 Only 13 days until the Feria! Guadalupe Hermisillo Escobar of Chiapas preserves a fading folk art tradition by continuing to hand forge a unique form of religious art; rooftop wrought-iron crosses. The crosses display a wide mix of both Christian and indigenous symbols.
From a distance as you enter San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, you can see the uniformity of the roofs and their curved red tiles, adorned with great crosses of iron or bronze and decorated with roosters, suns, moons, and more. But you don’t have to go to Chiapas to find the famed Iron Crosses. The artist is coming to the Feria this year for the first time! He is joining more than 60 other artists from all over Mexico at the 8th annual Feria Maestros del Arte, an annual indigenous market and Mexican folk art show held November 13 to 15, 2009 at the Club de Yates de Chapala, Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico. Hours are 10 am to 5 pm on Friday and Saturday and 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday.
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Meet the Maestros in person  Guadalupe employs techniques introduced by the Spaniards in the 1500s. He produces iron crosses that are most commonly used as decorative house blessings. The crosses were first used as a show of religious fervor and as a symbol of the Passion of Christ during Holy Week. He began this work about 15 years ago in his workshop which is also his family home. There he begins by heating the metal in a forge, then hammering it over an anvil (different shaped anvils produce different shaped products). This is a slow and physically demanding process. Traditionally when a roof cross or Cruces de Casa is completed it is installed on the ridgepole at a roof-raising. The house blessing protects the home and its inhabitants.
to read about all the artists attending this year |
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The Miracle of Mata Ortiz  Lydia Quezada Celado de Talavera is the youngest sister of the renowed Juan Quezada of Mata, Ortiz, Chihuahua (featured in the book, "The Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art." Her husband, Rito, is an expert at firing the incredible thin-walled pottery made so famous by Juan Quezada.
Lydia and Rito have added their own innovative creativity to their pottery. In 1996, they discovered how to make pots with three shades of black using the regional natural clays of Mata Ortiz. They carry on an indigenous tradition that dates back hundreds of years and you can meet them in person in November at the Feria.
Nearly 400 of the 2,000 inhabitants of Mata Ortiz are now producing pottery, slowly transforming the community from one of impoverishment to one of economic stability. Every stage of production of the pottery is done completely by hand, and each one-of-a-kind piece is purchased directly from the potter. Raw clay and pigment for the pots and paints are collected from the rich deposits found in surrounding hills and valleys. The potter's hand's form the pots, the hair of children is used to make the paint brushes, and the firing is done in the back yard with wood and cow dung as the fuel.
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Nearly a lost art
Enriqueta Cenobio Calixto and Juvenal Bernardino Gómez create beautiful Mazahua miniature embroidery. They come from a Mazahua village in the State of Mexico and are one of the last families in Mexico that produce the Mazahua miniature embroidery.
Enriqueta learned embroidery from her mother, who taught her when she was nine years old. She was so interested in it, that while she cared for the animals as they pastured, she made miniature designs on the rebozo she wore every day. Finally, her mother felt her work was worthy and she was given a piece of cloth measuring 80 x 40 centimeters - Enriqueta spent months working on the piece. The embroidery technique that Enriqueta and Juvenal use is done with two needles, as they simultaneously work with two different tones of thread, generally black and red or black and blue, which is the typical Mazahua style. Most of the designs come from the patterns that the family of Enriqueta has been designing over generations. However, as Enriqueta and Juvenal also include their own designs - they have been working on art pieces that include various colors of thread.
Award Winning Artists
Enriqueta and Juvenal have obtained numerous prizes throughout the years. On several occasions, they have obtained the Gran Premio de Arte Popular, one of the main awards granted in Mexico. Come meet these award-winning artists at the Feria this year.
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We need more Hosts for the Artists
We still need a couple hosts for artists that are coming to the Feria. Do you have a spare room? You can help the Feria by hosting one of the visiting artists. This year more than 60 artists are expected and they need places to stay. Hosting is enriching: "It's wonderful to have these people open their hearts to you when you open your homes to them." Contact Brenda Pierce, Hosting Coordinator at 766 4127 or email her at Dirtdigger08@hotmail.com for more details.
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Feria Maestros del Arte's website www.mexicoartshow.com gives information on all aspects of the Feria. Each artist has their own webpage allowing you to read about them and see examples of their work before you meet them at the show. If you are interested in volunteering or have questions, contact Marianne Carlson at (376) 765-7485, email mariannecarlson@gmail.com, or Donna Williams at (376) 765-5937, email wms.donna@gmail.com.
Go here to see video of the Feria: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=feria+maestros+del+arte&search_type=&aq=f
If you haven't already, now would be a good time to add Feria_Maestros_del_Arte@mail.vresp.com to your email address book to ensure you will continue to receive news of the Feria.
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