Colors of Mexican Talavera in Tucson

Ever since I moved to Tucson, I've been wanting to get some colorful Mexican Talavera pots for my courtyard. Imagine my excitement when I googled "talavera tucson" and found a huge selection of the pots just a few minutes down the road from me at The Happy Saguaro!

And not just pots, but

BUNNIES

and kitchenware

and even sinks!

Plus it has a big selection of textiles, including bright embroidered table runners, pillows and clothing.

Here's a Wikipedia description of the pottery:

Talavera pottery is a Mexican and Spanish pottery tradition from Talavera de la Reina, in Spain. The Mexican pottery is a type of majolica or tin-glazed earthenware, with a white base glaze typical of the type. It comes from the town of San Pablo del Monte (in Tlaxcala) and the cities of Puebla, Atlixco, Cholula, and Tecali (these four latter in the state of Puebla), because of the quality of the natural clay found there and the tradition of production which goes back to the 16th century. Much of this pottery was decorated only in blue, but colors such as yellow, black, green, orange, and mauve have also been used.

Here's a closeup of one of the pieces at The Happy Saguaro. The paint is raised, creating a nice, rich textured feel.

On my walk today, I snapped this picture of a Mexican Bird of Paradise, which picks up the vibrant colors of so many of the Talavera pieces. I also want to get one of these for my yard.

So, you ask, what did I buy? Nothing -- yet. I was so overwhelmed by the selection and the heat (much of it is outside, where it was 99 degrees and rapidly rising) that I just wandered and took pictures. But the prices are very reasonable, so once I decide what size pots I want I'll go back. And I can easily see myself getting sucked into some kitchenware and maybe an embroidered blouse, and then gifts for family and friends ...

Have a colorful day