The following biographical information is adapted from the International Folk Art Alliance:
José uses clay from the soil of his village of San Antonino del Castillo Velasco, Oaxaca,  to create life-sized sculptures of Zapotec women and mermaids. Known for his large creations, he has won many awards and has been featured in books about master folk artists of Mexico. After problems with his sight for 50 years, he is now nearly blind but continues to work daily. His wife assists in the finishing details of the sculptures. Their workshop in San Antonino includes the ceramic pieces made by family members: Santa Reyna Teresita, José Miguel, Sara Ernestina, Reyna Esther, and son-in-law Jose Luis Reyes Martinez. He has passed his art on his children who work in the family compound alongside him. Students from local schools often come to the workshop for demonstrations and hands-on sessions.

The following is from the Friends of Oaxacan Folk Art:
José creates majestic terracotta figures inspired, he explains, by the beauty of Oaxaca and of his wife. Some examples are mermaids exquisitely decorated with superimposed or carved sun, moon, stars and foliage; and women bearing fish or flowerpots, many dressed in regional costumes. Despite having lost his eyesight, José continues to work with his wife, Teresita Mendoza Reyna Sánchez. Their home studio is filled to the brim with unpainted terra cotta treasures, ranging from small to nearly life-size. His works are primarily decorative, and often may be found gracing private gardens in Oaxaca.