Salvador Baca: Marbled Clay & Geometric Relief Olla

This spectacular Mata Ortiz olla by Salvador Baca looks as if it were carved from a swirling piece of stone. Instead of painting the design on the surface, Baca laminates different natural clays together and then hand-coils and carves the pot, revealing ribbons of cream, rust, and chocolate that run through the body of the piece.

A dramatic diagonal band encircles the olla, built up in raised, stepped forms that recall ancient Casas Grandes architecture. Within this band, small geometric insets and dark turquoise-colored squares add flashes of color and give the composition a contemporary edge. The carved spiral sections create a sense of movement, like wind, water, or a shell opening outwards, while the marbled clay pattern suggests petrified wood or flowing lava.

Meticulously shaped, polished, and carved, this vessel is both painting and sculpture, an outstanding example of Salvador Baca’s innovative use of mixed clays and bold relief work in Mata Ortiz pottery.

Origin: Mata Ortiz
Dimensions: 8.5''Tall 18.5''Circumference