Hernesto Pila, a master artisan from El Rosario, Tonalá, specializes in the ancient pottery technique of Barro Canelo. He belongs to the fourth generation of an artistic family tradition, which he inherited at the age of 8.
Hernesto has collaborated with various master artisans in the techniques of petatillo pottery, burnished clay, and black clay, as well as in creating ceramic glazes for high and low temperatures.
He studied Craft Design at the University Center of Tonalá and received scholarships from the National School of Ceramics for courses in low-temperature lead-free glazes and the construction of smokeless wood-fired kilns, taught by Japanese masters Masakazu Kusakabe and Yusuke Suzuki. He has also participated in creating murals with iconography from Tonalá.
In 2018, he co-founded the collective “Punto de Barro” with his family, as part of the support provided by Fundación Causa Azul A.C. Combining tradition with innovation, they have successfully exported their pieces outside Mexico and continue to promote the value of Mexican handicrafts.
Artisanal Techniques
