PORVORIM: Moulding works of terracotta art always came
naturally to John Paul Valles, better known as Mr Potter, in his lush corner of
Succoro village. John’s expertise with clay was passed down to him as a child,
by his mother Maria Teresa, an artist who is now in her 80’s but still crafts magic
with her frail fingers.
A visit to the studio and shop which the Valles family runs
from their backyard reveals the sheer range of the quiet John Paul’s
talent—from stacks of mundane cooking utensils, pots and pans to exquisitely
detailed birds and animals, cut-work lamps and show pieces, and carefully
crafted miniatures, Mr Potter’s terracotta collection spans thousands of
pieces, both functional and ornamental.
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While the family’s bread and butter come predominantly from
orders for commercial tandoors, John is also sought after for his skill in
crafting earthen pots known as bhann and launni, that are essential to the
traditional feni distillation process. Very few potters today are trained to
make these perfectly balanced vessels, acknowledges John, who also crafts
earthen percussion instruments, notably the ghumot, and proudly displays an
age-old specimen, complete with its original monitor lizard membrane, in his
studio.
While the artist himself is a man of few words, his wife
Bernadine is the driving force behind the enterprise, efficiently dealing with
shoppers while graciously answering questions from curious visitors. “We also
take our earthenware to virtually every feast fair and festive market across
Goa, where we thrive. The rainy season is slower, offering time to rest and replenish
our stocks,” explains Bernadine.
Mr Potter’s studio is incredibly self-sustained — the clay
is directly sourced from the Valles family fields, which also provide an
abundance of dry coconut husks and shells to fuel the beautiful – if primitive
– hand built kiln, an heirloom that has been in the family for three generations
now.
Going forward, John and Bernadine aren’t sure if their daughters
would carry on their terracotta legacy. “While both my girls are artistically
inclined, and have helped us a lot over the years, it is their prerogative to
pave their own paths in life. We’ll now have to wait and watch if our kiln
keeps burning into the next generation,” says Bernadine with a cheerful smile.
