PALO SANTO YUU Vessel — Hand-Fired Oaxacan Clay

Primitive form and elemental craftsmanship come together in the PALO SANTO YUU Vessel, a sculptural object shaped by hand, fire, and the natural character of Oaxacan clay. With its beautifully restrained silhouette and richly varied surface, the YUU feels less like conventional pottery and more like a collected artifact—an especially striking addition to The Designer’s Courtyard.

Each vessel is formed entirely by hand by women artisans in Oaxaca using ancestral ceramic techniques passed down through generations. No molds are used; every YUU is shaped individually, allowing the subtle gestures and irregularities of the handmade process to remain visible.

After forming, the vessel is fired using a traditional open-flame technique. Smoke and heat interact unpredictably with the natural clay, producing nuanced tonal shifts, firing marks, and variations in texture that give each piece its distinctive patina. These characteristics are not imperfections but signatures of the process, ensuring that no two vessels are exactly alike.

Available in two heights, the YUU is compelling displayed alone as a sculptural object or arranged as a pair for greater architectural presence. Style it on a limestone pedestal, aged wood console, or courtyard table, either left empty to emphasize its silhouette or filled sparingly with sculptural branches.

Details

• Handcrafted in Oaxaca, Mexico

• Made individually by women artisans

• Formed entirely by hand without molds

• Created using ancestral Oaxacan ceramic techniques

• Traditionally open-flame fired

• 100% natural Oaxacan clay

• Available in two sizes

• Each vessel is one of a kind

• Natural variations in coloration, firing marks, texture, form, and dimensions are inherent to the handmade process

Dimensions

• Chico: 8" diameter × 8" H

• Grande: 8" diameter × 12" H

About PALO SANTO

PALO SANTO is a women-led, binational design studio rooted in Arizona and Mexico. Its collections honor ancestral techniques, natural materials, and the artisans who preserve them, creating objects that carry the story of their making from the artisan’s hands into the home.