Mexican

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Mexican
ART
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This is the Aztec Calendar, perhaps the most
famous symbol of Mexico, besides its flag. It is
a work of art and has inspired other art forms.
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The original object is a 12', massive stone slab,
carved in the middle of the 15th century. It
weighs almost 25 tons, has a diameter of just
under 12 feet, and a thickness of 3 feet. It
was during the reign of the 6th Aztec monarch in
1479 that this stone was carved and dedicated to
the principal Aztec deity the sun. On December
17th, 1760 the stone was discovered, buried in
the "Zocalo" (the main square) of Mexico City.
Afterwards it was embedded in the wall of the
Western tower of the metropolitan Cathedral,
where it remained until 1885. At that time it was
transferred to the national Museum of Archaeology
and History.
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BARK PAINTINGS
- AMATE BARK -
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Beautiful, brilliant, "Amate Bark" paintings from
Guerrero, Mexico.
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How Amate paper is made The Amate bark is
boiled in a water and lime juice solution in huge
caldrons for several hours. When the bark becomes
soft, the solution is drained and the bark
rinsed.
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The fiber is laid out in strips forming a mesh on
flat surfaces, then beaten with a stone, and
dried in the sun.
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The Otomi Indians and other local indigenous
people use the Amate paper in various rituals to
obtain a good harvest or to drive away evil
spirits.
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YARN PAINTING
Yarn painting is done by the Huichol Indians in
the region north of Puerto Vallarta. The yarn
design is pressed into wax.
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OAXACAN WOOD CARVINGS Each figure is carved by
hand from the wood of the copal tree.
Afterwards, the figures are painted with
brilliant acrylic colors.
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The end result is a one-of-a-kind work of art.
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This talent is now being passed down to the third
generation of Oaxacan carvers, many of whom still
believe their figures will bring good luck to the
potential owner.
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HUICHOL BEAD ART
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The rugged mountains and remote villages of the
Sierra de Nayarit north of Guadalajara are the
homeland of roughly ten to fourteen thousand
Huichol Indians. These were among the last tribes
to come under Spanish rule.
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The Huichols express these feelings through their
art, which is made not from the standpoint of
decoration, but to give profound expression to
deep spiritual beliefs. This makes traditional
Huichol art, whether it be meticulous beadwork,
yarn paintings, wooden masks, or striking
embroidered and woven personal adornments.
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DAY OF THE DEAD (El Dia de los Muertes)
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Day of the Dead

• Mexican tradition displaying handmade skeleton
  figures and shadowbox scenes.
• In early November, the people of Mexico gather
  in cemeteries to honor dearly departed loved ones
  and to celebrate the continuity of life.

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Mata Ortiz POTTERY
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In the region of what is now the vast desert of
Northern Chihuahua there once existed a great
cultural and trading center known as Casas
Grandes. This thriving indigenous society seemed
to one day vanish without a trace, leaving behind
nothing more than deteriorating artifacts and
frustrating clues for scientists.
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This was true until the early 1970's, when a
young man named Juan Quezada resurrected the
age-old ceramic traditions of the desert region
by developing an innovative pot-making process
known as the single coil method. Miraculously,
his only guides were ancient pottery shards found
about the tiny village of Mata Ortiz, located
just outside the original Casas Grandes ruins.
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Even more remarkable, each delicate piece is
formed without the use of a potter's wheel or
other mechanical assistance, yet the finished
pots and their intricate geometric designs are
often perfectly symmetrical.
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Metal ART Hand crafted in San Miguel de Allende
and other regions in Mexico, tin sculptures are a
very traditional item in old Mexico.
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Choose from a variety of styles including silver
Milagros. Milagro means miracle in Spanish.
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People carry small Milagros for protection, good
luck, or good health. For example, a heart could
represent a heart condition that the Milagro
carrier has been praying about, or it could
represent a romance.
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Tin Milagro charms are applied to woodblock
crosses as cure-alls for everything from broken
hearts to sick cows. Shown 6"x12" 142
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MEXICAN FURNITURE Each piece of furniture is
one-of-a-kind, unique and hand-crafted by
artisans in San Miguel, Mexico.
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Papier Mache SCULPTURES
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Talavera is a type of majolica earthenware, a
white and glazed type of ceramic. Although the
Spaniards introduced this type of pottery,
ironically the term Talavera is used much more in
Mexico than in Talavera de la Reina, Spain.
TALAVERA plates
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TALAVERA tiles
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ZAPOTEC weaving