mexican wall plates

Six-sided stars float inside a green and yellow hexagon to center a bright nierika, or votive beadwork "painting" by Kupihaute. Dancing butterflies surround the image in his composition, which takes the shape of a flower with five wide petals.

The artisan, who writes fluently in the Huichol, Nahuatl, Spanish and English languages, talks about this work in his own words. "This nierika/mirror is showing the children of the community in their initiation dance around the peyote-fire. In the ecstasy of their transformation, they become butterflies flying to Wirikuta, the peyote fields in the desert, listening to the thousand-year-old voices of our ancestors. They are singing and dancing, giving new life to their feet drawing arcane symbols on the ground, representing our vital path in the new annual cycle of all the people in the community."

The intricate images are formed with tiny seed beads. Kupihuate patiently places them one at a time with a needle made of abalone shell onto a huanacaxtle wood backing. Beeswax is used instead of glue.

The process is totally spontaneous, with no previous sketch or design. It is guided by the artist's unconscious to tell the stories that remain in our collective ancestral memory. He signs his work with the symbol of a butterfly on the reverse side of the nierika.

Green stalks of corn reach skyward to cradle a radiant peyote bud in this elegant nierika, or votive beadwork "painting" by Kupihaute. A butterfly alights on either side in his composition, which takes the shape of a flower with five wide petals.

The artisan, who writes fluently in the Huichol, Nahuatl, Spanish and English languages, talks about this work in his own words. "The duality of maize-peyote is the basic duality of the nierika/mirror, since one is the reflection of the other and one cannot be more different from the other. The maize cannot disseminate its own seeds without our maneuver, and naturally depends on water. The peyote is a cactus that disseminates its own seed byway of the natural elements, and nevertheless, the creation of the maize plant is just impossible without the peyote cactus.

"The maize plant was developed genetically by the Wixarika/Huichol people thousands years ago from a kind of grass called teozintle in the Mexika language, precisely because of the wisdom provided by the peyote cactus. And also, thanks to the peyote cactus, the cultivation of corn was kept in our genetic memory despite its cultivation having been prohibited for many years during the colonization of Mexico. Also, virtually every story and myth about corn attributes energy and fertility to it and describes the plant as a reciprocating relative who nurtures us in return for us nourishing it. Nowadays the maize is the basic food, giving energy to the people all over the eARTh." The artist has created the word "eARThiness" to emphasize the word "art" found inside "earth." "For me, this eARThiness is very important and meaningful."

The intricate images are formed with tiny seed beads. Kupihuate patiently places them one at a time with a needle made of abalone shell onto a huanacaxtle wood backing. Beeswax is used instead of glue.

The process is totally spontaneous, with no previous sketch or design. It is guided by the artist's unconscious to tell the stories that remain in our collective ancestral memory. He signs his work with the symbol of a butterfly on the reverse side of the nierika.

Formed of three blue peyote buds, a lighted candle is radiant in this exquisite nierika, or votive beadwork painting by Kupihaute. A butterfly alights on either side in his composition, which takes the shape of a flower with five wide petals.

The artisan, who writes fluently in the Huichol, Nahuatl, Spanish and English languages, talks about this work in his own words. "The nierika is a mirror that is offered to the sea together with the first corn that has been harvested, in order to renew the cycle of rains that will give life to the next crop cycle. As in most of the ancient cultures of our planet, the candle represents our trajectory between being born and returning. For this reason, even today, during the celebration of our birthday, it is customary to light and blow out as many candles as solar cycles have elapsed. The butterflies and spirals are indicating that existence is energy in permanent transformation between arising from and returning to earth."

The intricate images are formed with tiny seed beads. Kupihuate patiently places them one at a time with a needle made of abalone shell onto a huanacaxtle wood backing. Beeswax is used instead of glue.

The process is totally spontaneous, with no previous sketch or design. It is guided by the artist's unconscious to tell the stories that remain in our collective ancestral memory. He signs his work with the symbol of a butterfly on the reverse side of the nierika.

A myriad shades of blue conjure a cool and soothing universe in this elegant nierika, or votive beadwork painting by Kupihaute. Scorpions scuttle purposefully around the center of the composition, which takes the shape of a flower with five wide petals.

The artist, who writes fluently in the Huichol, Nahuatl and English languages, talks about this work in his own words. "From the focal center of the nierika, the precious flower arises in spiral movement as the culminating expression of the deepest roots. The blossom is keeping in its entrails the seed that will disseminate the power of creative energy. This is symbolized by the scorpions that, in their wonderful body symmetry, show the essence of the power itself, since any imbalance in its mating dance, any missing the target, will cause its own poisoning and thus its own death. Therefore the symbol of cosmos, of order is shown in their mouths and the tails."

The intricate images are formed with tiny seed beads. Kupihuate patiently places them one at a time with a needle made of abalone shell onto a huanacaxtle wood backing. Beeswax is used instead of glue.

The process is totally spontaneous, with no previous sketch or design. It is guided by the artist's unconscious to tell the stories that remain in our collective ancestral memory. He signs his work with the symbol of a butterfly on the reverse side of the nierika.

A lovely angel with hands folded in prayer and roses in her flowing auburn hair graces this handcrafted decorative ceramic plate. Designed by Mexican artisan Maria Isabel Cruz, the plate is made using the centuries-old dry rope technique, in which a wax mixture is applied to the outlines of the image or motif prior to glazing. The wax mixture creates a barrier that keeps the different fill colors in the design separate during firing, before burning off to reveal the blackened ceramic beneath. The plate can be hung on a wall for display via the nylon cord on the back.

Angel Cerón presents a faithful replica of the Aztec calendar, known also as the "Sun Stone." According to pre-Hispanic beliefs, there have been a total of five suns, including the current one. According to legend, the previous four, together with humans, were destroyed by the gods' wrath. The calendar represents the fifth sun and tells the story of the past four and marks the changing of the seasons. The Aztecs (or "Mexica," as they called themselves) believed the sun struggled daily against the forces of darkness. They aided the sun through human sacrifices.

Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association present a faithful replica of the Aztec calendar, known also as the "Sun Stone." According to pre-Hispanic beliefs, there have been a total of five suns, including the current one. It is said the previous four, together with humans, were destroyed by the gods' wrath. The calendar represents the fifth sun and tells the story of the past four and marks the changing of the seasons. The Aztecs (or "Mexica," as they called themselves) believed the sun struggled daily against the forces of darkness. They aided the sun through human sacrifices.

Features a loop for hanging.

Surrounded by little red fish, an enchanting mermaid holds a large starfish in her hand, decorating this piece of ceramic wall art from Mexico. Maria Isabel Cruz creates this piece, crafted using the dry rope technique, in which a wax mixture made of magnesium oxide and fat are applied to the outlines of the image or motif prior to glazing. The wax mixture creates a barrier that keeps the different fill colors in the design separate during firing, before burning off to reveal the blackened ceramic beneath. A length of nylon cord on the back provides for easy hanging.

Two whimsical whales happily swim through the sea in this sweet handcrafted decorative ceramic plate. Designed by Mexican artisan Maria Isabel Cruz, the plate is made using the centuries-old dry rope technique, in which a wax mixture made of magnesium oxide and fat are applied to the outlines of the image or motif prior to glazing. The wax mixture creates a barrier that keeps the different fill colors in the design separate during firing, before burning off to reveal the blackened ceramic beneath. The plate can be hung on a wall for display via the nylon cord on the back.

Dressed in finery from a bygone era, a couple strolls on the hacienda grounds. Gorky González creates an exquisite decorative plate in the style of Mexico's colonial Majolica ceramics. The piece is shaped on a potter's wheel and painted by hand.

González signs his work "AT," for alfarería tradicional (traditional ceramics).

Working in ceramic, artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association recreate the elaborate stone sculpture known as the "Aztec Calendar" or "Sun Stone." Discovered in Mexico City, the original massive stone is on display in the National Museum of Anthropology and History. The Aztecs (or Mexica, as they called themselves) believed that the sun struggled daily against the forces of darkness. They aided the sun through human sacrifices.

Add a touch of Mexican festivity to your kitchen or dining room with this pair of salad plates from Mexico. Gorky Gonzalez crafts these plates from ceramic, painted by hand with the image of a piñata alongside other festive designs. With two holes in their backs, these signed plates can double as wall decor. The back of each plate is signed with the artisan's initials, as well as the letters "AT" for Alfarería Tradicional (Traditional Pottery).