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Ismael Diaz

"Hello, I am Ismael Diaz. I was born in Mexico City and when I was very young we came to live in Tonala. I began to work with a man who made serving dishes, and there I emptied the kaolin for the sets. From there I went to work in a ceramic dish factory where they taught me to mold and paint. When I got married, I began to work ceramics with my wife on the ranch. In my family, we are all dedicated to handicrafts; my father worked with clay and he taught me much more than I learned in the jobs that I had.

"First I collect the clay nearby and I begin to knead it. I place it in molds that I made from plaster and allow it to dry for two or three days. At that point I fire the piece and later paint it, executing an oxidized finish with paints for cement and several earthen baths to achieve that rugged finish. We need about one week to finish a lot of thirty masks.

"I put a lot of effort into my work and I enjoy doing the best that I can do. My commitment is to improve constantly and Novica can help me with the distribution of my work without having to forsake quality."