Employing Rural Women

We made various visits to the artisan workshop, Las Mariposas, to evaluate the running of the workshop.  The clay mill had its defects and it represents the main part of the production process, which begins with the collection of compact clay in the community of El Lindero. The chunks are crushed and water is added, which is then strained to allow for the elaboration of a pliable clay mixture that is placed in the molds to form different pieces that are sold by the women of the workshop. Therefore, a defect in the mill can cause the production to stop. The equipment was serviced in addition to the band wheel together with some surface parts were replaced. Furthermore, preventive maintenance of the electrical installation took place.

Seeking to improve the business opportunities for the workshop, we helped refurbish the area to serve as a showroom for the products on sale as well as a kitchenette to offer hot refreshments and light meals. Repairs also had to be made on doors of the new eatery, grill, sink, and a gas pipeline were installed in the kitchen area, and tiles were laid in the service bar.

As a result, the workshop has a showroom for their products and a space to attend the groups that visit them at the entrance the ceramics workshop.

In addition to the usual activities of making molds and elaborating different products for domestic and ornamental use, important orders were delivered to various microenterprises in the region, including personalized coffee mugs to the Flavor Trail and tourist destination microenterprises known as Las Manzanitas, Comedor Sierra Bonita, and the Cave of Swallows.

During the follow-up visits to the workshop, we had the opportunity to learn about the “glazing” process, which consists of covering the piece entirely with a liquid layer, a lead-free solution that is used on all the pieces that are intended to contain food. Although the liquid is white, it becomes transparent with a shiny or matte finish once the pieces go through a firing process.

Dominga, the current representative of the women’s artisan group, told us that the piece is taken with tongs and is placed in the solution for a very short time. If the piece remains in the solution for a long time, the final product would have defects such as air bubbles or marks and the products with defects cannot be sold.

It is a pleasure to work with artisans, to collaborate in improving local conditions and building opportunities for a better future for the partners in the workshop and the community at large.

Links:

• Visit Las Mariposas

Before the end of the year, general cleaning of the workshop was carried out. Constant renewal of the molds (which is necessary to have a better finish and produce better quality products) leaves behind plaster blocks. Even though the blocks cannot be used to elaborate pieces, they can be used as fillings when repairing streets and trails, benefitting various local families. Therefore, the blocks were incorporated into the streets and the path that leads to the workshop. Afterwards, new molds were made, allowing women to continue with the production.

Since the percentage of shrinkage is greater during cold and humid months, women cast and polish pieces in December and January and they are now preparing to fire them.

As part of the continuous improvement, the members of the workshop participated in the training course on Color Theory that was given on January 15th, 2018 in Jalpan de Serra and targeted artisans in the region. The course reinforced their knowledge about the importance of color, the combination of tones, and, in the case of Las Mariposas workshop, the importance of respecting the original colors of the decoration portrayed on their pieces; their decoration primarily depicts the most representative birds of the region and therefore the women must consider real colors in their impressions.

As a result of the workshop, the women have begun to use new decoration designs on their ornate pieces, integrating combinations of bright colors that are different from the colors on the rest of the pieces.

They are currently working on special orders and are looking to integrate new members to help them with polishing pieces. This is one of the main activities, since it determines the quality of a product.

Links:

• Visit our website for more information about our work