Burnished Pottery of the Hernandez Cano Family

It was love at first sight. I remember well the first time I saw the gorgeous burnished pottery made by the Hernandez Cano family. We were on the Plaza Vasco de Quiroga, aka the Plaza Grande, in Patzcuaro about a week before Dia de los Muertos 2003. It was the year we lived in Michoacán and were just getting to know all that it had to offer. The plaza was covered with vendors selling artesania, but I happened to spot this unusual pottery set out on a few boards on the plaza's edge. It actually stopped us in our tracks. I found out from the young man sitting there that it was made at a workshop in a town called Zinapécuaro. Being out of the way and not close to any other crafts villages on our list to explore discouraged us for a while from making the trip. Until we discovered that this town is also where they make the fabulous burnished clay squash we had been drooling over as well. We have been buying from the artisans in Zinapecuaro for five years now, and have always felt a special affection for this unusual family workshop, led by brothers Salvador, Jose Guadalupe, and Gabriel. We usually have to stop and ask for directions (did I say it's out of the way?) and it's tradition that when we visit, Doug burns the guys a bunch of CDs of sixties and seventies music. They especially like the Doors.
We hadn't been there for a couple of years, but this year we had a special request by someone on our Art and Culture Tour to visit the "squash town"... so we made the journey.
The Hernandez Cano workshop has about twenty family members working there now, with three different "showrooms" full of gorgeous pottery, some of which is below. Though I was not really in the market, I couldn't resist and ended up buying a few more of their pieces.
(photo on right: Salvador Hernandez Cano is painting a new piece)

Pieces first dry in the sun on the patio, and the horno in the back on the left (right photo) is where the artisans fire the pottery.

The Hernandez Cano family workshop began in 1815. When the demand for lead-free ceramics caused many artisans of the town to give up their craft, the Hernandez Cano family took the opportunity to create something new. They were fortunate to be granted a contract with Mexico’s Museum of Anthropology to rescue an ancient technique of painting in negative, which had all but disappeared. And as a result of their research into Aztec, Maya, and Tarascan designs, the family came up with their own recognizable and unique style, a style that has won them numerous state and national awards within Mexico. Today the grandsons of those artisans are well known for their beautiful burnished pottery featuring Pre-Hispanic designs. The brothers, who are constantly creating new designs and innovations, are also teaching their children who work along side them, even down to the 5 year old, who according to his uncle, Gabriel, is learning what it means to “feel the emotion of the clay”. Each handmade piece reflects the family workshop’s joy and pride in Mexico’s rich cultural traditions. The beautiful piece below is a traditional shape, called a luneta and features one of my favorite designs. This and more is for sale at www.mexicobyhand.com.

If you read Spanish, you can check out the following article from a Michoacan newspaper, plus the Hernandez Cano brother's blog.

http://tallerhernandezcano.blogspot.com

La Catrina

Who is this lady, where did she come from, and why is she getting so much attention? I am asked this question a lot.
Her name is Catrina, and she has become a recognized symbol or icon for Day of the Dead in both Latin America and here in the United States. Yes, she is part of the Dia de los Muertos celebration, but that's not her true origin. La Catrina (below) was one of many skeleton images created by Mexican engraver José Guadalupe Posada.
Posada's calaveras, accompanied by witty social commentary in rhyming verse, were printed in newspapers and reached the farthest corners of the Mexican Republic. They aren't evoking death, but are mocking the living-- their defects, weaknesses and vices. Posada's skeleton caricatures have been called "calaverismo politico" -- his attempt to uncover the "rot of political and social life" in Mexico at the time. The Catrina, an upperclass lady of the turn-of-the-century, is depicted in her broad-brimmed hat and is Posada's comment on the "wannabes" in Mexico at the time who aspired to be everything French. The idea is that the rich may put on airs and wear their fancy clothes, but underneath they are just like you and me. In other words, death is the great equalizer, as we are all mortal.

Above and to the left are more beautiful clay Catrinas from Capula. The paper mache Catrina in the red dress below was made by an artisan in Patzcuaro, as was
the wood batea (plate) below.




The clay plates of Pancho Villa and Don Quixote were made by Fidel Avalos of Capula. The Hernandez Cano family of Zinapecuaro also makes fantastic burnished clay vases and platters with hand painted drawings inspired Jose Guadalupe Posada.

For more information about Dia de los Muertos and Jose Guadalupe Posada, or to purchase some of our folk art, go to: www.mexicobyhand.com

Una Canción para Capula...A Song for Capula

Capula isn't the prettiest town I visit in Michoacán. Although it is surrounded by lush green hills during the rainy season, it isn't next to the Lake i.e. Patzcuaro, the plaza is not at all charming, and there's no place to eat while you're there. But we always spend a lot of time in Capula, because what it does have is a helluva lot of amazing art. Like these skeletons, calacas, or calaveras-- whatever you want to call them, by the master artisan, Alvaro de la Cruz. They are also known as Catrinas, but a Catrina is really a female skeleton in a fancy dress with a big hat with flowers and feathers.(I'll write more in my next post about her.) Capula, in case you didn't know, is not only a historic pottery village, but the capital of Mexico's clay catrinas. This year there were a lot of skeleton musicians for sale in Capula's artisan cooperative, and they were very, very cool. Like this mariachi woman on the right, and the cute little trio below on the left.

We also found some fantastic new calavera artisans this year, most notably Marcos Perez, a young guy who makes beautiful, extremely detailed black We also found some fantastic new calavera artisans this year, most notably Marcos Perez, a young guy who makes beautiful, extremely detailed black skeleton women. The indigenous woman below (often called a guarecita) is an example of just one we brought back to sell. Click on the photo and check out the hair and details on the clothing. Amazing!
And we also bought some fabulous pottery by my new favorite artisan couple, Demetrio and Raquel Gonzales. I discovered them in April, and was only able to bring back two pieces at that time. They have created some beautiful dishes and serving pieces with their lead-free glazes, and I am excited to share their work with you. (Demetrio is pictured below).




Please email or visit us at:
www.mexicobyhand.com for more information about our recent arrivals and upcoming sales events.

Magnificant Murals of Mexico

It was quite amusing to hear Glenn Beck trying to dredge up the old controversy about Diego Rivera's mural at Rockefeller Center. I don't know if you even paid attention to the idiot, but his rant made me think of the wonderful times I personally have spent in front of Rivera's murals, and wish that everyone could have the pleasure. Last year, I saw that very mural, "Man at the Crossroads", in its reconstructed location at Bellas Artes in Mexico City. I also got to see the amazing, Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central (Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda) at the Museo Mural Diego Rivera, a museum in the center of Mexico City which is entirely devoted to that mural and where one can sit on comfy couches and take it all in at one's leisure. That's the mural that features Frida Kahlo among numerous notable characters, along with the imaginary image created by Jose Guadalulpe Posada of La Catrina.


But one doesn't have to go to Mexico City to see amazing murals. One of my favorite places to take tourists in Morelia is the Palacio del Gobierno where Alfredo Zalce's murals cover the stairway (right) and practically the entire second floor...all a beautifully done history of Mexico, with special emphasis on Morelia, his birthplace. Above is part of the scene showing the Purepecha or Tarascan people in Michoacán.


If you go to Patzcuaro, you definitely have to check out the amazing Juan O'Gorman mural inside the public library off of the Plaza Chica.

For photos and more details of that:
http://knol.google.com/k/tracy-novinger/the-juan-ogorman-mural-in-patzcuaro/2uvydy8xw2i79/2#

I also enjoy seeing the stunning mosaic mural in the indigenous village of Santa Fe de la Laguna pictured above. It cries, "This community has said, enough!"
As we experience the racist, anti-immigrant, and all around hateful fear-mongering from the wing nuts on the right, I believe we all need to be shouting, ENOUGH!

For more images of murals and paintings by Rivera and Zalce:
www.diegorivera.com
www.zalce.com

Not My Michoacán

I opened up my ever-thinner San Francisco Chronicle yesterday morning and there was yet another warning for Americans to "avoid unnecessary travel" to Michoacán, Mexico. It has been a week since we said goodbye to Michoacan, and I have been so busy unpacking our treasures and doing mundane chores like laundry and paying bills, that I had forgotten how scary it must have been for us to be there---NOT! Even the Chicano customs agent at the New Mexico border crossing (who works every day at the border about 40 miles west of Ciudad Juarez) raised an eyebrow and commented that we were "very brave". Oh really? Has he ever been to Michoacán? No, he hasn't, nor have most of the people who report on or freely offer their opinions on the danger. Yes, it is different now. The first day we woke up in Mexico on our drive down this year, we turned on our hotel's TV for a bit of news and were shocked to hear about about a nation-wide attack that took place the night before in several cities, including Morelia where we were headed. We knew the targets of the narcos' very organized attack were federal police-- not us-- but still we were a bit freaked. After discussing our options for a few moments, we decided to continue on with caution.
What we found when we arrived was a different scene from the very familiar Avenida Madero we were used to walking: dozens of military personnel carriers with young guys holding M16s driving down the street. Did it make us pause? Absolutely. But other than that, there was no time when we felt concerned about our safety, or for the safety of our tourists for whom we were responsible.
We all had a wonderful time exploring Morelia, Patzcuaro and surrounding villages, such as Cuanajo where we all had a great time with our favorite weaver, Natividad and her family. (see right)
This post is not intended to be a comprehensive report on the Mexican drug wars, its causes and the solutions, but merely a perspective to counteract the exaggerations we are seeing in the U.S. media around the dangers of traveling in Mexico. If someone were to ask me if it is safe to travel in California, I would have to say that depends...where and when? Same goes for traveling in Mexico. One must always be aware, exercise caution, and use common sense. Does it look like the folks below are in danger? Mexico By Hand Art and Culture Tour group #1 had a great time this July cooking up a meal of chiles en nogada in the beautiful kitchen at the Meson de San Antonio in Patzcuaro. Sharry Hickey (seated below on the right--check out her cooking blog) was head chef and Doug and Holly Barrett (current elem. art teacher and former culinary student) were her sous chefs.













The artisans are hurting as a result of the reports, because tourism is definitely down. We felt good about being there, doing what we can to let people know that we are with them, and feel solidarity with the overwhelmingly good people of Mexico who are living with uncertainty about what the recent events (including the swine flu outbreak) will do to their future ability to make a living. We bought beautiful art from talented indigenous artisans who are greatful for the opportunity to sell it to anyone who comes by. Unfortunately, they are not coming by. Except for a few "brave" souls like the intrepid, Daulton Bush who came on our second tour this summer. Here's what she had to say:

"At age 67, I have traveled extensively on numerous trips throughout the United States, Europe and Mexico. I feel more safe strolling the streets of Mexico, day or night, than I do in the US and Europe. NOT ONCE on my recent Mexico By Hand tour to Michoacan did I experience even the slightest tinge of fear. Several days were spent in Morelia, a fairly large city, and I found, without exception, the people I met to be warm, friendly and accommodating. I was equally "at home" in Patzcuaro, a charismatic village with a charming populace. I think fear can be our worst enemy, and if one allows it to overtake the desire to experience other cultures, then there is a great loss of adventure and sharing with humanity. Life is what we make it!!!"

If you'd like to read more of Daulton's comments on the Mexico By Hand Art and Culture Tour, go to our website: www.mexicobyhand.com and see her testimonial. And if you would like to help Michoacán's artisans and their families and enrich your own life at the same time, you can purchase their art by going to our e-store at: www.mexicobyhand.com.

Santa Fe International Folk Art Market

It is a unique event...an amazing collection of some of the best folk art and crafts in the world. And we were there, exhibiting for the third time, and even with the sluggish economy, the crowds were huge! Teofila Servin (see photo) who embroiders scenes of life around Lake Patzcuaro and demonstrated in our booth, was thrilled with the entire event. Not only did she sell a lot of her work and that of the cooperative of women she represents, but she had the opportunity to meet and make friends with fellow artists from all over the planet.


The hammered copper by Roberto Castro Hernandez from Santa Clara del Cobre (below) was a big hit as well...we were sold out before noon on the second day. But we are buying more, which will be available for sale on our e-store at www.mexicobyhand.com.
For more photos and info. about the Folk Art Market, check out www.folkartmarket.org





Above, artist Teofila Servin signs her exhibition rebozo-- definitely the star of the collection.
For more info. on Teo and her work, see blog post of July 5th below. To purchase Teo's embroideries, check out www.mexicobyhand.com or write us at info@mexicobyhand.com

Rebozos!

Juana Cano Sebastian is the leader of a group of women in the remote Indigenous village of Turicuaro, Michoacan where they weave fine beautiful cotton rebozos, (shawls), napkins, and bedspreads on a backstrap loom. The photo on the left was taken when Juana delivered about three dozen rebozos to me that were ordered by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She traveled about an hour by combi (micro-bus) to meet us at our hotel, Meson de San Antonio in Patzcuaro, barefoot as usual, greeting me with her usual warm embrace. We placed our order with Juana and her daughters, who are also skilled weavers, a month before on our first visit to her village, which is located in a remote Michoacan valley that looked to us like our version of Paradise. Several friendly townspeople assisted us in our search for her house, and because it was the rainy season, the women were weaving inside. Normally the backstrap looms are tied to a tree in the patio. One of Juana's daughters is weaving below while two of Juana's grandchildren were running around outside.










Juana learned how to weave from her husband’s aunt, and then taught her daughter-in-law, Aurelia Martinez Vargas, and her daughters, Ana Luisa, Isidora, and Socorro. The women of Turicuaro, which has about 1,800 inhabitants, have been weaving fine rebozos similar to these for hundreds of year. The women soak the cotton yarn in a large tub of water mixed with “almidon” which is a corn starch. They rinse and dry it, and then form the yarn into balls. The Turicuaro weavers make rebozos with stripes, or solid color rebozos that are sometimes of the deshilado style, which means literally "un-threaded" but what we might call lacy or see-through. The intricate designs of flowers, bread, and chickens that are tied and created in the ends of the rebozos reflect the natural surroundings and daily life of the village. The work is delicate and beautiful ... it's mind boggling to me how they remember the pattern of the ancient designs.
I will be exhibiting a large selection of beautiful Turicuaro rebozos at the 2009 Santa Fe International Folk Art Market on July 11 & 12. For more info. on purchasing them, take a look at the TEXTILE pages of www.mexicobyhand.com.