News — artesania
Quality Matters
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Traditional Crafts and Folk Art--direct from the artisans
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There are a lot of tongues wagging, and rightfully so, about the cultural appropriation (ripping off) of traditional textile designs created by indigenous artisans in Mexico. I am angry and concerned, and also alarmed by what's happening in the Mexican crafts world in general, due to globalization. While you as a customer can find more and more online shops professing to carry items "handmade in Mexico”, beware that there is no way to verify such a claim. No one is policing the internet-- whether it's articles on Facebook about a political candidate or a cute Etsy store selling inexpensive "peasant" blouses. Yuck,...
Capula Pottery: A Closer Look
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Artisans in Capula sell thousands of quickly produced pieces like the ones in these photos every week (cazuelas, bean pots, plates and bowls) because it’s traditional and VERY inexpensive. What a lot of people don’t realize is that there are artisans in Capula who create similar pottery for cooking and serving food, pero es otra cosa--it's a whole other thing. Their work is definitely not ordinary, and “charming” doesn’t even begin to describe it.
The Magic of Color
It’s been raining gatos y perros in California, or as they say in Michoacán— lloviendo a cántaros (raining buckets). We’re very lucky at my house to have views of trees and ferns, so it’s not a totally gray scene as we gaze out our windows in search of blue skies. But now during this wet winter I especially appreciate our colorful walls and Mexican folk art that have created a cheerful space— despite the dreary weather. As someone who is happier when the sun is shining, I understand that many people feel depressed or lethargic when experiencing weeks or months...
Mila's Mask, a new bilingual children's book about Mexican folk art and crafts!
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A new children's book by Mexico By Hand's founder Peggy Stein. Mila's Mask/ La Máscara de Mila is the story of a little girl in the United States who spends a great deal of time at her grandparent's house which is full of colorful Mexican folk art.