Rodo Padilla, an artist from Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, Mexico. He has dedicated his life to ceramics and craftsmanship, a heritage passed down from his father. After earning his degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Guadalajara, he specialized in ceramic materials and design in Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan. He also took design courses in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Faenza, Italy.

Padilla is a renowned sculptor specializing in high-temperature ceramics, featuring overweight characters he affectionately calls “Los Gorditos.” His work, both playful and expressive, captures the emotions, nature, and feelings of Mexicans and their culture. But beyond that, it taps into the childhood memories, wonder, and capacity for joy in each of us.

“My ‘gorditos’ are the result of using geometric and organic shapes (the sphere, cone, oval, water drop, pear, bean, and others) to represent the daily life of a Mexican, as I perceive it: simple, kind, affectionate, joyful, and hardworking.”

Although it has been trained all over the world, Padilla has always valued the ancestral artisanal techniques of his country and enjoys reflecting the spiritual side of Mexican culture through his creations.

Each of his pieces is made with passion and dedication, crafted and molded using traditional artisanal techniques such as hand-forged molding. The sculptures often blend clays from different regions of Mexico. Different clays are sometimes mixed depending on the shape or sculpture to be created.

Padilla’s creations are widely recognized and awarded. Among his numerous exhibitions and accolades, he has won the top five places at the National Ceramic Prize in Tlaquepaque, the Sculpture Prize at the Art-Expo in New York, and the “De los niños es el reino de los cielos” exhibition at the Cultural Institute Cabañas in 2012.

Padilla is also internationally renowned for his ceramic and bronze sculptures representing children’s fundamental rights, displayed at the “Trompo Mágico” museum in Guadalajara, Jalisco. He currently serves as the President of the National Ceramic Prize. His works have also been exhibited at airports and tourist destinations such as the Riviera Maya. Each of his pieces, shaped with love and care, reflects emotions, attitudes, and characters, capturing the essence of the Mexican people through the art of ceramics.