UNE RECETTE POUR FABRIQUER DE L'ARGILE
|Marine LE ROY
Visiting Gloria and her family was a delight. Watching them work, you realize that making clay is almost like cooking — a recipe passed down through generations. They combine two clays: a deep red one and a grey one they call “harina.” The red clay is cleaned, kneaded, and left to rest for about fifteen days until it reaches the perfect consistency.
When blended with the grey clay, it transforms into a natural, balanced paste. Gloria knows exactly how to get it right — the perfect mix that keeps every plate from cracking in the fire.
It’s a family affair, with everyone playing a part. Gloria mixes the clay and shapes each piece with care. Her two daughters help with drying and painting, while her husband gathers agave leaves for the firing and crushes stone to make the “harina” that completes Gloria’s perfect recipe.
There’s something deeply grounding about watching them — the way every step depends on the materials at hand, on patience, on an inherited knowledge of touch and timing. It’s a reminder that objects can still come from what’s available around us, made without chemicals or excess, sustained only by care and experience.
