Luis Calderón

Pottery Taino Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico
Luis Calderón makes traditionally inspired Taino pottery for the modern world. His decorative tabletop pots, lidded jars, and smudge pots for resin incense often feature scratch designs as well as sculpted animal figurines like turtles, frogs, and rabbits. He uses high-fire commercial clay and contemporary glazing techniques for pieces that resemble the work of his ancestors and teachers. Although he learned the coil-building method to make pots, Luis prefers a faster, more affordable option for customers who aren’t looking for fire-safe cookware or a ceremonial object. All pottery is professionally packaged and double-boxed for safe shipping.
Born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents, Luis became active with the Taino community in the late 1980s, and he moved to Puerto Rico in 1996. He has a bachelor’s in secondary education in history from Interamerican University of Puerto Rico in San German, and he spent three years studying Taino pottery with Alice Chevere. He studied contemporary ceramics at Centro Sor Isolina Ferrer and the pottery wheel with Eduardo Martinez. Luis holds an artisan license from Fomento Industrial and received recognition as an artisan and artist representing the island culture from the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña.