Meet the Artisan

Laura Bugarini Cota

Laura was born on March 4th of 1979 in Juan Mata Ortiz, a municipality of Casas Grandes Chihuahua, she was the daughter of Guadalupe Cota and Don Pablo Bugarini. She began making pots when she was only 14 years old, she learn the trade from her mother, her inspiration. Her first’s creations were antique paquimé (prehistoric archaeological site in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua) designs, which she sold for 5 dollars each to the American tourist that visited the place. Her need, her enthusiasm, and the client’s requests inspire her to improve her painting skills and to create unique, original master pieces.

When she realized that all the potters in her area where creating the same designs, she decided to make something different. It was in that moment that inspiration hit her and after one year of many tryouts she obtained a creation that caused admiration, a fine design created by her own hands. She was the first person to accomplish such delicate, fine creation so this particular kind of style is called Bugarini in her honor.

Years went by and Laura kept on improving her creations to the point where it was consider the finest and most detailed pottery creation of Mata Ortiz, as well as one of the best listed. She did not have any professional instruction but her mothers, who taught her the art of traditional pottery making, art that she decided to practice and polish with her own designs. To the date she is still being a forerunner and an inspiration to the artisans of Ortiz Mata. Laura claims that she is really lucky to be involved in the arts sphere and to have the opportunity to innovate with her creations that are a representation and display of the Mexican art in the world.

Her thrive has been awarded several times, one of them with the National Ceramic Award 2013 given by the President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto, which is one of the highest recognitions that a ceramist can receive.

Laura is one of the few woman that have been awarded with such prize in the history of Chihuahua. Also she was nominated for the National Prize of Science and Art that same year by the Instituto Chihuahuense de la Cultura in the area of traditional popular arts. In 2015 Laura was the only woman from Chihuahua that was awarded with the Great National Prize of Popular Art, given in Mexico City, also one of the greatest recognitions to popular art artisans in our country.

In 2015 Laura was awarded in the hall of fame of the north of the state of Chihuahua. Being the first ceramist woman from Ortiz Mata that became immortalized in the hall of fame. Laura has displayed her creations more than 50 times in diverse events, not only in national events but international as well, where she has represented with honor the Mexican traditional art in international scenarios.

Exhibits 

  • West Southwest Gallery, 257 Fillmore street Denver, Co, 80206.
  • AMOCA Museum, 150 East Street, Pomona California 91766.
  • Las Cruces Art Fair, University Ave, Las Cruces NM 88011.
  • WPCA, Walker’s Point Center for the Arts, 911 West National Avenue, Milwaukee, WI, 53204.
  • World Bazar and Latin American Festival, 4133 Taylor St., San Diego California 92110.
  • Museo de Las Culturas Populares (Museum of Popular Cultures), Hidalgo 289 Col del Carmen, Coyoacán, Mexico City.
  • Chimayo Trading del Norte, 1st Rancho de Taos NM.
  • Chamizal National Memorial, El Paso TX.
  • Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N Alvernon Way, Tucson Az. 85712.
  • Studio 54 Art Gallery, 1201 St Francis Drive, Tula Rosa Nm, 88352.
  • Southern Exposure Old Mistick Village, Mistick CT, 06355.
  • SAGA arts of the Americas, 119 Washington Street, Norwalk CT, 06854. Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson AZ.
  • Western national Park, Tucson AZ.
  • Arte Spacio in Tucson AZ.
  • Living Desert Zoo and Garden state park Carlsbad New Mexico.
  • Folk Art Museum Santa Fe New Mexico.
  • Museum of Berkley California.
  • Museum of Man San Diego California.
  • Les Ceramistes Du Village De Mata Ortiz in France.
  • Among other private displays.

 

Books where she is mention

  • The artistry and History of Mata Ortiz, author john Bezy and Stuart Scott.
  • Mata Ortiz The Arts Of Survival - the survival of arts, author Ana Livingston Paddock.
  • Mata Ortiz Pottery Art and Life, author Ron Goebel.
  • The Potters of Mata Ortiz, author Bill Gilbert.
  • Cerámica de Mata Ortiz Artes de México (Ceramic of Mata Ortiz Arts of Mexico).
  • La Nueva Cerámica de Paquime (The New Ceramic of Paquime), autor Julián Alejandro Hernández Chávez. 
  • The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz. Autor Walter parks.
  • The Miracle of Mata Ortiz, author Walter Parks, Editions 1 and 2.
  • Among several articles in diverse art magazines.

 

Prizes

  • 2nd place in the category of miniatures in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz 2006.
  • 1st place in the category of white Polychromes in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz 2007.
  • Excellence Award in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz 2008.
  • 1st place in the category of white Polychromes in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz 2009.
  • 1st place in the category of miniatures in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz 2009.
  • 1st place in the category of miniatures in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz 2011.
  • 3rd place in the category of miniatures in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz.
  • 1st place in the category of sgraffito in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz 2007
  • Award Prize in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz 2012.
  • Excellence Award in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz 2013.
  • 1st place in the National Ceramic Contest of Tlaquepaque Jalisco, 2013.
  • 1st place in the category of white Polychromes in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz 2014.
  • 1st place in the category of sgraffito in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz 2015.
  • 1st place in the Great National Popular Art Award in Mexico City, 2015.
  • Award Mujer Chihuahuense (Woman of Chihuahua), 2016 in the Arts category.
  • Award Prize in the Ceramic Contest of Mata Ortiz, 2016.

Laura Bugarini Cota collection

Updates & Exclusive Offers

Sign up for our mailing list to stay in the know, and enjoy 10% off your first order!