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Ivan Escamilla

"I was born on July 1973 in Mexico City, where I studied Engineering and then I did a post-graduate course in Administration. I've had an interest in gemstones and minerals ever since I can remember, which lead me to study about their composition and origin.

"One of my main interests has been Oaxaca's black clay, not only it's color and fine luster, but for its cultural and historical value within Mexico's ceramic legacy. The main source for black clay is a place once called Zaapeche, meaning "the place of jaguars" in Zapotec language. Now it is known as San Bartolo Coyotepec. During pre-Hispanic times, people crafted black pottery images for their ceremonial centers and rituals, but with the Spanish conquest they were taught to craft a variety of pots, pitchers and jars for home use. With the advent of copper, brass, plastic and glass, production decreased and it is now limited to ornate items for the tourist market.

"Ceramists still extract the clay from the same place, and prepare and work with it like their Zapotec ancestors once did. It is only recently that a group of ceramists, myself included, got together to find new applications for this legendary black clay. We came up with the idea of making beads in different shapes and sizes to be used in jewelry. The elaboration process remains true to the original Zapotec way of preparing and molding the clay.

"We selected silver for our designs based on two reasons, one has to do with the role that silver has in Mexico's silversmith tradition. The other reason is because we find it to be a precious metal that provides a harmonious complement to the clay's neutral color."