Carlomagno Pedro Martinez learned from his mother, an artisan and from his father, a sculptor, that with clay one can express ideas, dreams and wishes. From a child, his parents taught him the two ways with which one feeds the body and soul: working in the fields and working with clay.

The region of Coyotepec in the state of Oaxaca is world famous for its black clay. The black clay comes from an area close to the town, which contains special mineral properties that when played at high temperatures it acquires a completely black colour and a crystalline sound characteristic of this ceramic. Carlomagno has been working for 18 years with this clay. From childhood, he started to elaborate figures of Aztec warriors and clowns, images that he saw drawn in his school books. But his father encouraged him to make different things, and later on, when he came in touch with the carnivals of his town, he defined the way for his pieces.

Carlomagno is very proud of the forms and techniques of his work that have become famous in the region: the burnish and burning of the black and shinny pieces. From his early years he dedicated himself to give classes of moulding to the children of Coyotepec. He formed a large group in which each learned to draw and mould the clay as well as to use the wheel.

The pieces of Carlomagno are considered by the experts to be authentic objects of art with traditional roots and his creative evolution has made him standout among the more than 5,000 artisans in the region.