Chapter 49

 SEMINARIO CERAMICS URUBAMBA

 I have taken quite a break from writing my closing chapters on Peru. 

In the middle of the summer, my wife had a heart attack and was in hospitals

and rehab for over two months.  She's home now, and has quite a recovery

period ahead.  I have my fingers crossed.

On our way back from Machu Picchu, we are driving along the (flood)plain of the

Urubamba River, and pass through the town of the same name.  It is here that

we make a delightful little detour, not for an archeological site, but to a ceramics factory.

Seminario Ceramics is a compound of buildings, whose front entrance walls have

a few of the creations of Pablo Seminario, who has based a lot of his work on

Pre-Colombian art styles blended into modern decoration.

Seminario's basic working material - the red clay - comes from the

hills above his workshop.

Pablo Seminario in his shop.  He immediately reminded me of a young

Albert Einstein (who was having a bad hair day in this photo.)

They have a collection of Pre-Colombian artifacts which they

use to develop their styles. 

Well-tended animals also inhabit the courtyard, including this parrot

and mother and 3-day-old baby llama.

First layers applied.

Many pieces go outside between steps.

And the final products are in the shop:

In my travels, I have started a collection of faces/heads/masks to

put on the walls of my dental office, and Seminario Ceramics

has added a few more to my walls.

 This place was a treat to visit.

It is now getting dark, and we are headed now back to Cusco.