Saúl Valero

Miniature maker

Andres_Martinez©Michelangelo_Foundation

Hands made for detail

Saúl started modelling animals and peasant people at a very young age
His work has reached international recognition
Bullrings recreating typical Colombian peasant scenes are his speciality

Saúl Valero has been a master ceramicist of Ráquira for more than 30 years, he is recognised worldwide for his decorative bullring creations. Saúl started working with clay at a very young age, inspired by the animals and landscapes of Ráquira. He believes that his workshop has evolved thanks to his taste for creativity and his constant search for innovation in materials and techniques. The first objects he made in clay were representations of cows, chickens, bulls, donkeys, and traditional Colombian peasant people. It takes approximately three months for Saúl to create a 50 x 25 cm piece. In a bullring with these dimensions, there are approximately 180 unique characters that once dry, Saúl paints with great detail, heart, and colour.

Interview

Andres_Martinez©Michelangelo_Foundation

Andres_Martinez©Michelangelo_Foundation

When and how did you start practising your craft?: I had a big love for nature, especially for cattle, and I loved observing them when I was little. When I was 14, I participated in a city hall contest, where I presented my ceramic work, a bull in its corral, and I won first place. This was when I started working on representing typical scenes.
Did you learn from a master?: I learned the craft from my parents, who were potters. They taught us in the Boyerías farm, in the town of Ráquira, municipality of Boyacá. They collected the raw material and showed us how to model it and make figures. Pottery has persisted from generation to generation. I worked in this workshop until I got married, and then we started our own workshop.
What was the first object you made?: I first learned the modelling of pots, but what I saw in the countryside such as oxes, donkeys, bulls, and cows are what sparked my interest. It was not until I was 11 years old that I started creating these traditional peasant scenes.
Was there a memorable moment in your professional life?: In 2016 I took part in the International Folk Art Market, in Santa Fe, in the United States. This was such a proud moment for me because I was able to represent my country and my region. Also, I received two Craft Mastery Medals from Artesanías de Colombia, in the “Master of Masters” and “Traditional” categories.

Saúl Valero is a master artisan: he began his career in 1977 and he started teaching in 2011