The Talavera pottery style is characterized by bright colors and diverse patterns painted over a white or clay background and glazed for a high shine finish. Designs can include animals, flowers, cacti, geometric patterns and elegant peacock feathers. All of the pottery is fired at high temperatures creating durability for both indoor and outdoor use.
The Talavera style of painting dates back to when the Moors brought the craft to Spain. When the Spanish migrated to the Mexican city of Puebla, the original name was changed from “Majolica” to honor the Spanish city of Talavera de la Reina. Today, the Mexican city of Dolores Hidalgo is the largest manufacturer and distributor of Talavera-style pottery. Each of our pieces is handmade and painted according to traditions that date back many centuries.
Southwest Home & Garden, our Talavera style supplier, started twenty years ago with the intention of sharing this beautiful art and tradition. They maintain thirty-five trained artisans who represent more than 7 families and are dedicated to creating an efficient work environment, allowing them to pay employees higher than average wages.
“We have dedicated ourselves to bettering the lives of those who work for us. This year we saw though our first college graduate who is now employed as an elementary teacher; an accomplishment she never imagined could be realized. We constantly encourage our artists to create new styles and designs, which cannot be found anywhere else. Our customers can take pride in knowing they are receiving beautiful and quality products while supporting our efforts to enrich our artisan’s families’ lives and preserving this culture and art form.”
