Guadalupe Garcia Rios has been making pottery for over 24 years. Her specialty is ceramic alta temperature (high temperature/high-fire ceramics). Fired at over 1250 degrees centigrade and lead-free, Guadalupe’s designs and creativity are unparalleled.

Guadalupe is rapidly gaining recognition as a high quality producer of ceramics and is much sought after. Her designs are inspired in part by pre-Hispanic designs but also from the countryside and nature. The high volcanic peaks, lakes, wildlife and other environmental elements also figure prominently in her expressions of this region. She feels, as she creates each piece, that she is giving back to the earth that makes her art possible.

She lives in the village of Tzintzuntzan near Lake Patzcuaro, one of many Michoacan towns sustaining a living tradition: alfareria (pottery making). Clay is abundant in the hills and many Purhepecha dedicate their lives to creating both utilitarian and artistic pottery. Tzintzuntzan’s traditional glaze colors and designs are unmistakable although Guadalupe has gone beyond tradition and found a niche of her own in the world of ceramics. Her work is unique and with one glance you can tell a piece was made by her.

Tzintzuntzan, which means the place of hummingbirds, is the ancient capital of the Tarascan Empire. This region has for many centuries been the center of many types of ceramic artesenias thanks to the vision of a priest turned prosecutor, Don Vasco de Quiroga, who removed from power Nuno de Guzman, the second in command of Cortez’s army who was particularly harsh toward the indigenous population.

Quiroga educated the people of the eight villages around the lake while encouraging each area to focus on ceramic artesenias. As a result, the Patzcuaro region is well-known for the diverse quality and uniqueness of its pottery using techniques that range from purely pre-Colombian to colonial Spanish methods and ranging from functional cookware to complex gallery art. Guadalupe’s work is the quintessential museum-quality work to emerge from this region.

Guadalupe creates her lead-free, high-fire glazed ceramics and decorates with skillfully designed adaptations of ancient Purhepecha symbols. Her extremely complex three-dimensional work is crafted on a non-electric wheel and fired in a gas kiln. Her more modern but extremely time-consuming approach differs markedly from the old-style approach of other ceramicists.

Ruth Cortés Rodriguez lives in the state of Guanajuato. She is a silversmith extraordinaire working in Alpaca. Alpaca is not sterling silver but close. “Alpaca” is a trade name for nickel silver and electro-plated nickel silver and is used primarily in Souca, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries. Originally named for its silver-white color, Alpaca is also referred to as German Silver or New Silver.

The alpaca Ruth works with is composed of 10% silver, with varying percentages of copper, zinc or nickel. Alpaca does not lose its brightness over time, does not get rusty, and doesn’t peel off. On the contrary, it becomes brighter with daily sunlight, cleaning, and use! The result is a bright, resistant and beautiful alloy.

Although Ruth’s work is the more modern side of Mexican folk art, many of her handmade designs have roots in Mexico’s indigenous culture. Her work is some of the best art Mexico has to offer.

Ruth’s designs are unique and all handcrafted. She is a best-selling artisan. Many of her pieces have tiny handmade milagros (charms) hanging from them. She makes butter knives with intricate folk art designs carved on them, beautiful jewelry boxes, napkin rings, purses, picture frames, earrings, plates, crosses and much more.

Contact information:
Alfonzo Esparza Oteo #1, Col Guadalupe
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
415 114 7432 or 415 154 6089

Article Source: Feria Maestras Website

FIRST QUARTER – FIRST ISSUE
January 2013

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January President’s Message

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HAVE YOU PAID YOUR DUES?
by Mary Mohr

READ CAREFULLY: Change in Membership Renewal for 2013

The annual LADAP Membership Renewal drive is now open (Jan.-Feb.) for the current year, 2013. This year, your Membership Renewal Form will arrive via email from me, not snail mail. If you have not already renewed your membership for 2013, you will receive the renewal membership email from go4mohr@cox.net When you receive this email, you will be able to print out the attached Membership Renewal Form and send the completed form with your check to me at 405 Avenida Ortega, San Clemente, CA 92672. As in the past, you may wish to renew for one to three years with this form as well as make an additional donation to LADAP.

We currently have 76 households and 101 individual members who have already prepaid their membership dues for 2013, or are honorary members, such as our Van Deren Coke Award recipients. These members will NOT receive the Renewal email. Only members whose dues are due for 2013 will receive this email so please wait to see if you get this notification in January before renewing.

Please note: NO ON-LINE PAYMENT OPTION ON LADAP SITE. The PayPal option on the LADAP web site for new member first year dues payment OR current member annual automatic renewals has been disabled as of Dec.31, 2012.

The Membership Form on our web site is for NEW members only, not annual renewals or returning members who have missed the Jan-Feb renewal period. NEW members will print out the form and send it with their dues. Returning members who have missed the Jan-Feb renewal period will contact me for details.

We look forward to your continued support and participation in Los Amigos del Arte Popular. Your ongoing membership will keep you connected to our over 350 members all sharing a passion for Mexican folk art, worthy projects, continuing education, local and international events and travel.

Don’t Miss a Month of the LADAP Newsletter

Renew Now!
Mary Mohr–Membership Director

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BOOK REVIEW
by Macon McCrosson

VILLA MONTANA CUISINE by Ray Cote

The Story and Favorite Dishes of Villa Montana, Famed Posada of Morelia Mexico

My choice this month will be of interest to the Michoacan travellers in March. Villa Montana Cuisine tells the story of this famous posada in the Santa Maria Hills overlooking the city of Morelia. Ray Cote opened his posada in 1959. In 1945, he was on his way to live in Mexico City after his doctor advised him to leave his Connecticut business for a less stressful way of life. A gas shortage in Mexico stranded him in Morelia and he never left.

This book was first published in 1962 in Mexico. There were subsequent printings, and the book can be purchased on Amazon. I especially like the cover drawn by Alfredo Zalce, a Morelian artist whose murals can be seen on the walls of public buildings in Morelia. The Tarascan figure on the cover is flanked by drawings of parsley and celery which appear frequently in Cote’s recipes. This should tell you something. The book is divided in the usual cookbook classifications. A nice touch is the heavy stock colored paper announcing each section with an appropriate pre-Hispanic glyph. My photo below shows the Soup section with two little Tarascans tending a big pot of soup. The last section of the book–Our Gallery of Guests–adds a nice touch. Photos of Tarascan figurines are given clever names. One photo of the Sightseer might be one of our “Amigos” for all we know.

Now to the recipes. Cote describes his celery soup as a nerve tonic. Favorite ingredients for many of the recipes are evaporated milk, celery and onion. I suspect fresh milk could have been hard to come by in the 60′s. Many recipes are from his guests over the years. There is a special ham sandwich mayonnaise spread from William Parker McFadden, a Dallas interior decorator. It includes both parsley and celery. I thought I might find a Mexican treasure in the Appetizer section, but alas, the guacamole recipe called for mayonnaise. Much to my surprise 99% of the recipes could have come out of your mother’s recipe box. I will leave you with one of the cocktail recipes:

SQUOLLINS
1 jigger of gin, rum or tequila in a highball glass
3 or 4 ice cubes
Fill glass with Squirt (a grapefruit flavored soft drink)

My copy of Villa Montana Cuisine will soon reside in the Mexican cookbook library of Gayla Pierce.

 

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ARTISAN PROFILE: RUTH CORTES RODRIGUEZ
Alpaca Silver

Ruth Cortés Rodriguez lives in the state of Guanajuato. She is a silversmith extraordinaire working in Alpaca. Alpaca is not sterling silver but close. “Alpaca” is a tradename for nickel silver and electro-plated nickel silver and is used primarily in Souca, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries. Originally named for its silver-white color, Alpaca is also referred to as German Silver or New Silver.

The alpaca Ruth works with is composed of 10% silver, with varying percentages of copper, zinc or nickel. Alpaca does not lose its brightness over time, does not get rusty, and doesn’t peel off. On the contrary, it becomes brighter with daily sunlight, cleaning, and use! The result is a bright, resistant and beautiful alloy.

Although Ruth’s work is the more modern side of Mexican folk art, many of her handmade designs have roots in Mexico’s indigenous culture. Her work is some of the best art Mexico has to offer.

Ruth’s designs are unique and all handcrafted. She is a best-selling artisan. Many of her pieces have tiny handmade milagros (charms) hanging from them. She makes butter knives with intricate folk art designs carved on them, beautiful jewelry boxes, napkin rings, purses, picture frames, earrings, plates, crosses and much more.

Contact information:
Alfonzo Esparza Oteo #1, Col Guadalupe
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
415 114 7432 or 415 154 6089

Article Source: Feria Maestras Website

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2012 11th Annual Feria Maestros del Arte
by Marianne Carlson

 

Armadillo carved and painted by Jacobo Angeles of Oaxaca
photo courtesy of Paul Hart

Feria Maestros del Arte is not just a once-a-year event designed to give Mexican folk and indigenous artists a place to sell their art. It has become a major vehicle in assisting the artists in networking amongst themselves as well as finding new outlets and venues to sell. Each year, more galleries, stores and collectors come to Lake Chapala to attend this event as buyers.

A few of the many connections made during this year’s Feria are:

• Although he makes and paints ceramics, Daniel Paredes of Puebla is also a fine photographer and has been hired by a major gallery in Tlaquepaque to do the promotional brochures and photos for their second gallery.
• Liverpool Stores has embarked upon a project where every store will have a dedicated area for showing and selling Mexican folk art. Several artists were approached by Liverpool at the show about participating and the Feria will give ongoing support to this project.
• Paola Rosendo of Olinalá, Guerrero, has been invited to demonstrate her multi-faceted art of laca (lacquer ware) at the Chicago Museum of Art along with two other artists discovered through the Feria.
• Several artists have gone on to participate in the renowned Santa Fe International Folk Art Market in New Mexico.

Not only have folk artists benefited from the Feria, but the Feria sponsored an art concurso (judged art show) with the LCS Children’s Art Program earlier in the year. More than 50 children participated in painting or drawing something from the world of Mexican folk art and the winners were awarded prizes. Next, the children’s art was sold in a special booth at the Feria where they made more than $13,000 pesos – three times more than they made last year. Part of this is due to the sale of the winning artwork from the Feria-sponsored concurso. Two-thirds of the profits go directly to the children, the rest to buy art supplies for the continuing program.

In 2012, nearly 3,000 people experienced the Feria as a convenient marketplace to find artists from all corners of Mexico at the same venue as well as a rare opportunity to meet the artists in person. Non-profit in both Mexico and the US, there is no other art show like it – artists pay no fees to attend, are hosted by Lakeside residents, and if the funding is available through the Support an Artist Program, even their transportation costs are paid. The yearly raffle garnered close to $40,000 pesos to be donated to our local Cruz Roja.

If you would like to join our group of dedicated volunteers who work throughout the year to ensure the Feria continues to survive, contact Lynda Deriger . To host an artist in 2013, please contact Sandra Spencer . And, if you would like to become a sponsor or donate to the ongoing efforts of the Feria, contact Cathy Roberts at info@casadelsolinn.com.

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Cathey Merrill introduced me to Professor Chema (José María García Galván) of Tonalá, Mexico. For over 80 years he has protected a treasure brought to Tonalá  in about 1922 by Gerardo Murillo (1875 –1964) known as Dr. Atl .  The treasure is a book entitled MONUMENTOS DEL ARTE MEXICANO ANTIGUO: ORNAMENTACION, MYTOLOGIA, TRIBUTOS y MONUMENTOS.

Written in 1890 by Dr. Antonio Peñfiel (1831-1922) by agreement (sponsorship) with Mexican President,  Porfirio Diaz, five hundred copies were published in Berlin, Germany as a set of three volumes for the Mexican government.  The first volume consisted of 346 pages of text written in Spanish, French and English and was accompanied by two volumes of unbound pages (laminas) of drawing and watercolors of pre-Columbian artifacts. The two volumes of laminas contain a total 317 pages, 176 hand painted in color.

In bringing the set of books to Tonalá Dr. Atl hoped to develop a truly Mexican art form he called Mexican Popular Art.  To stimulate the artisans to use the illustrations of historically Mexican artifacts Dr. Atl organized the artisans into a cooperative. He also hoped the structure of the cooperative would give the artisans control of the sales of their work, releasing them from the system of exploitation by buyers from Tlaquepaque and Guadalajara.  The artisans elected a board of directors consisting of a president, Ladislao Ortega, secretary, Ingenio Galvan and treasurer, Ignacio Lopez. These elected leaders where respected local artisans who, like the other members, had no experience running a cooperative.  The members of the cooperative worked in their own family studios and met as a group in the “curato” of the Santuario located in the central plaza of Tonalá.

When sufficient work had been accumulated the three or four leaders would take the work to Guadalajara or Tlaquepaque to sell.  After 4 years the cooperative disbanded. Professor Chema, born 1918, says that no one considered the book as something valuable because none of the cooperative members could read.  At this time Professor Chema was ten or eleven years old and several months earlier had begun to work for the cooperative selling their work in the “curato.”   Chema’s father was a cooperative member whose son could read and therefore eventually, Professor Chema took possession of the book.

Members of the cooperative would borrow pages that interested them as potential sources for imagery in their paintings and many of these pages were not returned. For many years while in the possession of Professor Chema, the loose pages of drawings continued to disappear as artisans or researchers continued to borrow them.

It was always the goal of Professor Chema to maintain and preserve this treasured resource and make it available for the broader public but exactly how to accomplish the task was never quite clear.  Finally, in 2011, Los Amigos del Arte Popular offered to finance the effort to photograph each page under the direction of Chuck Plosky and a professional photographer.  The photographs are now on our website for all to see.  A search for this rare old book finds most copies in the libraries of universities all over the world where one must have permission to research on premises in order to see the book.  You are now invited to read and enjoy at your leisure in the comfort of your own home.  Perhaps you too will be inspired to create great pieces of art such as these and such as those created by the artisans of Tonalá.

Los Amigos del Arte Popular wishes to thank Professor Chema for guarding and protecting this treasure all these years and ultimately sharing it with us and with the world.  Deep appreciation is also expressed for the work of Chuck Plosky in completing the project with utmost care and concern. – Cathey Merrill, Former President

EXTRA:

Seldom do intact sets come up for auction.  Auction prices are currently estimated in the 60,000 – 80,000 peso range.

Included with this article is a current listing of a complete set in good condition published by the auction house MORTON (January 2013) and offered for sale on its website: http://www.mortonsubastas.com/en/contact.asp

Sale 569 Lot 23

UNA DE LAS OBRAS IMPRESAS MONUMENTALES DEL SIGLO XIX.
PEÑAFIEL, ANTONIO. DR. (1831-1922). MONUMENTOS DEL ARTE MEXICANO ANTIGUO ORNAMENTACION, MITOLOGÍA, TRIBUTOS Y MONUMENTOS.

Por el…. Director General de Estadística de México, Miembro Fundador de Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural, Socio de Número de la Academia de Medicina de México, de la Sociedad Médica Pedro Escobedo, de la de Geografía y Estadística, etc. etc. Se Imprime por acuerdo del señor General Carlos Pacheco, Secretario de Fomento, siendo Presidente de la República el Sr. General Porfirio Díaz. Obra acompañada de dos volúmenes de láminas. BERLÍN, A. Asher & Co. MDCCCXC. (1890). Propiedad del Gobierno Mexicano. PRIMERA EDICIÓN. Impresión de 500 ejemplares numerados. No. 483. Con la firma autógrafa de Dn. Antonio Peñafiel, incluyendo la anotación de los números. TRES volúmenes en gran folio, 41 x 56.5 cm.

Salvo tonalidad por sus 120 años de antigüedad, y reparación de estuches en que se guardan las ilustraciones, faltante en la hoja del título impresa y pegada sobre el título del Vol. I, y deterioro en los títulos pegados a los dos estuches que contienen la colección de ilustraciones, los 3 tomos son muy buenos ejemplares, completos, con su texto y láminas. Un total de 318, (incluyendo la # 292 Bis, desplegable de 56 x 80 cm.). De este total, 176 en colores, y 17 de 56 x 80 cm. El resto, de 40.0 x 56.o cms. En excelente estado, limpias, en casos aislados algunas manchas del tiempo, sin huellas de insectos, y ligeras reparaciones por el reverso.

VOLUMEN I: Texto en Español, 130 pp., Francés, 108 pp., e Inglés, 108 pp. Total: 346 pp. Contiene el índice de los 3 volúmenes: I. Ornamentación Mexicana. II. Vasijas. III. Mitología. IV. Metales. V. Armas, Utensilios e Instrumentos. VI. Urnas y Sepulcros. VII. Tula. VIII. Xochicalco. IX. Xochicalco. Continuación. X. Los Palacios Antiguos de Mitla. Por Juan B. Carriedo. XI. Mitla. Continuación. XII. Monumentos escritos. XIII. El Libro de los Tributos. XIV. Explicación de El Libro de los Tributos. XV. Tributos a Moctezuma. Volumen II: XVI. Códice Zapoteco. XVII. Proyectos de Edificio Mexicano para la Exposición Internacional de París en 1889. XVIII. El Calendario Azteca, La Piedra del Sol, el Monumento de Moctezuma II. XIX. Interpretación de la Piedra del Sol. XX. El Calendario Azteca. Continuación.XXI. El Calendario Azteca diversas tradiciones sobre las épocas cosmogónicas. XXII. Conclusión del estudio del calendario. Explicación de las Estampas.

PRIMER VOLÚMEN DE LÁMINAS: 1-169 ilustraciones. La mayoría finamente coloreadas a mano, incluyendo en color sepia. CÓDICE ZAPOTECO. XXXIX (39) Láminas de escritura geroglífica. (sic). MDCCCLXXXV. (1885). Copia del Códice llamado “Zapoteco”, que perteneció al Lic. Felipe Sánchez Solís y adquirió y llevó a Berlín el Sr. Barón de Waecker-Gotter en el año de 1883

SEGUNDO VOLÚMEN DE LÁMINAS: 170-317 ilustraciones. Muchas finamente coloreadas a mano, 11 en color sepia. 293-312: 20 ilustraciones, con dos dibujos de José Ma. Velasco: # 297, CUAUHXICALLI DEL SOL, y # 301, PIEDRA DE LOS SACRIFICIOS. La # 311, PIEDRA DEL SOL, (CALENDARIO AZTECA), espléndida foto tomada cuando el Calendario estaba sobre un muro de la Catedral de México. # 312: CALENDARIO AZTECA. Dibujo de José Ma. Velasco. SUPLEMENTO: #´s 313- 317, 5 grandes ilustraciones: # 313 desplegable y doble, 52.0 x 112.0 cms. Láminas Armas Mexicanas: # 315 coloreado. Uso del ATLATL; un guerrero Azteca lanzando las flechas. PROYECTOS PARA EL EDIFICIO MEXICANO EN LA EXPOSICIÓN DE PARÍS EN 1889. Lámina # 291, corresponde al PROYECTO PARA EL EDIFICIO MEXICANO, hermosa y gran ilustración, de 57.0 x 162.0 cms. 10 ilustraciones en 5 láminas con dos ilustraciones cada una del Ing. Luis Salazar y del Ing. José M. Alva. # 292 Bis: plantas del edificio, coloreadas. 1 doble con las plantas arquitectónicas a colores. La 3ª. es de 5 espacios por los mismos autores: Dr. Antonio Peñafiel e Ing. Antonio Manza. Aprobado por el Ministerio de Fomento. Monumental dibujo del Ing. Bodo von Glummer.

Su bajo tiraje en Berlín, Alemania, de solamente 500 ejemplares, su antigüedad, 120 años, su tamaño y excesivo peso, (aprox. 25-30 kilogramos), sus 318 grabados sueltos y por lo tanto muy susceptibles de extraviarse, hacen que esta monumental obra de arte y de la historia prehispánica de México sea muy deseada ya que es raro encontrarla completa.

Palau: No. 217591. Porrúa 1949: No. 7804, en MN$1.500.00., equivalentes en el 2010 a alrededor de MN$70.000.00. Entre otros comentarios, el Catálogo Porrúa de 1949 consigna el siguiente: “…La obra, que por su tamaño recuerda el Kingsborough, podrá reflejar en ciertos aspectos el estado de las disciplinas arqueológicas de la época, pero no por ello disminuye la importancia de sus reproducciones, la mayoría bellísimas, y tan útiles para el investigador actual, ó para el simple aficionado a la Arqueología Mexicana…”

En el mercado internacional, al mes de junio de 2010, no aparece a la venta. ABPC informa que en los últimos 33 años, sólo se ha presentado un ejemplar completo en subasta: hace 25 años, en 1985, por la Casa Christie´s de Nueva York. La misma Casa Christie´s en Londres, ofreció un volumen en 1976. En las salas de estas GALERÍAS MORTON, hace 4 años, en el 2006, se vendió un ejemplar en MN$70.000.00 más comisiones e impuestos de compra/venta. La gran Librería de Don Pedro Robredo, en la ciudad de México, ofreció un ejemplar completo en su catálogo número 9 de 1933, hace 77 años, en MN$150.00. Para tener una comparación, en ese mismo catálogo del Sr. Robredo, entre otros muchos libros, ofrecía en MN$40.00 un ejemplar del mismo Tratado de las Casas, que en estas salas se vendió en el 2007 en MN$130.000.00.

Estimado $60,000-80,000

FOURTH QUARTER – THIRD ISSUE
December 2012

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December President’s Message

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Warm holiday wishes to each and every one of you and your families. May your good health be a seasonal gift of life, supported by love of family and friends.

As one year ends, with another coming, it feels appropriate to share some of the projects supported by Los Amigos del Arte Popular.

As a non-profit organization, with the goal of supporting, promoting and educating others of the diversity and beauty of folk art in Mexico, we raise funds through your membership dues and fundraising events sponsored by Los Amigos.

The very popular monthly Los Amigos Newsletter provides a calendar of events for you to learn more about the variety of art forms which make up folk art, profiles of members, of artisans and articles sharing the history, culture and traditions which are manifested in folk art. Through the newsletter, members benefit from the community of folk art enthusiasts and collectors, in addition to the scholars’ articles and review of books specifically about different folk art manifestations.

Our grants provide support to many different groups supporting folk art. We have supported the Feria de Maestros in Chapala / Ajijic in November for the past five years. We collaborated with Friends of Oaxacan Folk Art (FOFA) and the Museo Estatal de Arte Popular in San Bartolo de Coyotepec for the mentoring and promotion of folk art, including artisan mentoring and the competition for young artists last summer in Oaxaca.

This year, our board approved two LADAP scholarships for winners to study under the apprenticeship of well-known artisans in their field. In addition, Los Amigos will provide support for the publication of the catalogue of the folk art and competition winners that is disseminated in Mexico and in the U.S.

In the last two years, two valued and distinguished scholars received the Van Deren Coke Award to honor their contributions and life time work in the field of folk art with its traditions.

In 2011, Dr. Ilona Katzew, Latin American Curator of Los Angeles County Museum of Art researched and curated an important exhibit featuring the traditions and historical precedents of “Contested Visions.” The accompanying book with many international scholar-researchers contributions provided significant important understanding of the influences of art from Spain to the Americas. To honor Dr. Katzew, Los Amigos provided support for the three-day symposium that featured many scholars sharing their research and discoveries of the influences which impact religious and secular art in Mexico and Peru. Themes which transcend into much of folk art traditions that we so admire.

In 2012, our Van Deren Coke recipient was Dr. Barbara Mauldin, chief curator of Santa Fe International Folk Art Museum, whose life time commitment and dedication to folk art was well deserved. Her curatorial leadership and publications featuring folk art are respected internationally. LADAP was proud to honor Dr. Mauldin by supporting the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market in June. Dr. Mauldin guided lucky Amigos who visited the Folk Art Market through her latest curated exhibit, “The Folk Art of the Andes.” It was especially gratifying to appreciate the treasured pieces that eight Amigos had donated or loaned for the spectacular and informative show.

Another previous Van Deren Coke Recipient I’d like to also recognize is Marta Turok, whose work in textiles, folk art and much more, has been supported with LADAP funds to categorize the extensive Dr. Ruth Lechuga folk art collection which was endowed to the Museo Franz Mayer in Mexico City. Marta is a great friend to Los Amigos. She has helped us make important connections with Mexican artists and museums and shared her expertise at many of our Rendezvous–in Mexico and in the U.S.

Los Amigos support Mexican and U.S. scholars, researchers and organizations whose objectives parallel ours–to preserve and study folk art and educate others to the mysteries, beauty, history and traditions of the various art forms that we admire.

Feliz Navidad, Amigos
Alma Foncerrada Pirazzini

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From Gayla’s Cocina

On a recent Amigos’ trip, several of us were introduced to one of Mexico’s aguas frescas, horchata, and wondered how it was made.  Amigos’ member and culinary expert, Gayla Pierce gives us some background, and recipes, below. Now you CAN try these at home!

Red, White & Green
They may not be typically traditional for the holidays, but Mexico’s aguas frescas are delicious any time of the year. Three that fit the Christmas theme are Agua de Jamaica, Horchata and Agua de Limón. Any, or all three, make a festive addition to holiday parties and meals.

Agua de Jamaica

Perhaps the most common of all the aguas, it is made from dried hibiscus flowers, but not the tropical flower. The dried hibiscus flowers used to make this garnet red drink are actually a variety of roselle. It is easily found in every Latin or Mexican market and in many health food stores.

2 Cups of dried jamaica flowers (2 oz)
½ Cup granulated sugar, honey or agave nectar
6 Cups of water

Put the water in a large pot, add the jamaica flowers and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let the mixture steep for 1 hour.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large pitcher. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed. It may also be necessary to add a little more water as well depending upon how strong the Agua de Jamaica is after steeping.

Did you know…

• Flor de Jamaica is a source of Vitamin C and has diuretic properties
• The flowers after steeping can be used as an enchilada filling
• Equal parts of jamaica and red wine are good together and make a great base for a light summer sangria

Jamaica can also be used to infuse tequila. Pour a bottle (750 ml) of reposado tequila (don’t use a premium reposado like Espolon for this) into a large container. Save the tequila bottle. Add in ½ half cup of jamaica flowers that have been rinsed and any impurities removed. Let steep 5-6 hours. Strain and pour the infused tequila back into the original bottle, it will be an intense shade of magenta. Use it to make margaritas or Palomas substituting half the regular, non-infused, tequila for the jamaica tequila.

Horchata

Almost nothing is as refreshing as a glass of icy cold horchata on a hot day. This rice based drink clearly derives from the Spanish and Moorish version of the drink made with chufa, or tiger nuts. It can be a little labor intensive to make, but is it ever worth it.

1 Cup long or medium grain white rice (do not use instant or converted rice)
2 – 3″ long pieces of canela (Mexican cinnamon, available at Latin and Mexican markets)
2 Cups of milk
1 Cup Sugar
Water
Vanilla (optional)
Cantaloupe cubes (optional)

The rice can be plain or it can be lightly toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, grind the rice until it is pulverized and powdered. Place in a bowl or container; add the canela and 3 cups of hot water. Let sit for several hours, or overnight. Refrigeration not needed.

Put the rice (and any remaining water) canela and milk in a blender and blend until very smooth with no grittiness. This may need to be done in batches, depending upon the capacity of the blender. Pour through a fine mesh strainer (or a regular strainer lined with several layers of cheesecloth) to remove the last traces of grit.

Make simple syrup with the sugar and 3 cups of water and allow it to cool. Add the sweetened water to the rice mixture to taste along with vanilla if using and chill until very cold. Serve over ice and float several cantaloupe cubes in each glass.

Variations:

• Reduce the milk to 1 cup and use unsweetened, canned coconut milk instead.
• Add the peel of 1 lime to the sugar and water when boiling.

Agua de Limón

If you can find them, try using the small Key limes in this agua. They are tarter and more acidic than the dark green Persian limes found in most U.S. grocery stores.

1 Cup lime juice
2 Tbls. grated lime zest
5 Cups water
1 Cup + 2 Tbls granulated sugar (more to taste if necessary)

In a large pitcher or bowl let the lime juice, lime zest and water steep for about 5 minutes. Then add the sugar and another cup of water. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed. Chill and serve over ice.

Gracias, Gayla.  These look delicious!

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Miguel and his wife, Lilia, live in the state of Puebla, Mexico where he handcrafts calaveras de barro (clay skeletons), nichos (shadow boxes, dioramas), and all types of objects that have been made in Mexico for decades.

They are typical of the lighthearted satire that is classic in Mexican Day of the Dead art. The art is fun and festive and not meant to poke fun at the dead, but rather to honor them by giving them equal time through this art. Created clay, wood, and using bits and pieces of ribbon, pop-bottle tops, etc., they are all handmade and hand painted.

The Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, takes place over the November 1 and 2. Its origins are a mixture of Native American traditions and a set of Catholic holidays. While the holiday’s observances include spending time in cemeteries, making shrines to the dead, and displaying artistic representations of skulls and skeletons, the occasion is festive, rather than morbid. Death isn’t seen as the end of one’s life, but as a natural part of the life cycle; the dead continue to exist much as they did in their lives, and come back to visit the living every year.

The names of two consecutive 20 months on the Aztec calendar, Miccailhuitomi and Miccailhuitl, can be translated as “Feast of the Little Dead Ones” and “Feast of the Adult Dead.” Put together, they appear to have formed one long celebration of the dead, moving from those who died as children to those who died when they were older.

It is generally believed that the souls of one’s family return home to join in the Day of the Dead festivities. First those who died in infancy come home, then the older children, and finally those who died once they’d reached adulthood. Families set up altars (or ofrendas) in their homes, festively decorated in bright colors and laden with the favorite foods of their dead. Typically, the altars contain photographs of the dead, representations of things they liked, and items representing the four elements: candles for fire, drinks for water, fruit for earth, and fluttering tissue-paper decorations for wind. The dead take in the essence of the food, which will later be eaten by the living.

In some areas, families go to the graveyard to celebrate through the night. They clean and decorate the graves, sometimes setting up ofrendas on the gravestones, as bells are rung.

The major feature of Day of the Dead decorations is skeletons, or calacas. Skeletons are everywhere, from tissue-paper scenes to tiny plastic toys, from cardboard puppets to ceramic sculptures, from posters to papier mache. These skeletons are usually cheerful, and they are designed to show the full range of activities and professions people perform. Farmers, barbers, secretaries, fire fighters – if somebody does it while alive, you can find an artistic rendering in calacas.

Also common are skulls and skeletons made of sugar or candy. Some people get sugar skulls made to resemble themselves, or with their names inscribed on them.

While Day of the Dead and Halloween are both offshoots of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, their tones couldn’t be more different. Halloween’s images of skeletons and spirits emphasize the spooky, gruesome, and macabre. People shudder at the thought of scary spirits threatening the living world. On Día de los Muertos, the focus isn’t on the gruesome, it’s on celebrating with one’s family-alive and dead-and remembering those who are no longer alive. It’s on seeing death as another stage following life, not something to be faced with fear.

To view a story about Miguel by Kathryn Leide of Chirpa, Wisconsin,–”The Most Beautiful House in Mexico”–click here.

Contact information:
Mercado de Artesanias El Parian L-36, 37 and 21
Puebla, Puebla
liliapuebla@hotmail.com or huitzildan@hotmail.com

Article Source: Feria Maestras Website.

Don Isaac Ramos Padilla passed away in 2010. This true maestro of Mexican weaving will be missed by all who have marveled over the years at his unbelievable creations. He had been weaving since he was 10 when he started to learn the trade from his family of weavers. Don Isaac would arise at 5 am and work for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, to produce an average of two rebozos a week.

He did all the steps of the process himself – mixing the dyes, dyeing the cotton, setting up the warp with the thousands of strands, painting on the pattern, and the final weaving. He was known to have said, ‘Mucho tiempo, poca ganancia’ (so much time, so little profit). His rebozos garnered a considerably higher price than the more standard ones found in markets around Malinalco.

Don Isaac won many awards during his lifetime, including the Grand Premio (Grand Prize) for the 2008 32nd National Arte Popular Judged Art Show. There are few weavers in Mexico who have achieved this level of fame. He worked with patience and calm and a huge love and devotion to his art. He and his daughter (Camelia, who participates still in La Feria) worked with many known patterns – cacahuate, arco negro or palomitas. He also invented patterns, which, he related,”simply pop into his head.”

The Ramos’ have access to the wonderful antique rebozos owned by the Franz Mayer Museum and are allowed to study them for ideas. This family is very concerned about the disappearance of this highly skilled art and are doing what they can to interest and train other family members in keeping up the tradition.

One interesting comment Don Isaac related before his passing is that until quite recently the rebozo was thought of as a symbol of purity, and no self-respecting woman left the house without one. And, if a young man snatched a rebozo from a young woman, then the woman considered herself to belong to that man.

The quality of the pieces and the arduous work involved make them costly. Their true value, however, is hard to estimate, not only in terms of the beauty of the work but because they constitute examples of an exquisite art which, thanks to the interest of these artisans, has not yet been lost.

The pueblo of Malinalco is one of Mexico’s most important weaving centers for elaborate and elegant rebozos. The patterned rebozos are woven from cotton and/or silk and were formerly known as rebozos de bolita, as the cotton came in balls rather than skeins or cones. They are used for more formal occasions and come in exquisite solid colors such as fantastic bright hues of red, green, orange or more subtle shades of violet and blue. They come in several lengths depending on their use and the size of the women who will wear them: completo (often used to carry a baby on the back), 3/4 size or mediano, and small ones called ratoncitos (ideal to wear as scarves).

There is also the very special rebozo de aroma which is black and often used as a shroud. The name comes from the fact that the black dye has a strong unpleasant smell so the dyed cotton is later soaked in a mixture of orange leaves, rose petals, sage, rosemary and other woodsy plant materials, all of which give the rebozo a long-lasting agreeable aroma.

What sets the rebozos from Malinalco apart from shawls found in other countries is the very fine work of the endings called flecos, puntas or rapacejos. The finished rebozo is removed from the loom with a few feet of threads hanging from each end. The threads, 1,800 to over 5,000, are imaginatively and intricately worked into knotted patterns according to ancient designs. The most typical patterns are those with dolls, flowers, ducks, deer, or geometric designs. The work is almost exclusively done by women known as empuntadoras, and can take weeks or even months to complete.

The final touch comes with the knot work that makes the fringe of the rebozo. The loose threads on the ends of the woven piece are tied and knotted into intricate designs. Camelia then lovingly folds the rebozo when it is complete and places it in a hand-woven basket that is presented to the buyer of the rebozo.

There are only a handful of rebozo weavers left who use the ancient backstrap loom called a telar de cintura or telar de otate. Since they can only make one rebozo at a time, the work is costly and time consuming. But, it allows for originality in patterns and your rebozo is always one-of-a-kind when woven this way. The Ramos’ use ancient designs and weave only on a pre-Hispanic backstrap loom. Their art has been carried on through five generations.

Many of the Ramos’ rebozos are done in a technique called ikat – a dying technique that allows the warp to be selectively colored before it is woven. A shrinking market and competition with industrially woven cloth has forced many weavers to stop their production of ikat rebozos as they are very time-consuming and therefore, the prices are higher than other rebozos.

In the ikat process the weaver pulls up several cotton threads of the warp, then taking thread, he/she winds the thread around the warp (about 1/4″ to 1/2″). This is done over and over again in different locations of the warp until the entire warp has been “knotted” and is ready for dying.

The warp is then soaked in water for 20 minutes, after which, the water is wrung out. The damp warp is dyed by repeatedly submerging it in a hot dye bath for 20 minutes. Excess dye is removed by twisting a stick that has been inserted in the end of the warp. The ikat-dyed warp is stretched out to dry. Ikat threads alternate with solid threads on the loom. The warp must be frequently adjusted to assure that the ikat – dyed threads form the correct motif as it is being woven.

A good book on rebozo weaving is “Rebozos de la Coleccion de Robert Everts,” co-edited by the Franz Mayer Museum and Artes de Mexico.

Learn more about the art of weaving and the ”art” of wearing rebozos at the links below:

Weaving the rebozos & How to tie rebozos as wearable art

Article Source: Feria Maestras Website, which credits Barbara Magnus for researching and compiling this story.

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FOURTH QUARTER – SECOND ISSUE
November 2012

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November President’s Message

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My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, time to join together, to celebrate life with family and friends.

On November 1st and 2nd, we celebrate Dia de los Muertos and reflect on the lessons and love of our dearly departed. We bring out our Days of the Dead displays to share with guests and grandchildren in addition to pumpkins and ghosts. Many of us make “altares” altars for our family members who have passed as we honor and remember them with flowers, photos and their favorite foods. Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside, CA, features a unique display of altars, courtesy of a large Lowrider Club that decorates their gorgeous cars with Day of the Dead motifs and displays a touching altar in their open trunk for all to enjoy.

Then, on the 4th Thursday of the month, the tradition of the Pilgrims brings together family and friends to share our bounty and offer thanks for a good harvest. Since we don’t live on farms, we make, buy and share our family’s traditional recipes. Thanksgiving becomes special when we can share our meal and company with family and friends.

This Thanksgiving, I offer much gratitude to each Amigo for joining with us to explore, learn and enjoy the quest of collecting, researching, preserving and supporting Mexican folk art. I believe our lives have been enriched with the friendships, the travel, and the grants that LOS AMIGOS provides to sustain the creation and production of folk art. We are all partners in the goals to educate others as we continuously learn about the history, culture and traditions of Mexico which provides many of the topics of the art work that we appreciate and collect.

This month will be the Feria de Maestros in Ajijic (Nov.16,17,18) which always promises to delight, as artisans from many regions of Mexico come to share their art, with wonderful local musicians and folklorico dances joining together to make the weekend a special event with friends as coordinated by Cathey Merrill, who always is a wonderful hostess. LOS AMIGOS is a proud sponsor of the event.

May your November be filled with family and friends and the opportunity to join together to celebrate health, happiness and life in the company or memory of your loved ones. Know that you are remembered and appreciated by me.

Alma Pirazzini,
President

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A small town in Jalisco is home to Martin Ibarra. He lives across the street from the town’s sixteenth century church whose lofty wall surrounds the colonial structure. Often you will see colorful balls and earthenware virgenes, engraved with geometric designs, drying in the air on top of the wall. The pieces are the art of Martin Ibarra who supports a family of elders and youngsters from the damp clay of the surrounding hills.

Martin’s style is distinctly different from that of his now deceased father, Sixto. Martin has had big shoes to fill following in his father’s footsteps. Sixto died in 2001 and had been working with clay over 40 years, after discovering an ancient cenotaph in the foothills near his home. The workmanship and whimsical nature of the pre-Conquest pottery found at the burial site inspired young Sixto to begin experimenting with the medium.

Sixto trained his son, Martin, now a highly sought-after artist in his own right, to carry on the tradition of creating his folk art in clay. Martin fabricates decorative hollow clay balls and eggs – all of which he covers with intricate motifs sketched on the surface by hand. No two pieces are exactly alike, each being formed and molded by whatever inspiration strikes him at the moment.

Martin knows that a healthy sense of humor is essential for an artist working with the sometimes-capricious natural clay. During the rainy season, pieces can take two to three days longer to dry, and once his creations are hardened, he cannot be sure they will survive the firing process of the home-built wood-fired kiln.

Shrugging his shoulders when asked if he is proud that one of his burnished clay virgins adorns the home of former Mexican President Vicente Fox, Martin says, “It’s nice. But what is really gratifying is knowing the person and his attitude toward the piece; that he sees it as a work of art and values it as one.”

Martin Ibarra, Ceramic Artist A few years ago it would have been a rarity to spot either Ibarra or his family’s work in a show, even though the young artist has been working with clay for as long as he can remember. Born March 9, 1965 – or 1966, depending on which records are right, Ibarra has well over 20 years of experience under his belt as a potter.

Martin now offers over 30 different unique and incredibly intricate virgins as well as lamp bases, flower vases, pots, plates, and, of course, his well known spheres. Copycat artists are forcing Ibarra to take a more direct approach in selling his work. Assistants and apprentices who learned all they know from him have been lured away to churn out inferior quality imitations. Some of them even claim to be “the original” but it doesn’t bother Ibarra who is always searching for something new to improve his designs.

“Competition helps me surpass myself . . .When my rivals get to the next step, we’re already two, three or more steps ahead.” He was recently called one of the three or four best artists of his genre in Mexico by Bernardo Colunga (brother of the sculptor Alejandro) and has had his name mentioned in the same breath as regional pottery legends Jorge Wilmot and Jose Bernabe. But he has a lot to live up to as far as his neighbors are concerned. His father Sixto is a local legend and it may take another two decades before Ibarra becomes as revered as his father. Martin is a true folkart artist who exemplifies the best in Mexican handicrafts.

For more information about Martin and his work, contact:
Maria de Jesus Morales, Juarez #119
San Juan Evangelista, Tlajomulco de Zuñiga
333 753 0017 or 331 321 4498

Or contact Marianne Carlson at 011522 376 765 7485 or email mariannecarlson@gmail.com

FOURTH QUARTER – FIRST ISSUE
October 2012

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October President’s Message

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Perfect days for traveling, visiting shows like Glendale’s Golden California Antique show, local shows and shops for collectibles, and meeting up with like minded Amigos.

Looking forward to visiting Phoenix, with Amigos, for our annual LADAP event coordinated by Steve and Sandy Davis and seeing six different collectors and their homes.

I would like to thank all the Amigos who have sent in articles, profiles and calendar dates of coming events to our Newsletter. We count on you to make the newsletter interesting, educational and helpful to us all. We have received many positive comments on the newsletter, which is very satisfying.

I made a folder on my email page labeled Newsletters so that I can keep them all for reference. With all the information and coming events, it helps to keep them on file. I also make copies so that I can read them at my leisure. Thank you for sharing your ideas and comments with us.

As volunteers with busy lives, we do appreciate your emails letting us know our efforts are helpful to you. If you have some spare time, consider volunteering with us. Benefits are most rewarding, in addition to sharing friendships for a common purpose.

In friendship,
Alma Foncerrada Pirazzini

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Member Profile

Sandie Houston, Austin, Texas

As an exhibiting artist and cultural anthropologist, I’ve been a passionate fan, traveling and studying Mexico for over 45 years. Concentrating on people engaged in the essence of everyday life, their lives are artistic on so many levels. In cities and villages surrounding Patzcuaro, Oaxaca, Chiapas, San Miguel de Allende and Baja California, I’ve absorbed more color than could possibly be healthy, yet am faithfully fascinated with the way life goes for our talented neighbors to the South.