The ABCs of Ernestos, part B

Ernesto Balladares was born in Piura, a city in northern Peru, in 1978. He learned ceramics at 7, and by 12, he had opened his own workshop in his family’s home. As a result, he was able to pay for his own studies from his workshop earnings. 

Ernesto is one of  five members in an artisan association. They maintain a beautifully arranged shop (above) to display and sell each of their products. Ernesto lives several doors away.

He decided to be an artisan because he loved working with pottery. “I loved experimenting with the clay and firing and learning how to obtain different colors. The results were surprising and exciting and I wanted to keep learning more.”

He adapts his styles, colors, and designs based on what the customer likes: bigger or smaller pieces, different colors. “I used to use black and white only for the Chulucanas pottery. But right now the ones that are selling the most have the green paint and floral or leaf motifs, perhaps because of the growing concern about the environment.”

The Chulucanas pottery is produced in a very specific manner. Traditionally, pieces are formed using a small wooden spatula and a small stone to form the piece. Then it is dried. “Not until it’s rock hard, but until it has the feel of leather. Then you paint it. After that dries, you use a small river rock to polish it, to give it a natural shine. Then you let it dry more, perhaps another day. Then you fire the piece at 900 degrees Celsius. It takes 8 hours to fire. Then you let it cool for 4 hours.”

At that point it is time to add the drawings. Ernesto essentially draws with the ash of mango leaves. “You put mango leaves on the parts of the piece that you want to turn light brown, dark brown, or black. What doesn’t get covered up stays the same color you’ve painted. Then you put it into the cylindrical smoker and smoke the piece. After a half hour, the parts that are covered with the mango leaf have turned light brown. After an hour and a half, the parts that are covered with the mango leaf are now dark brown. And after a third smoking, the parts that are covered with the mango leaf have turned black.” The piece is taken out of the smoker, cleaned, and polished with a small brush. It is finished.

The two barrels in the middle are used to smoke the mango leaves on the pottery pieces which produces  different colors.

Ernesto explaining the process of smoking the pieces in the mango smokers. Check out Simon, or rather his legs, on the left. He's just kicked back, learning the process too, paused from playing with his construction equipment.

As I'm making sure I understand what Ernesto's saying, Simon finally has to take a peek inside this vase which we've been examining for some time.

When he does not have many orders, he gives ceramics classes to adults and children to make ends meet.

Eventually, he would like to be able to handle exporting himself as well as sell directly to individuals. “I love everything that I do,” he says with a huge smile on his face. “I love the creation process, the production, teaching others. I am learning and teaching at the same time.”