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Collector's Corner, Part One |
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Living with folk art over the past 30 years has given me much respect and appreciation for the people who make it and their indigenous earth-based culture. I am honored to have been invited into the homes of so many of these folk artists, and I am constantly amazed at the beauty that they create in such humble abodes. Joy, beauty, and exuberance of color--these are the things that I love and delight in, and that I find in such abundance within the art. I also am inspired by the sacred dimension within folk culture: the home altars, the pilgrimages, the village ceremonies, and the earth-based spirituality blend of Catholicism that they celebrate. To be continued in June... |
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| Blanco Home | ||
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Our front porch started it all. We had expanded the existing porch considerably, and it was the reason our modest Blanco home got the remodel, as Charlie will tell anyone. "All I wanted was a comfortable shaded front porch." I, however, was certain that a porch roof would make our living room dark. So, an architect and many designs later--plus an outstanding contractor--results in the home you will see in the following photographs. Charlie and I both feel so fortunate and nurtured. Welcome to our Rio Blanco home. | |
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Nahuala, Guatemala carved bench with Totonicapan corte (skirt) fabric for the cushion. Texas rockers with Guatemalan fabric cushions. | |
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Old Texas country church door with Mexican colonial style door knocker. Aloe Vera plant keeps negative energy out of the home. | |
| Entrance | ||
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Large "Tree of Life" by Franciso Flores; pottery about 3 1/2 feet tall. Charlie & I got this for ourselves when we first got together as a couple almost 20 years ago. It is traditional for a couple to be given a "Tree of Life" by their godparents for their wedding. | |
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| Living Room | ||
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Jade green hand-woven Guatemalan fabric on couch with various Guatemalan pillows, red Colotenango corte (women's skirt) on back of couch. Blue embroidered Namibian pillow. Behind is a view of our dining room--a grand place to FEAST! | |
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Pinotepa Don Luis caracol, purple shellfish and indigo-dyed skirt on red chair. Oriental rug purchased by Charlie in Oman. | |
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Totonicapan corte fabric covered this wingback chair. Dolores Porras pottery in our fireplace--her traditional sirena platter and a curious bird with worm jug. Iron Guatemalan candle holders adorn the mantel on stone wall. | |
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Old Texas rocker with Guatemalan Almolonga corte fabric and pillow made from Todo Santo huipile. Traditional rug from Morocco. Solola man's Tzute with indigo dye from Guatemala. | |
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Here are some of my favorite pieces of smaller figures--half of the top shelf is devoted to Lacadon pottery from the jungles of Chiapas. These have a very old and primitive feel. All natural pigments are used to color these pieces and some even have the traditional Lacadon plant fiber clothing on. On the second shelf are the Josefina Aguilar "lovers", Isabel Castillo & Alfonso Castillo Catrinas, and to the far right is a fabulous piece--"novios" on a horse from the Misteca Costa Chica area of Oaxaca. | |
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Hatian Ve Ve, or Vodoo, Banners made by Yves Telemanc, the son of a vodoo hogan, or priest. The religion is a blend of African beliefs and Catholicism. | |
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Top shelf: San Juan Chamula Bull candle holder, and Zinen Fuentes tigre figure from early 1980's. Josefina Aguilar market woman on the right. 2nd shelf: Traditional Metepec pottery sirena, 80's vintage; Master Manuel Jimenez nagual wood carving; Quetzalcoatl snake by master Felipe Linares, 80's. Sirena by Coindo Melchor, early 90's. | |
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Left to right: Wooden coyote by Zinen Fuentes--early 80's; wooden jack rabbit by Pepe Santiago, late 80's to early 90's. Cat by Sergio Santos Cruz of La Union Tejalapan, Oaxaca. Monkey by young master Miguel Santiago, mid-80's. Two African guinea hens in background, Namibia. Bottom shelf: Isabel Castillo angels & nativity, and a Josefina Aguilar canoa. | |
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Lacquer and painted chest from Olinala Guerrero, traditional motifs in the pictures. Large chest in middle of room is made from reclaimed teak from Indonesia. | |
| Dining Room | ||
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Top shelf: Master woodcarver Isidoro Cruz devil collected in the early 80's; beside him is a pottery Virgen of Guadalupe by Enedina Vasquez and traditional Quiche Mayan candle holders. Lower shelf: Alfonso & Marta Castillo pottery "tree of life". According to Marta, this is one of their first early works in the the late 1960's. Mam Caiman alligator; carved wood by master carver Gabina Reyes and a sirena by him. | |
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Charlie and I purchased the wool rug under the dining table in Albania. Sequined Vodoo Banner and framed Molas from San Blas Islands of Panama. Green Michoacan candle holder, and "La Tehuana" pottery woman by Guillermina Aguilar, about 32 inches tall. | |
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Large (four feet tall) pottery market woman by Jose Antonio Garcia with traditional chicken jarra (water pitcher) by master folk artist Guillermina Aguilar. | |
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Master artist Salvador Vasquez pottery: highly burnished Tonala plate with peasant lifestyle depicted | |
| Master Suite | ||
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Rug purchased by Charlie in Oman. | |
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Another rug from Oman, and equipale sofa upholstered in Guatemalan fabric. | |
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Our master bedroom leads onto a screened-in sleeping porch. The doors are antique Mexican. | |
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Stately San Blas Atempa woman, from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec--a functional water cooler. Atzompa frog & a large Atzompa pot with a green glaze by the door. | |
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Old screen door looks out onto a fabulous grandmother oak tree. | |
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Hatian iron sun | |
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The rooster is from Haiti, and the Guadalupe is from Guerrero | |
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Master wood carver Coindor Melcho bird woman Nagual from San Martin Tilcajete; Skeleton toy (on the right) from the late Felipe Gomez of Oaxaca--he died a few years ago at the age of 96 or so. He was a fabulous toy maker. Older Mexican print of an elegant Mayan Yucatan woman (top left), and African brass sculptures. African fertility goddess from Ghana (bottom left). Novios (bride and groom) from the Mixteca Costa Chica, Pinotepa Don Luis; and Kuan Yin, goddess of compassion. | |
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Top left are older Barrio de La Luz, Puebla face pitchers, and Olinala Guerrero lacquered gourd. Lower shelf houses Huichole Indian sacred art, made with beads pressed into beeswax, an old Shamans hat, gourd rattle and several gourd offering bowls. There is also a double-headed eagle plaque and an adorned mask. | |
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Nagual drummer sirena by Abad Xuanna of San Martin Tilcajete--one of a group of master carvers who started carving wood figures in the 1970's. In the middle is a tin rattle--maraca--used in the Valley of Oaxaca in ceremonial dances. The Catrina is by Concepcion Aguilar. | |
| Master Bath | ||
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La Sirena corner with old stained glass and older set of windows installed. On either side of the top window are two old Mexican indigenous women prints. | |
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The large mermaid is by the master folk artist Jose Antonio Garcia, of Ocotlan. On the window sill is a Metepec sirena from the late 60's and a Josefina Aguilar sirena. The snake is from Guerrero, Mexico. | |
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Jose Antonio Garcia is in the Masters of Mexican Folk Art book. Sadly, his glaucoma was not treated early enough and his sight is gone. The Guadelupe Virgin to the sirena's left was a gift from Sarapio Medrano. The hand is called "Intuition" and is a lithograph by Laura Schultz of San Antonio. | |
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Beautiful Teotitlan Zapotec hand-spun wool rug by Lazaro Montaņo. The beautiful sarapes and textiles were my introduction to an in-depth appreciation of Mexican folk art. | |
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Gorky Gonzalez hand-painted tiles and frog pitcher used as a toothbrush holder. Carved wooden dog lamp with Oaxacan hand-punched tin shade. | |
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Gorky Gonzalez hand-painted Talavera tile with Dolores Hidalgo tile soap holder. | |
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Our large walk-in shower room that our architect, Neal Morton, is famous for. | |
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Hand-painted Talavera Gorky Gonzalez accent tiles. | |
| To Be Continued in June...
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Do you know someone who loves folk art? CLICK HERE to send them a copy of this email and automatically enter them into the drawing!
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El Interior |
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