The Clay Studio : Shop

My work is about Mexican labor and the struggle, hope, and heritage of Mexican immigrants. With the current political administration enforcing policies that dehumanize and force immigrants into the shadows, recognizing an immigrant’s humanity is vital. As the son of immigrant parents, I hope to pay homage to my people and the dignity of their labor. I mix 2-dimensional imagery, influenced by personal narratives, with 3-dimensional functional forms. I paint images with black underglaze, a small brush, and a pointillism technique. I chose pointillism on functional vessels because the process is time-consuming and labor intensive. My wrists and neck hurt after thousands of dots placed with care and accuracy to produce an image. The process becomes an act of devotion. I cannot think of a better way to show my respect and admiration for my people and their will to survive than with labor of love and time invested. After the imagery is painted on bisque-ware, I bisque again to set the image and avoid smearing the underglaze. I protect the images with liquid latex and airbrush a clear glaze on the rest of the piece. I make the work permanent and functional by firing to cone 6 in an electric kiln.

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Juan Barroso

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Juan Barroso

Did you Know?

Can We Help?

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