2012
February 24 – March – 5 – Rendezvous in Veracruz, Mexico
July 13 – 15 – Santa Fe, New Mexico Rendezvous during the International Folk Art Festival
October 25 – 28 – Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ
November 16 – 18 – Annual Feria Maestros in Chapala, Mexico along with a full itinerary
PAST EVENTS PRESERVED:
* LACMA and UCLA co-sponsored a major international three-day symposium (December 2–4, 2011) in conjunction with the special exhibition Contested Visions in the Spanish Colonial World on view November 6, 2011 through January 29, 2012. Participants included scholars from Mexico, Peru, Europe, and the United States. Los Amigos del Arte Popular was one of the financial sponsors and made their annual presentation of the Van Deren Coke Achievement Award on December 4 to Ilona Katzew during the symposium. Ilona is the Curator of Latin American Art at LACMA and of this exhibition.
* 10th Annual Feria Maestros – November 18-20, 2011
Lake Chapala, Mexico – 36 members traveled to beautiful Lake Chapala, Mexico for the 10th Annual Feria Maestros – November 18-20. Los Amigos has been a financial sponsor of the Feria for the last five years. Our contribution is used to print detailed handouts for each of the artisans explaining their work and contact information in both English and Spanish. In this way, the artisans who speak no English can communicate to their English only speaking customers the significance of their work. Additionally, our contribution pays for the brochures that promote the Feria and all printed materials include contact information for Los Amigos del Arte Popular. This three day event is the only one of its kind in Mexico and beyond where 100% of all sales go directly to the artisans and the cost of room, board and transportation is furnished to each artisan. In these years when tourism is down drastically in Mexico, these invited artisans rely heavily on sales at this show. Come annually and help support them!
Amigos registered to participate had these extra options from which to choose:
THURSDAY we bused to Tequila for a fun day trip to see the country side, tour the agave plantation and distillery, tequila testing and lunch together.
FRIDAY (shop all day at the Feria Maestros) then afterwards we had dinner with the artisans to celebrate the first day of the show
SATURDAY
A – we arranged for a special opening at Barbara’s Bazaar to be the first to see the Mexican folk art collection of a woman from San Miguel de Allende who recently passed away. The collection included about 75 Mexican masks as well as some really interesting pieces of pottery and mostly Michoacan folk art she bought directly from the artists over the last 25 years. This was the first time the collection has been offered for sale and our group bought lots.
B – shop the day at the Feria Maestros
C – 6:30 we met together in the home of a member overlooking the lake for drinks at sundown and then went into the village for dinner together and a birthday celebration for one of our members.
SUNDAY we bused from La Nueva Posada Hotel leaving at 9:30 to go into Guadalajara for the weekly antique flea market and then on into Tlaquepaque for lunch and shopping together.
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