculpture in his workshop
The Soteno family of Metepec is one of the main families of ceramic artisans specializing in sculptures called Trees of Life which have made the town found in the State of Mexico one of Mexico’s main ceramic centers. The Tree of Life is a complicated colorful sculpture which was developed from the creation of candlesticks. The family’s prominence began with Modesta Fernández Mata, the mother, grandmother and great-grandmother of the Soteno potters today, who began experimenting making more decorative items along with utilitarian ones. The generations after her have learned the craft and improved on it starting as children working with parents and grandparents. The two most notable members of the family are Tiburcio and Oscar, second and third generation respectively, who have won various awards and have their works in collections worldwide.
The Sotenofamily of Metepec is one of the main families of ceramic artisans specializing in sculptures called Trees of Life which have made the town found...
mermaid like figures called Tlanchanas. Metepec potters such as the Sotenofamily have won national and international recognition for their work and the...
Martínez and Odilia Pineda (Michoacan) Ángel Santos Juárez(Jalisco) Sotenofamily of Metepec(State of Mexico) Cesar Torres Ramírez (Talvera pottery, Puebla)...
handcrafts exported to countries such as Spain, Portugal and China. Sotenofamily of Metepec (pottery) Adrián Luis González Apolinar Hernández Balcazar...
with an overall tone of cinnamon to reddish after firing. The Pajarito family creates its own paints using the same clay as the pieces, sometimes adding...
Some of the best known potters include José Vara, Saúl Ortega and Alfonso Soteno. A "tree of life" (arbol de la vida) is a theme of clay sculpture created...
State of Mexico. This five meter tall tree was created by José Alfonso Soteno Fernández in 1992 to commemorate the 500 anniversary of Columbus's discovery...
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