AN INTERVIEW WITH PERLA VALTIERRA

CREATIVES IN CONVERSATION

Atrio is committed to building and supporting our community of creatives and producers, including includes artisans, artists, and farmers. In this interview series, we sit down with some of Atrio's favorite makers to learn about their processes, background, and what makes their products so special.

Atrio recently interviewed Perla Valtierra. Originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, Perla is the founder and designer behind the eponymous high-end, handcrafted ceramics brand in Mexico. The brand comprises two workshops located in the Bajío area and a team of 20 artisans and creatives.

"So, we drink coffee every day. And sometimes we have these horrible cups for something that is a ritual. But when we use products that are handmade and well-made, it improves the ritual."

—Perla Valtierra

How did you get your start in ceramics?

I studied industrial design and during my last semester at the National University In Mexico City, I took ceramics. The final project was something that I decided to make here in Mexico. So that kind of opened a lot of doors for me to the ceramics world. It was just one semester, but I loved to be in the studio and I did ceramics every day.

Did you craft and sell your own ceramics before starting your business?

For me, the project is not a brand or a business. I never made a business plan. It started in 2010 when I went to work in central Mexico with a government office of craft. They had this database of craftspeople and I was working with two communities of women. They were teaching them new techniques, not a traditional practice. And my participation was to develop a new collection for them to produce. Now, I am more of a designer, but I believe I am always in the process of learning.

"it's a human relationship that you make with people. It's a co-creative process."

After that, I started to travel around and was introduced to some other people I collaborate with. For me, one of the most important things about this project is that it's a human relationship that you make with people. It's a co-creative process. It's not that I come up with my ideas and we just do whatever I want. Most of the time, the craftspeople know so much and share their knowledge. Like when they tell me how big a piece can be, I don't question it. It's just this kind of interaction, you know?

We make the pieces on the wheel. Then, the next couple of days they are returned from the bottoms. Then, you need to wait for them to dry—we dry them in the sun. From there, they go into the kiln, they're glazed, and then they are fired again.

The process can take two to three weeks if we're making an order of the plates. But it really depends. Sometimes in the rainy season drying the clay takes longer. And things go faster or slower depending on how many craftspeople are working with us.

Shop Perla Valtierra

How have your travels informed how you live and entertain at home?

I think living in Japan for a year changed my view of how we use certain objects. So, we drink coffee every day. And sometimes we have these horrible cups for something that is a ritual for ourselves. But when we use products that are handmade and well-made, it improves the ritual. For me, it is very important to use handmade products as much as I can.

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