News — artesania

Breaking news from Los Cabos, Mexico! I recently saw a story from the Cabo Sun Times that begins: "As you stroll along the sun-drenched Cabo San Lucas marina, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of colorful trinkets. But beneath the vibrant displays of sombreros, blankets, and painted skulls lies a growing issue that savvy travelers need to be aware of: __________." Okay readers-- what do you think it is?? Drugs? Cheap adulterated tequila? I myself was anxious to know what lies beneath the sombreros... Here it is: "...a huge number of these souvenirs are not authentic Mexican handicrafts, but...

For us Cinco de Mayo represents pride and respect for Latino culture, which of course includes the beautiful handmade Mexican art we are proud to share with you.

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,...

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.