San_Martin_Tilcajete Alebrije

large alebrije outside shop in san martin tilcajete

of 3 major carving towns, san martin tilcajete has experience success. success due carver isidro cruz, learned carve when thirteen during long illness in late 1940s. work sold locally , noticed tonatiúh gutierrez, director of expositions mexican national tourist council, later government agency in charge of promoting crafts. encouraged cruz carve masks , later appointed him in charge of state craft buying center. cruz worked @ 4 years, learning craft selling , getting others tilcajete connected market. unlike other carvers, cruz open techniques , late 1970s, ten men carving , selling in tilcajete. cruz not taught methods others, able purchase many of neighbors’ works. cruz’s efforts stimulated new styles of carving, such alebrijes, , sale in city of oaxaca. 1980s, there 4 families devoted carving full-time, rest splitting time between crafts , agriculture. through 1960s , 1980s, embroidered shirts, blouses , dresses still well-received craft tilcajete, end of 1980s, families involved in carving alebrijes.

today, carving of alebrijes economic base of tilcajete. every friday on main square “tianguis del alebrije” or weekly market selling wooden figures. event allows visitors purchase items local craftsmen directly. there vendors selling other local products such ice cream well. annually, municipality holds feria del alebrije (alebrije festival), features alebrije sales , exhibitions, music, dance , theatre. there offerings of local , regional cuisine. more 100 vendors attend, selling alebrijes, textiles, local dishes, artwork , locally made alcoholic beverages. sponsored master craftsmen group of tilcajete (grupo de maestros talladoes de tilcajete), includes hedilberto olivera, emilia calvo, roberta Ángeles, juventino melchor, martin melchor, margarito melchor fuentes, margarito melchor santiago, josé olivera pérez, jesús melchor garcía, inocente vásquez, maría jiménez, cira ojeda, jacobo , maría Ángeles, justo xuana, victor xuana, rene xuana, abad xuana, flor , ana xuana, rogelio alonso, works in paper maiche , doris arellano, painter.

some of better known artisans in tilcajete include delfino gutierrez, sisters ana , marta bricia hernandez, family of efrain , silvia fuentes, coindo melchor, margarito melchor , maria jimenez. delfino gutierrez specializes in free-form elephants, frogs, turtles, armadillos , more sold in stores in chicago, california, new york , israel. hernandez sisters sell home , known painting style. fuentes family gained fame efrain’s carving talents. featured in exhibit in santa fe, nm when 13 , work has been featured in @ least 1 book. margarito melchor specializes in cats, , coindo melchor carves elaborate ox teams bulls, driver, , cart filled animals , crops creatures have been described “bird headed women.” maria jimenez , brothers specialize in saints , angels animals. maria best known painter in oaxacan community. says has thirty designs has developed carvings, many of related when made embroidered dresses.

the successful artisan jacobo angeles, work have been prominently displayed @ smithsonian , national museum of mexican art in chicago. can found in numerous museums, art colleges , galleries in world. jacobo learned carve father when twelve, , later mentored elders in , other communities. while alebrijes designs have been innovative , incorporating modern elements, angeles family’s designs focus on representations of zapotec culture. can seen in painted designs, based on influences such friezes of mitla, , other ancient symbols continued use in aniline paints made natural ingredients such bark of copal tree, baking soda, lime juice, pomegranate seeds, zinc, indigo, huitlacoche , cochineal. each year, jacobo travels united states promote oaxacan folk art in general educational institution speaker @ art institutions.