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Ernesto and Erik Basilio

Born in 1928, don Ernesto Basilio Vergara and his son, Erik Basilio Solano, have 40 years of artisan tradition. Ernesto began as an apprentice to the Aragón family, who arrived from Germany at the end of the 19th century. A renowned master craftsman, he has perfected his ceramic technique while enriching his life with the study of Mexico's pre-Hispanic cultures. He applies the ancient icons to all of his works. His son Erik, born in 1967, has learned from his father and brings his own talent to this family tradition.

Their work begins with the raw materials, a special kind of clay brought in blocks from the state of Oaxaca. Finely ground, it is blended with other kinds of clay to form an extremely strong medium, resistant to heat and impact. The Basilios shape the pieces in molds and high-fire them at 2,200ºF. Only perfect pieces pass their strict standards of quality control.

The glazes are known as "fire paints," since the final color – green, blue or red – is acquired when the piece is fired. The inner surfaces receive an impermeable glassy glaze. Erik, who holds a degree in chemical engineering, is the expert in glazes. "All our pieces are free of lead and toxins," he affirms.

It is the exterior decoration that distinguishes the Basilio Family's work. Created totally by hand with steel points, today this work falls to Erick, whose hand is steadier. Each piece is totally unique; no two pieces are ever identical. But all carry authentic pre-Hispanic motifs, and the family specialty is Maya art. Slow and laborious, such work require great talent and patience, and each piece requires hours of work. But the extraordinary results are worth the effort.

"We are proud of our work and challenge anyone to find anything like it!" the Basilios say.