Feria Maestros del Arte: a mosaic of logistics

Arrival day

Sometimes it’s hard to fathom what a complex mosaic putting the Feria together is. 

First, there is the issue of finding 85 of the best folk art artisans from all over Mexico. Do they have enough inventory? Are they using authentic folk art methods and materials? Do we have the right mix of types of folk art to make the attendees happy? 

Setting up

 is a must

Variety

Three buses which bring most of the artisans from Chiapas, Michoacán, and Oaxaca have to be organized, but there’s still the issue of reimbursing the expenses of people who have to take commercial buses or drive themselves.  Organizing and matching up local hosts with the artisans is a major, behind-the-scenes logistical endeavor involving sleeping quarters, food, transportation to and from the Feria … and, of course, the language issues. Add to that the details the financial folks have to anticipate and you have a constantly shifting and positively mind-boggling challenge.

What seems like a creative endeavor often feels more like spreadsheet madness. Even the crew of volunteers who make the colorful, decorative flowers have to know how many poles each tent has so they know how many flowers to make and what size they should be.

As chief organizer, board member Donna Williams spends weeks mapping out which artisan will be in which tent, dealing with requests from artists, some who need to be in the sun so their work shows well, and some who don’t want to be in the sun for the same reason. She has to anticipate the crowds and how they will flow through the different types of art, as well as the entertainment and food areas. Even the signage for the event as well as for each artisan and tent are planned out far in advance.

All of this made it interesting to follow the discussion when a well-meaning person suggested moving the Feria from the Chapala Yacht Club. Donna was kind enough to provide the history and thought process that went into choosing the venue for an event of this magnitude. This is the story she tells:

The first 2 years of the Feria, there were only 12-13 artists and the event was held in a conference room at the Hotel Real de Chapala. The third year there were around 20 artists at La Joya del Lago in a tent next to the parking lot with lots of dust! Then for 3 years it was at La Huerta on the west side of town where the Tuesday market is now held..  That venue could host about 40 artists and was a satisfactory location...but it was a bit dark inside and parking was limited. Also crossing the busy Carretera was sometimes risky! 

Mariachis welcome attendees on the first day

 The following year, we were looking for more space for more artists and planned everything for the Club de Yates in Ajijic.  All those plans went askew at the end of August that year, after all plans and invitations were pretty complete, when we were notified that we could only be there Monday thru Friday...no weekend! 

Space for entertainment and a fashion show

 That, of course, wouldn’t work and it sent Donna scrambling all over the lakeside area for a venue big enough for 85 artists and with enough parking to handle the crowds of attendees. She looked at the following spaces:

1.  Chapala Train Station...beautiful site but way too small for us and has no way for us to provide nighttime security.

2 . Tobolandia...many steps and multiple levels...lots of walking and not easily assessible for some of the older population...

3. Hotel Real de Chapala…the only area large enough and available for 3-day event (4 if you include the set up day for tents and artists) was the soccer field down below and behind the hotel...again, limited access and parking.

4. Nuns property in lower Chula Vista...pretty grounds but no facilities and very limited parking.

5. La Huerta...would have to separate artists inside and out plus the previous mentioned problems.

6. A private event site in Riberas del  Pilar on the lakefront…$25,000 pesos per day!  

Beautiful facilities for beautiful art

Just when it was beginning to look impossible, Donna’s housekeeper told her about the Club de Yates de Chapala. Donna made a few calls and met the Commodore who was extremely helpful and wanted to have a community event that they could help support.  When she saw the beautiful grounds, green grass, trees, and amazingly gorgeous views as well as space for food, sufficient bathrooms, dressing rooms, security and parking, she knew she had found a home for the Féria! 

The Board agreed that it was the perfect venue to show off the beautiful folk art that the Féria was known for. Then a few years ago, the Club de Yates board decided they wanted the Feria annually as a community support event, so the Feria now has a permanent home on a beautiful site.

Put it all together and the Feria is a happy place.

Donna Williams and founder, Marianne Carlson

Megacable Feria bags

Once again, the bright, colorful bags from Megacable will be part of the Feria! Thank you Megacable for your generous support ... and for helping us save our planet.

Board Member: Guillermina (Gay) Perez-Vargas

From María Sántiz Nuñez, Chiapas

Feria board member Gay Perez-Vargas studied law and works as a Legal Translator appointed by the Jalisco Supreme Court. She has lived most of her life in Guadalajara and is the youngest of six children. She is married with two great children and spends almost every weekend in Chapala, which she loves.

While Gay has been around folk art all her life, she was introduced to the Feria through the Chapala Yacht Club. She was prompted to join the board when she realized that artisans would be able to sell their work directly to folk art lovers without paying an intermediary. 

Hosting: a priceless experience

“I love the idea that the people who buy the art also learn the stories and artisans of every piece," she states. "Another wonderful and unique part of the Feria is that local people can become hosts to the artisans. It is just a priceless experience.”

From Juan Toribio from Oaxaca

Gay describes the Feria as a three-day party where people get involved for different reasons, but wind up being united by a common goal: the folk art, artisans, and Mexico’s culture. “Each Feria is special,” she states, “and every year it gets better and better!”

She remembers the opening of last year’s Feria when a mariachi band played as the long line of attendees entered the grounds. “It was very emotional to see all the people who would be enjoying a whole year of the artisan's work! Tears came to my eyes.”

While Gay loves all forms of folk art, she confesses, “Blouses are my vice. I get a few each year, and other little things here and there."

A Victory for Mexican Folk Art

Liverpool stores* to sell dolls made by artisans in Querétaro.

The Liverpool department store chain is going to sell artisanal rag dolls made by the indigenous people of Amealco, Querétaro.

The store has agreed to carry the products following months of negotiations that started in December, when customers complained that Liverpool stores were selling cheap knock-off dolls of Chinese manufacture.

Querétaro Sustainable Development Secretary Marco Prete Tercero announced that the sale of the dolls, known locally as pachas and throughout Mexico as Muñecas Marías, will start in September, without specifying the stores that will carry them.

Residents of Amealco have traditionally created their dolls by hand, spending anywhere from two to seven days to complete each one. They sell for up to 500 pesos (just over US $25).

The state has also decided to further protect the Amealco dolls by declaring them cultural intangible heritage, a declaration that will take place at a ceremony on August 15 in the Constitución Plaza of Amealco. Click here to read the full story

• Liverpool, is a mid-to-high end retailer which operates the largest chain of department stores in Mexico, operating 23 shopping malls including Perisur and Galerías Monterrey. Its 85 department stores comprise 73 stores under the Liverpool name and 22 stores under the Fábricas de Francia name. It also operates 6 Duty Free stores and 27 specialized boutiques.

What to Expect Coming to Lake Chapala for the Feria

by Marianne Carlson

We’re all getting excited about another great year at the Feria. Let me tell you a little about the beautiful area where the Feria is held each year — Chapala, Mexico.

There are somewhere between 17-20,000 foreigners living in the greater Guadalajara area. Guadalajara is the second largest city in Mexico — Lake Chapala is 60 miles south and is the largest natural lake in Mexico. The area has grown to be one of the most popular expat colonies in North America.

Living in Mexico is a pleasure and a privilege. One of the things you notice first about this area is the friendly people who greet you with a "Buenos dias!" and a big smile. When you walk down the street, people make eye contact and smile.

Is it safe to come to Mexico for Feria Maestros del Arte? I have lived at Lake Chapala for 20 years and feel safer here than I did living in California. I walk down the streets at night and have never once, in all these years, felt unsafe. The Mexican people have an excellent value system, and they are warm and welcoming.

Unfortunately, Hollywood and the media have created an entire misconception about safety and crime in Mexico. Certainly, in major cities like Mexico City and Guadalajara, like all major cities in the world — you should use caution and common sense. And yes, we do have theft, but usually without bodily harm. By nature, Mexicans are not violent people. They are polite, warm-hearted, and will always offer a helping hand.

On the world stage for crimes of all varieties, the U.S. ranks #22, with 88 crimes reported per 1,000 people. In comparison, Mexico ranks #46, with 3 times less crime than the U.S. as reported by nationmaster.com. 

You’ll see children, well past dark, playing openly in the streets and in the evening, people are everywhere; many sitting on their front steps, the plaza bursting with activity and everyone gives you an instant big smile and a lovely “Buenos noches,” (Good evening). This is not only charming and a real sense of life and living, but also makes me feel very much part of a safe environment.

In addition to being a safe place to live and visit, Lake Chapala is a beautiful area and considered to have one of the three best climates in the world. The flowers you see every day are exquisite. Mexico is vibrant and alive with color and so much creativity and talent.

And what do we eat here at Lake Chapala — anything you want! The variety of restaurants will amaze you — Greek, Italian, French, German, Chinese, International, Argentinean, Mexican and more. Eating out here is extremely affordable, the variety is immense, everything is close by and it becomes a wonderful way to socialize.

So, in a nutshell, come to Feria Maestros del Arte, feel safe while visiting, and enjoy a beautiful corner of the world. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at mariannecarlson@gmail.com and I will return your email promptly. Also, watch a video about the Feria, illustrating what you can expect from the event. Hope to see YOU in November!

Otomi Embroidery: the next textile trend to watch

Otomi by Tonani Lirio de Los Valles

 For thousands of years, Mexicans have created colorful textiles, which originally identified the maker’s village or ethnic group. Otomi embroidery became popular in the 1960s, when a severe drought forced farmers to find new sources of income. The Otomi people live in the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains in the central state of Hidalgo. 

Legend has it that the prints’ figures, birds, and animals were inspired by nearby cave drawings. The juxtaposition of negative and positive space makes the patterns appear graphic and modern, especially in monochromatic versions. Native artists draw all flora and fauna by hand, never using stencils. The typical menagerie includes animals like armadillos, roosters, squirrels, and deer. 

All images are hand drawn, using no stencils.

Florencia Hernández Rios and her daughter, Rosa González Hernández, work under the name of Tonani Lily of the Valleys. They are from an Otomí region that borders Hidalgo where the same dialect is spoken, and at the same time live in a pueblo where Nahuatl is spoken. This is why their town has a combination of two embroidery techniques.

In their community of approximately 200 people, the economic situation was very precarious. Women with the desire to support their families began embroidering Otomí tablecloths. Seeing this need, Rosa began to study dressmaking to give the group yet another avenue to support their families. She worked alone for one year to make her first collection. Many did not believe in her project, but she clung to her roots and her conviction, and with great effort, won First Place in the Pahuatlán Semana Santa Consurso (judged art show) 2008. Winning this award inspired the group to continue their work, continually improving the items they made.

Today, Tonani supports more than 50 women artisans, who share Rosa’s goal to continue promoting culture through their clothing and inspire clients with the joy of color and the magic of their fanciful Mexican prints. Vogue magazine has suggested Otomi might be the “next textile trend to watch.”

Otomi by Tonani Lirio de Los Valles

Unfortunately, the Otomi style has become so popular that it has been copied and reproduced by factories in China and India. When you buy from Florencia and Rosa, you are buying items crafted by the women of Tonani and the spirit and beauty of the Otomi people.

The mystery of pineapple pots

Pineapple pots by Hilario Alejos

Did you ever wonder why pineapple pots, one of the most popular of Mexican folk arts, 

come primarily from a place where pineapples don’t grow?

Pineapple pots are particularly popular because pineapples have long been a symbol of warmth, welcome, friendship and hospitality. But how did pineapples get linked to hospitality?

The magazine Southern Living tells this legend about pineapples:

The sea captains of New England traded among the Caribbean Islands, returning to the colonies bearing their heavy cargoes of spices, rum, and a selection of fruits, which sometimes included pineapples.  According to the legend, the captain would drop anchor in the harbor and see to his cargo and crew. Once his work was done, he would head home, stopping outside his house to spear a pineapple on a fence post. This would let his friends know of his safe return from sea. The pineapple was an invitation for them to visit, share his food and drink, and listen to tales of his voyage.

As early as 1613, the Shirley Plantation of Virginia, a bastion of Southern hospitality, featured a pineapple finial atop its roof.

But, how did pineapples come to be part of the Mexican folk art scene? Some say they didn’t start out as pineapples … they were pine cones. Early buyers of the attractive pots thought they were pineapples and started calling them pineapple pots. Over time, the makers of the pots went along with the name and started making them look even more like pineapples.

Pineapple pots by Hilario Alejos

Hilario Alejos, is a featured artist in the beautiful "Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art" book published by Fomento Cultural Banamex and will be showing his work at Feria 2018. Keep in mind that these decorative pots start when a group of men with picks and shovels extract large chunks of clay which is put into sacks and brought back to the Michoacán village on the backs of burros or mules.

This is the raw material with which Hilario Alejos Madrigal creates his celebrated pineapple pots with their bright green glaze. Hilario’s work stands out for its dintinctive handcrafted appliqué work. He learned the secrets of working with clay from his mother, Elisa Madrigal Martínez, creator of the famous pineapples of Carapan.

In the beginning, they produced handmade utilitarian pieces but were drawn to creating more elaborate objects. Hilario and his wife, Audelia, began to fabricate new figures which they entered in diverse competitions. 

Outstanding are the ornamental pineapples, elaborated with techniques of appliqué and openwork, and whose production requires exceptional skill and mastery. Here is a brief video featuring Hilario.

Pineapple pots by Hilario Alejos

So, they may have started out as pine cones, but they are now, officially, a beautiful symbol of the hospitality and warmth of your home.

More about pineapples here.