Old Town Temecula is a wonderful place to browse, relax and discover.  Each time I visit I find new treasures and during a recent trip, as I exited the European Cafe on Front Street, a burst of color caught my eye. As I peered in the window of a new shop, ArtesLira, brightly painted ceramic pottery and dishes beckoned to me. Gaily displayed on the shelves and walls are colorful plates, pots, sun faces, roosters, frogs, sinks, and water pitchers. The stacks of plates and platters show the unevenness of individually created pieces of art. Each piece is a unique creation, hand made by the artisans in Dolores Hidalgo Guanajuanto, Mexico, northeast of Mexico City. Thier story is fascinating and in stark contrast to our fast paced world of high techology and mass production.

The pieces in ArtesLira are called Talavera, made form the local clay in Dolores Hidalgo. Its origin is in Talavera de la Reina, Spain and was brought to the new world by the Spaniards when they conquered Mexico. The clay in Dolores Hidalgo made this a perfect place to pass down the skills and begin production of Talavera. Today there are over 1,000 studios and factories located in Dolores Hidalgo, a city of only 150,000. 1,000 little shops, each creating their own unique pottery from the clay to the kiln.

They have no technology and the only tool is the potter's wheel. Their techniques and skills have been passed down from generation to generation. Each piece reflects a story and you can see the influence of the Spanish, Moorish, Italian, Chinese and Mexican in their design.

According to Dolores Esparza. owner of ArtesLira, her uncle Juan Lira is the inspiration for the family business. He has been making Talavera pottery all of his life, like his father and grandfather before him. "In our family, my uncle is the last in the line of Lira's to be creating Talavera. I keep hoping that one of my children will decide to continue the tradition. I have painted some pieces during my trips to Dolores Hidalgo, but my skill is not painting. My quest is to share this beautiful art with people here in Temecula." explained Esparza.

When Dolores Esparza goes on a buying trip to her uncle's shop, the word gets around in Dolores Hidalgo. Other artisans call to request appointments to show their products to her. Currently over 20 artists are featured in the store. Each trip yields new designs an styles. "I can see the influence of some of the younger painters in the pottery designs with the introduction of the tulip and lily designs that have become popular", continued Esparza.

People come from all over Mexico to purchase Talavera products. But, how does the simple village market its' wares? There are no websites, no flyers and according to Dolores Esparza, there is only one factory that even prints a price sheet. All marketing is done by word of mouth. Juan Lira's shop can produce about 1,000 pieces in 6 months if the weather cooperates and it doesn't rain. Rain and moisture prevent the clay from drying properly and so production is slowed or stopped during rainy seasons.

I have traveled to Mexico many times and have enjoyed the brightly painted ceramic pottery that can be seen everywhere. The experience will certainly be richer with a little knowledge and understanding of people and the production of the pieces. No computers, no board rooms, no marketing plans, no machinery gets in the way of their creativity. Each person creates his/her individual piece every day and we can enjoy it right here in our town. When you have a moment stop in to ArtesLira at 28410 Front Street, Ste. 109 in Temecula. I am sure the stop will be a bright spot in your day.

By Diane Simones