El Carmen de Viboral's iconic decorative ceramics earned their designation of origin in 2012 and were declared Intangible Heritage in 2020, after enduring a period of economic and political unrest in Antioquia province during the 1990s. Ceramicas El Dorado are true survivors of that period. Pedro Bello, a father of seven, arrived in El Carmen de Viboral seeking training as a potter and became one of the town’s most noted and pioneering masters. Upon retiring from teaching ceramics at the province’s Industrial Technical Institution, he started his own business in his backyard in 1966. His wife and children became key collaborators, crucial in maintaining the town's only active kiln open during the crisis.
Pedro's workshop saw a revival in the early 2000s under the guidance of Gladys, Fanny, and Oscar, second-generation ceramicists. The brightly coloured botanical decorations produced with over-glazing techniques once again attracted tourists and buyers. The Bellos understood the value of tourism for their business and established an experiential workshop, equally vital in their dinnerware and crockery portfolio.
Ceramicas El Dorado
