Morales Family

Hand Formed Ceramic Birds from Guatemala

Morales Family

Passed down through generations, the Morales Family has been making ceramic birds for decades out of their home. With nothing more than a few nature magazines and Audubon books. They are hand formed and pit fired. The fired bird is then dipped in a slip of paster-of-paris to smooth out the form’s surface and then carefully hand painted. The final step includes dipping in a wax to coat the bird and protect the painted surface. The bird has wire legs that may be adjusted and allows the bird to stand secure.

Passed down through generations, the Morales Family has been making ceramic birds for decades out of their home. With nothing more than a few nature magazines and Audubon books, they are able to recreate and give life to birds that they have not even seen before. The birds are first formed fully by hand out of locally dug earthenware clay.

“I generally like to add movement to the birds, I don’t like to leave them facing forward - they feel like they are not alive”.

Once they are done, they are then fired in their courtyard in a simple “pit” firing.

They then apply a thin coat of plaster to smooth and seal the surface and give each bird metal wire legs that may be adjusted and allow the birds to stand securely. Using the Audubon Bird Book they hand paint the birds with beautiful detail. The final step includes dipping in a wax to coat the bird and protect the painted surface,

“As it’s made by hand, each piece is unique, you will not see a repeat. I might make 10 pieces, but each has its own personality”.

Each piece is signed by the Morales family of artists. The Moraleses developed this technique on their own. Everyone in the family helps in this cottage industry. We are very happy to be representing their beautiful work.