COMMUNITY PROJECT

Porfirio Mora is a master potter with over 40 years of practice in Mata Ortiz pottery, an internationally recognized artisanal style of clay pots and vessels made and decorated entirely by hand that honor the tradition of Casas Grandes / Paquimé. Through his partnership with Regeneración (Rege) – a grassroots collective on Tucson’s southside dedicated to community power, cultural organizing, and environmental justice – Porfirio will lead a series of hands-on workshops focused on teaching the complete process of Mata Ortiz pottery. Together with Rege members and community participants, Porfirio will guide participants through gathering and preparing clay, shaping and decorating vessels, and firing them using traditional methods. Rooted in Rege’s ongoing environmental justice work, the idea to create and gift self-watering ollas emerged as a natural extension of the group’s shared values – linking traditional pottery practices to sustainable water use and food security in the barrio. This collaboration honors a living art form while connecting it to the environmental and food security priorities of Tucson’s southside. It will serve as a bridge for intergenerational and intercultural learning to preserve traditional knowledge while inspiring new practitioners to carry this practice forward.