Sometimes people wonder— why Michoacán? How come you keep going to that part of Mexico to buy artesanía and don’t branch out to other states, e.g. Oaxaca or Chiapas? My answer for the last 20 years has been— because there is SO much beautiful art created there and folks still need to learn about it. I also tell people that Michoacán is the most artistic place in the world. I say it because I truly believe it, and now there is some real evidence that what I’m saying is true.
This past week Mexico’s Secretary of Culture and FONART (the country’s national fund for promotion of crafts) recognized a record number of artisans from Michoacán (more awards than any other Mexican state in their 2024 competition. A Michoacán artisan was awarded the top prize (the Premio Galardon) for the second year in a row. And our friend Herlinda Morales Jeronimo was awarded the Premio a la Trayectoria for her many contributions to the field of Mexican crafts, as well as for her teaching and contributions to the community. Herlinda creates beautiful black candelabras like the ones pictured here.You can read more about her in this blogpost. https://mexico-by-hand.myshopify.com/blogs/news/news-from-michoacan
Then just a week later, 8 artisans from Michoacán were prize winners at the 47th “Premio Nacional de Ceramicá” (national pottery competition) in Tonalá, Mexico. Some of you may recognize one of Mexico By Hand’s favorites, Adelaida Pascual Gonzalez of Ocumicho. She won a prize for her scene of an avocado orchard and processing plant, which we saw in her home workshop just three weeks ago when we visited her.
María Belem de la Cruz Torres of Capula (the wife of another friend, Fernando Arroyo) won the highest honor in the category of lead-free pottery for the pieces below.
And our friend Elvia Silva Bartolo of Zipiajo (below) was awarded the Premio a la Trayectoria Artesanal for her huge body of work and contribution to the community of craftswomen and craftsmen.
Over the years we have seen the remarkable talent and creativity of the above mentioned artisans (and so many others) and it is gratifying to see them recognized and awarded the highest honors given to craftspeople in Mexico— a country with so many talented artisans. We did not know when we were there last month that they would be receiving these prizes, but because we have always believed in them and felt our customers would appreciate their work, we bought what we could. Some of their pieces are actually inside the boxes pictured below that are arriving this week! We are honored to know these remarkable women, and we celebrate their achievements. Bravo!
