Ana Figueroa Mata

Bio

Ana Figueroa Mata began studying Visual Arts but ultimately decided to complete her studies in Gastronomy, where she discovered one of her greatest passions: Breadmaking. Eventually, she found her way to ceramics—a discipline in which, for the past seven years, she has encountered the convergence of these two life paths: art and creativity, alongside process, manual labor, and perseverance. In the world of clay, she discovered the sum of everything that gives meaning and passion to creating with her hands.

She has participated in the 44th edition of the National Ceramics Award in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, Mexico; the 11th Biennial of Contemporary Functional Ceramics in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico; and six national exhibitions.

Her training has focused on the continuous exploration of processes, materials, techniques, and tools related to ceramic practice, with an emphasis on creative development and the effective execution of work. She has experience in clay body preparation as well as in glaze research and formulation. She specializes in wheel-throwing and is well-versed in handbuilding methods such as coiling, pinching, slab-building, and modeling. She also possesses strong knowledge in glazing, oxide application, and ceramic pigments. Over the past five years, she has deepened her craft as a potter, developing and refining methodologies that strengthen both her creative practice and her work in teaching ceramics.

In her practice, utilitarian ceramics become a medium for exploring direct contact with the material and its use as an aesthetic experience. With a background in gastronomy, she has developed a deep interest in linking the act of eating with that of containing—understanding both as languages in dialogue, transforming the act of eating into a more conscious and present moment. This intimate relationship between clay and food has led her to question conventional and pre-established forms of what an object should be, opening space to explore designs that respond to different rhythms.

Exhibitions