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Olinala Lacquerware |
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For centuries before the Spaniards arrived
in Mexico, the village of Olinala was famous for the production of
lacquerware. Here deep in the desolate and rugged mountains of central
Guererro, artisans perfected the technique of lacquering wood and gourds
with locally-mined minerals and dyes to create classic art works. The road to Olinala is not for the faint-hearted; only a portion of the 35 kilometers from the not-so-main highway is paved. Rounding the crest of a 7,000 foot mountain, the town below looks deceptively close, but it takes almost an hour to navigate the rutted, hairpin switchbacks to finally arrive at the village plaza. Since so few travelers ever come to Olinala because of inaccessibility, there is no indication that it is the hemisphere's most important lacquer center. This becomes evident only by walking through the village and peering into doorways to see the prodigious volume of work going on in the homes. Every conceivable type of wood product, from bed frames, boxes, chests, to serving trays, are fashioned from the fragrant linaloe wood which grows in the area. Once the woodwork is complete, chia seed oil is applied and white dolomite powder is brushed on with delicate, deer-tail brush to form the base layer. This is left to dry for a few hours and then every inch of the surface is burnished - rubbed with a smooth stone - until the powder as been pressed into the oily surface. The piece is then set aside and allowed to dry for at least two weeks. The process is repeated with another layer, but this time the base color or oak charcoal (if black) is added to the dolomite dust before being hand burnished over the first layer. When the final number of colored layers have been applied, the exterior design is drawn on the piece, using a thorn inserted in the tip of a turkey feather. Once the design has been etched, the positive image remains, and negative parts of the layer are scraped away exposing the color of the next layer, until the final finish is achieved. This is extremely tedious and exacting work, which necessitates scratching away and lifting minute portions of the surface. The Olinala surface is vigorously hand-rubbed with lacquer and left to dry. The piece is now ready to be painted with additional decoration (Dorado Technique) and carefully washed, dried and waxed. Despite its delicate appearance, Olinala lacquerware is durable and long-lasting. If you are fortunate enough to have a piece, it can best be protected by washing with dishwashing soap and a soft cotton cloth. Dry the piece thoroughly with a soft towel, then apply carnuba or natural tree wax and rub to a high sheen. |
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Olinala boxes, assorted sizes & colors |
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Olinala boxes, assorted sizes & colors |
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Olinala tables, assorted sizes & colors |
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Olinala tables, assorted sizes & colors |
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El Interior |
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