Sunday, April 25, 2010
DOS AÑOS DESPUES
Thursday, January 17, 2008
LA ALFARERIA DE FARO II
La puerta del taller.
The workshop's front door.
El taller desde dentro, los dos tornos de pie a la derecha, el baño de preparar el barro a la izquierda.
The workshop from inside, the two potter wheels to the right, the preparation of the mud bath on the left.
Selito decorando una "botía", con óxido de cobalto sobre esmalte estannífero.
Selito, decorating a "botía" with cobalt oxide over white maiolica type glaze.Algunas piedras usadas para moler los minerales, para preparar el vidriado y los colorantes, algunas aún en uso.
Stones used to grind minerals, to prepare the glaze and colours, some of them are still in use.Piezas ya decoradas, esperando para la segunda cocción. Debajo de ellas, el baño en el que se prepara el barro.
Earthenware pots already decorated, waiting for the second firing. Below them, bathing in which the clay is prepared .
Saturday, November 17, 2007
LA ALFARERIA DE FARO. I
- Uno de ellos es que sus formas y decoraciones tradicionales siguen casi inalterables, con poca evolución desde la Edad Media. Y Selito sigue contribuyendo a esa conservación. Hoy Faro es una de las pocas alfarerías españolas de las que se puede decir que sobrevive sin abandonar la producción tradicional. Aunque la gente ya no bebe sidra en jarra de barro, ni usa el barbón para almacenar el agua, ni se usan las piezas como antes para hacer queso, mantequilla, guisos... Selito no sólo sigue produciendo todo el repertorio completo de formas tradicionales a buen ritmo, sino que ha añadido algunas que se habían dejado de hacer en Faro, como la loza decorada en azules y como algunas piezas medievales catalogadas por estudios y excavaciones en el taller. Y, también muy importante, sus piezas son siempre en el tamaño que les corresponde, no cede a la tentación de fabricar "miniaturas" para el gran público.
- También es interesante que en Faro se fabrique loza vidriada, con esmalte blanco estannífero desde finales del s. XIII, algo poco frecuente en el Norte de España.
- Otra característica diferencial es que hasta principios del siglo XX se haya mantenido el uso de la "rueda baja " de alfarero. De unos 80 cm de diámetro y unos 60 de alto, era impulsada con la mano. Aunque para el trabajo diario se usa el torno alto de pie, todavía Selito conserva y sabe usar esta rueda baja.
- Además de la cerámica esmaltada, se produce cerámica negra, con un peculiar aspecto metálico, del barro que llega casi a una "gresificación" en el horno.
Barbón negro
Quesera / Cheese mold
Faro is a small village of Asturias (North of Spain), a few kilometers away from Oviedo, which still keeps alive the potter craft, thanks to Jose Vega, "Selito", the son, grandson, great-grandson ... of potters. Last one in active in a village in which they collected 70 potters registered in 1749, (cadastre of Marques de la Ensenada).
Well-listed excavations and rigorous studies, it can be said to exist in Faro pottery activity since the end of the century X. In Faro highlights various aspects of its pottery production, which makes it quite remarkable:
- First, is that their traditional forms and decorations remain largely unchanged, with little changes from the Middle Ages. And Selito continues to contribute to the conservation. Today Faro is one of the few Spanish potterys which can be said to survive without abandoning traditional production. Although people no longer drink cider in mud jugs, or use "barbons" to store water, or using the pieces as before to make cheese, butter, stews ... Selito not only continues to produce throughout the entire repertoire of traditional forms apace, but added some had failed to do in Faro, as earthenware decorated in blue and some medieval pieces scheduled for surveys and excavations in the workshop. And, equally important, their parts are always in their proper size, does not yield to the temptation to make "thumbnails" to the general public.
- It is also interesting that in Faro manufactured pottery glazed with white tin glaze (mayolica) ends of the s. XIII, something rare in northern Spain.
- Another characteristic is that until the early twentieth century has maintained the use of "low" potter wheel. Of approximately 80 cm in diameter and approximately 60 high, it was propelled by hand. While working for the daily use the potter whell, still Selito preserves and knows to use this low wheel
- In addition to the glazed pots, ceramics occurs in black, with a distinctly metallic appereance, the mud reaches almost to a non porous state in the kiln.
For glazed pots he employs a local clay, "fine", which gives yellow color to pink. And for black ceramic he mix a more refractory clay, "common" with the "barrucu", (more plastic and with more iron oxide).
He still retains the wood-burning kiln, used until the eighties, when he started using a propane gas kiln.
Bibliografía:
E. Núñez de Aldecoa, "Faro, mil años de producción alfarera", ISBN 84-88951-04-3
Saturday, August 4, 2007
¿HABLAMOS DE ALFARERIA TRADICIONAL? Let´s talk about traditional pottery?
What is left of our traditional pottery? Do we know the richness of forms, materials and techniques of our potteries? Do we know how they remain active in the workshops? How many have closed? Many more questions we can do on this issue, but all remind us that the traditional pottery in Spain is the great ignored, and spends many years by hard times.
In this blog we can try to better this craft activity, and at least contribute to value a little more.
So far I advance you these photos, which belong to the latest edition of the fair of Oleiros (La Coruna). An exhibition that brings together many of the traditional potterys of Northern Spain and other remote regions: never missing an appointment Niñodaguia (Orense), Buño (La Coruna), Gundivós (Lugo), Bonxe (Lugo), Llamas de Mouro (Asturias ).... Once again potters arrive with their pots "cacharros", which for several days of rest on the grass walk from the beach of Oleiros, as an open-air museum to teach all visitors that there are still many potteries working and keeping alive a craft at risk of extinction.