Warms the Cockles
For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to the beautifully hand painted majolica pottery from the Gorky Gonzales family of Guanajuato, Mexico. Traveling with my family to San Miguel in the late 50’s, I was dazzled by the beautiful designs in Mediterranean colors of cobalt blue, green, rust and yellow painted over oyster-crème colored glaze – so very different from the rather dull porcelain “everyday” china that I was accustomed to at home. These plates had colorful leafy borders with rabbits, foxes and deer in the centers; I could not believe my great good fortune that even kids were allowed to use it! Little did I know then that Mr. Gonzales, widely known as just “Gorky”, was a world famous ceramicist, or that I would collect his work for most of my life!
Today, Americans have wised up to the wonderful offerings for our tables from abroad. We have come to value that which our eyes see day after day and are willing to deviate from the usual big box store fare to seek out something different and special for our families. The good news is that the Gonzales family is still producing the high quality pottery that it was known for way-back-then. When I was shopping a few years ago for my store, River House in Wimberley , I visited the Gorky studio in Guanajuato to verify their standards for myself. This company, now managed by Gorky Gonzales Jr., is still decorating and firing its terracotta clay to the highest standards on the market - all food safe and FDA approved for sale in the US. While they now have some modern designs, the wonderful traditional Gorky designs are still my favorites. Whether you like a motif with charros, birds, deer or simply floral designs, Gorky’s artisans can put various borders and center designs together to delight each person at your table. Seeing a table laid with delightful Gorky dinnerware continues to make me hungry (for Mexican food!) and warms the cockles of my heart!
Comments