Aquilino the potter

The Canary Islands have a rich tradition in pottery, which dates back to the times of the guanches, the original inhabitants of the islands.

Today, a local man has dedicated most of his life to keeping the tradition alive in his workshop in Haría.

His name is Aquilino, he’s full of life, a bit crazy (all the best are) and his enthusiasm and passion for pottery, which he first felt at the young age of 7, is contagious.

He specialises in an ancient Canarian technique dating back 3.000 years. This complicated process consists of melding together the volcanic soils and sands of Lanzarote completely by hand, which then spends days blazing in a fire with temperatures reaching unto 800° C!

His workshop is opposite the municipal market and he can be found here a lot of the time working away in the workshop, perfecting a piece of pottery or watching over the fire.

He acts as a proud spokesman of his craft because there ¡s little to no funding or information provided by the Canarian Government.

He was recently honoured for his more than 30 years of experience as a potter at the 27th Artisan Fair of Lanzarote. It’s a testament to the hidden but amazing talent the island is capable of producing, which it does quite often with blazing passion.