Artist Statement
I think I am very lucky to do what I like and to be involved in the art world.
My style is different to the traditional Mata Ortiz pottery; I usually work on etched designs, drawing stories of our region and its creatures. I feel that when I paint, I give a life and a story to the pot.
All of my pots are made of white clay and the colors I use are the traditional black and red with small details of yellows or greens.
Also, I often work on collaborations with my wife, basically on combinations of her tiny details and my etchings. It really motivates me to keep innovating and improving when a person likes my work.
Biography
Hector Gallegos Martinez was born on November the 5th in 1981 in Chihuahua City, México. His parents, Hector Gallegos and Graciela Martinez, are both excellent potters recognized for the amazing quality of their work, which is often collaborative. They taught Hector Jr. the art of pottery in which he has been working for 16 years full time.
Early on, Hector moved away from his parent’s geometrical style of painting and started to work on etched designs. Particularly he decorates using animals finely detailed.
Hector has been recognized at several of the annual pottery competitions in Mata Ortiz with different awards for his own and collaborative work with his wife, Laura Bugarini. Three years ago they were given the Excellence Award at such competition.
His work has been displayed in different places like the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles California, The Museum Of Man in San Diego California, the National Museum of Folk Art in Mexico City and some of the USA National Parks in Tucson Arizona and San Antonio Texas.
Hector has been represented by modern art galleries like Andrea Fisher Gallery in Santa Fe New Mexico, Southern Exposure Mistick and SAGA Art of the Americas in Connecticut.
Quite a mention deserves the fact that Hector is also an excellent athlete, having competed at different sports since he was in middle school and highlighting that he has been Chihuahua state champion for bodybuilding in his category for three years.
Premios
Tercer lugar en la categoria de esgrafiados en el concurso de ceramica de Mata Ortiz 2017.
Tercer lugar en la categoría de nuevos diseños en el Vl concurso de cerámica de Mata Ortiz 2002.
Tercer Lugar en la categoría de nuevos diseños en el X concurso de cerámica de Mata Ortiz 2006.
Tercer lugar en la categoría ollas de color en el XII concurso de cerámica de Mata Ortiz 2008 .
Primer lugar en la categoría ollas miniaturas en el XIII concurso de cerámica de Mata Ortiz 2009.
Primer lugar en la categoría ollas esgrafiadas en el xlv concurso de cerámica de Mata Ortiz 2011.
Galardón en el XVI concurso de cerámica de Mata Ortiz 2013.
Primer lugar en la categoría de esgrafiado en el XVII concurso de ceramica de Mata Ortiz 2014.
Segundo lugar en el Foro Nacional de Grandes Maestros y Maestras de el Arte popular en Oaxaca México 2014.
Primer lugar en esgrafiadas en el concurso de ceramica de Mata Ortiz, 2015.
Premio a la exelencia en el concurso de ceramica de Mata Ortiz, 2016.