Juan Lira is the inspiration for the family business. He has been making talavera pottery all of his life like his father and his grandfather before him. Along with pottery our store located outside of Old Town Temecula, California we carry folk art items such as retablos (religious oil paintings on old wood pieces), wrought iron work and rustic furniture pieces from Mexico.

The studios and factories for this centuries old craft are located in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico (in the photo to the left is the cathedral overlooking the jardin).  The products are hand painted in the traditional clay technique in use since the 16th century. Each piece is hand painted by an artist and fired in a kiln at 1050°. Bright colors of cobalt blue, red ochre, sunny yellows and brilliant greens are used on each piece. The colors come alive after the last firing producing a one of a kind piece of art suitable for display. The hand painting and individuality of each piece of earthenware is what sets the product apart from other goods. No two pieces are identical.