Jacobo Angeles talks about his work, which is present in the Smithsonian Institute and Chicago's National Museum of Mexican Art. © Alvin Starkman 2008

Jacobo Angeles: A rich wood-carving tradition in Oaxaca, dating to pre-Hispanic times

Jacobo Ángeles’ work is prominently displayed in The Smithsonian, Chicago’s National Museum of Mexican Art, and elsewhere throughout the continent and further abroad, in museums, art colleges and galleries One would be hard-pressed to search the Americas and find creators of folk art with more form, symbolism and importance to the development and sustenance of […]

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Talavera (Santa Catarina Workshop)

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 everywhere, there are gorgeous tiles, dating back hundreds of years and looking as though they were made yesterday. They adorn the facades […]

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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 be of interest to anyone interested in the culture and the sociological changes taking place in Mexico today. The text, written by Barbash, is enhanced by […]

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The New World Mexican Women

The New World Mexican Women of Tecalpulco, Mexico

New World Women is a native women artisan group in Tecalpulco, Guerrero who decided to form a production cooperative. These skilled artisans are the original designers and producers, creating beautiful jewelry. Theirs is a cottage industry with a goal of perpetuating the region’s craft tradition and creating a source of work that can keep their […]

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Porfirio Santiago spins wool into yarn to warp his traditional loom. The master weaver creates stunning Zapotec rugs in his Teeotitlan del Valle workshop in Oaxaca. © William Ing, 2007

Casa Santiago: Zapotec rug weavers of Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca

Porfirio Santiago is at his loom, diligently weaving a massive 2 x 3 meter rug with traditional designs, from memory, with representations of Zapotec diamonds, rainfall, maize and mountains… just as his father Tomás, grandfather Ildefonso and great grandfather before him. Wife Gloria is carding a mix of white and caramel colored raw wool. Behind […]

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the pineapple pottery of Hilario Alejos Madrigal

A family tradition in Michoacan: the pineapple pottery of Hilario Alejos Madrigal

Where others see a mass of shapeless clay, Hilario Alejos Madrigal envisions exquisite forms that are just waiting to be coaxed out. And it is this creativity that has played a key role in the success of this award-winning potter. “It is necessary and very important to have an imagination,” Alejos explains. “A lot of […]

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This handcrafted Frida Kahlo doll wears a the traditional Mexican dress used by folkloric dancers in Jalisco © Alvin Starkman, 2012

Mexico’s Frida Kahlo in Oaxaca Handicrafts

The Mexican state of Oaxaca is renowned for its handicrafts. From black pottery and handloomed Zapotec rugs to silverwork and alebrijes, the collector will find a wealth of beautiful handcrafted work. For some time, the Aguilar sisters of Ocotlan have created colorful terracotta sculptures, including figurines of women in traditional Oaxaca costume. Friduskas are newcomers […]

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Tree of Life Images provided by SECTUR, Michoacán

The artesanias of Michoacan: An introduction

Certainly Sr., fortunately here in Michoacán, we still have handcrafts, our heart and these hands. And with these we can do a little bit of everything…” – Source: “El quehacer de un pueblo” (“The tasks of a town”), Casa de las Artesanías de Michoacán (The Michoacan House of Handcrafts). This article is a guide to the highways and […]

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