Boundaries of Folk Art: Manuel de la Peña

Hand-cut paper art by Manuel de la Peña

Every year the Feria artist selection committee grapples with the definition of folk art as it considers the artisans to be chosen. The broad criteria the selection committee has used for years include:

• First consideration is the merit/quality of the work as well as the artist's ability to continue producing it and to create a lifetime body of work.
• Art that has been in the same family for generations is of particular interest.
• Cooperatives that benefit more than one artist’s family are sought out and invited to participate.
• Folk art using natural materials and ancient traditions are prized.
• Pieces of modern design or intended for tourism will be avoided.

Catrina by Alvaro de la Cruz

Occasionally, however, folk art breaks through its boundaries of indigenous, utilitarian or decorative items of daily life. It has happened before. One example sprouted roots in the ground of the Aztec death goddess, Mictecacihuatl, and blossomed in the early 1900s, when a poor printmaker responded to the political times with an image that eventually launched a thousand faces of Catrina, possibly the most popular image in Mexico, other than that of the Virgen of Guadalupe herself. (More about Jose Guadalupe Posada and the story of Catrina here.)

Alebrije by
Enrique Fabián Ortega

Another more recent example is that of the alebrijes, reportedly evolving from a dream that changed Mexican art forever as these painted fantasy creatures became the most popular form of Mexican folk art. (For more about the story of Pedro Linares and his dream, click here.)

The commitment of the Feria is to bring together in one place, the best artisans of Mexican folk art. Part of the fun of that endeavor is finding exciting young artists who push the boundaries of folk art. 

Hand-cut paper art by Manuel de la Peña

One example of a young, innovative artist who is stretching the boundaries of folk art is Manuel de la Peña, whose intricate, hand cut paper art honors the traditions and imagery of Mexico.

Manuel also recreates a lost art form from the Aztecs: chaneques (masks) inspired by the legendary, sprite-like creatures and elemental forces and guardians of nature from Mexican folklore. These beings would attack intruders, frightening them so that their soul would abandon their body, which the chaneques enclosed in the depth of the land. If the victim did not recover their soul through a specific ritual, he or she would become ill and die soon after.

Manuel de la Peña chaneque (mask)

See more about Manuel and his art here.

Feria and the Children's Art Program

Javier Zaragoza in his studio at Constitución 50

Back when Ajijic had one doctor, one plumber and a grade school that only went to the fourth grade, there was a young boy who got scolded for drawing soldiers in his school books.

That’s the story that Javier Zaragosa shared at the beginning of his talk at the Ajijic Society of the Arts (ASA) meeting. “My father was a fisherman,” he said, and with brimming eyes, he added that he might have become one also except his path was interrupted by a woman from Mississippi.

Javier is a master painter and muralist in the Lake Chapala area, thanks to the mentorship of Neill James, often described as the “godmother of Ajijic.” She changed the lives of many through her philanthropic work and continues to improve the lives of locals and expats through the work of the Lake Chapala Society (LCS), which she founded and left her house and grounds to. Her fingerprints linger throughout the community in the many charitable efforts she initiated and continues to inspire.

One of her programs was the Children’s Art Program, begun in 1954 and now sponsored by the Lake Chapala Society. This is where Javier began studying at age seven and was also one of the first of Neill James’ students to be sent on scholarship to San Miguel de Allende to further his art studies. The program continues to offer 50 - 100 local students time, materials and guidance every Saturday at LCS, where widely recognized artists such as Javier, and Jesús López Vega join artists from the Ajijic Society of the Arts and visiting artists who offer the students demonstrations and guidance. 

Manuel de la Peña with students

 On one Saturday, Manuel de la Peña, a paper-cutting artist from Guadalajara demonstrated natural dyes to the children who were fascinated that insects could produce such rich colors. Manuel will be a featured artist at the Feria Maestros del Arte which has a long standing relationship with the Children’s Art Program.

Paper art

Every year, the Feria sponsors an art contest for all the children in the Children’s Art Program with cash prizes for the winners and also co-sponsors the Children’s Art Camp.

The theme this year for the contest, and the Feria, is the “Colors of Nature.” In addition to the students’ art entries, there will be workshops, demonstrations and lectures about colors used by the artisans and especially the use of natural dyes.

Art Student