The New World Mexican Women of Tecalpulco, Mexico
Chapala's Feria Maestros del Arte: guardians of the folk art tradition
"Art is a country's history and, before Mexicans could read or write, they were telling stories through their art. If this art disappears, so does history."
read more
Looms, weavers and the sacred snail on Mexico's Costa Chica
"Don Luis, aquí. Aquí, Don Luis," yelled a group of white-shirted men.
They were calling for passengers in the camionera central in Pinotepa Nacional near the border of Oaxaca and Guerrero. We had d...
read more
Reynaldo in Mexico has handwoven Oaxaca rugs and more rugs
Women potters of San Marcos Tlapazola, Oaxaca
Every Sunday Gloria awakens at 3:00 a.m., and begins preparing tejate, a frothy, tasty corn and cacao based drink, which she will offer for sale in the Tlacolula market. A couple of hours later, her si...
read more
David Santos Alonso: ceramic art in the Mexico town of Cocucho
David Santos Alonso massaged the clay flower pot as stinging smoke skulked from the wooden cooking area. Inside the kitchen, his wife Maria Lydia prepared tortillas on a comal over a brick fogon next t...
read more
Mexico's Mezcal Monkey: collectible ceramic folk art from Oaxaca
The traditional Mezcal Monkey was used to hold, display and/or gift mezcal. The clay bottle is just that, usually with a stopper made of cork, or a small piece of corn cob. read more
Antonia Cruz Rafael: the ceramics of Ocumicho, Michoacan
They crept and crawled, oozed and slithered from the clay, prickly spiders and sneaky snakes and pesky lizards darting from the dark wet dough, turtles swimming to its surface, bug-eyed devils rising from the mud, all brought to life by the magic touch of Antonia Cruz Rafael. Ocumicho is part of a cluster of villages in western Michoacan known for its clay crafts.
read more
A Michoacan tradition: the needlework artistry of Hermelinda Reyes
Her bold hands coax the thread through white cotton, relinquishing a fragment of the kaleidoscopic hues within her soul to cavort freely across the snowy landscape. The joints of her fingers moving wit...
read more
Arte plumaria: the feather art of Martha Lopez Luna
The 52-year-old artisan and married mother of three sons only began working in arte plumaria in 1999, but she has already earned an impressive reputation for herself. A book featuring her work titled Mi Collar, Mi Pequeña Pluma (My Necklace, My Little Feather) contains photos of her images endowed with a calamitous beauty . . .
read more
Building a foundation to live in Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca
Our world in Teotitlan operates on the trust of a handshake and commitment to personal agreement. We operate on the premise that it will all work out by the strength of our relationships.
read more
Changing Dreams: A Generation of Oaxaca's Woodcarvers
You can't isolate yourself. Modernity arrives and replaces what you have.
>Changing Dreams by Vicki Ragan and Shepard Barbash is a thoughtfully written and provocative book - one which should...
read more
Did You Know? Most "bark paper" comes from wild fig trees
Besides being used as a kind of rough paper for records and correspondence, amate was also cut into human or animal forms as part of witchcraft rituals after which it would be buried in front of the pe...
read more
Exvotos: Folk art and expressions of faith in Mexico
In Mexico, an exvoto is most commonly a personal thank you note to God.
read more
A Chapala treasure: ceramic artisan Javier Degollado, creator of pre-Columbian reproductions
Feria Maestros del Arte has been called a "heart" show and not just another "art" show because the artists pay nothing to attend — no booth fee, no percentage of sales. We find local familie...
read more
Artesanía - Behind the Scenes in San Miguel de Allende & Guanajuato
Admit it. Next to simmering on the beach or sunning poolside slathered in oil, you visit Mexico to shop. In fact, if you’re a real shopper you bypass beach resorts altogether. On at least one trip ea...
read more
Martin Ibarra Morales - renowned ceramicist and master of detail
I spent a long time studying the eyes of the Olmecs, the lips, noses and facial expressions of the Toltecs and those from Colima. It was the work of all who went before me that enabled me to do what I ...
read more
Casa Santiago: Zapotec rug weavers of Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca
Porfirio Santiago weaving a Zapotec rug in Oaxaca, Mexico Copyright 2007-03-01
Porfirio Santiago is at his loom, diligently weaving a massive 2 x 3 meter rug with traditional designs, f...
read more
Michoacan's master craftspeople and their arts
Abdon Punzo Angel's thick hands tapped minute details into the menacing snout of the copper dragon that sat immobilized in a vise, its body seeming to squirm. Beside him, another shiny dragon writhed f...
read more
Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo - Universal artist from Colima
In the half-light I enter the ‘horno’ or oven room. A base of reds frames the pre-Hispanic pieces in the Museum of Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo. It is easy to imagine the fiery origin of the land ...
read more
Discover the magic of papelmalecho in Tapalpa
"Mexico has colorful folk art traditions," says the diminutive woman in white, pointing to a series of papier mache creations. "Ours are always amiable or nice, like a pleasant dream." Patricia ...
read more
Is it sane to build a pottery studio in Mexico?
A potter's story: an answer for all those who asked
A friend asked me, "Is it sane to build a pottery studio in Mexico?"
I could hardly answer. I didn't even know if was sane to move to Mexico. I see...
read more
Creations In Silver - By Dona Eva Martinez
The designs of Doña Eva Martinez are mostly 18th and 19th century with some pre-hispanic symbolism, predominantly earrings. They are of pure silver and treated to give an antique finish. The designs a...
read more
Talavera - Mexico's earthly legacy from the City Of Angels
There is no more glorious an experience or heightening of the senses than to walk through Puebla's exquisitely beautiful downtown on a sun drenched afternoon. Every building is a work of art. And every...
read more