CHIRIPA NEWS

The Silver City

2011-12-28T15:30:00.000-08:00

From the log kept on the August, 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

For fine Mexican silver, there is no better place than the mountain-side town of Taxco. Taxco was an important silver mining town in the Spanish colonial era, and it is still the center of the country’s silver trade.

We had some reservations about taking the long overland bus ride to Taxco. The terrain was rugged, and the distance was long. And, like everyone else, we had seen the news reports of drug-related violence is some parts of Mexico. But, in the end, we decided to go for it (after all, it’s probably safer than driving on the beltline in Madison, Wisconsin). We were not disappointed.

The bus system in Mexico is fabulous. You can walk into a bus terminal, without reservations, and soon get on a bus to almost any destination of your choice. The buses are excellent, the drivers are highly professional and competent, the fares are cheap, and the buses run safely and on time. On this trip, we seldom had to wait more than 5 minutes for the bus of our choosing. The long distance buses are better than those in the U.S. (offering snacks, toilet facilities and more leg room, among other things). Local buses are a little more worn, but still adequate and fun. The passengers in the buses come from all walks of life, but are always friendly and courteous.

The bus ride to Taxco took us through the big industrial towns of Morelia and Toluca. But the countryside was beautiful, especially in the mountain region near Taxco and the spa town of Ixtapan de la Sal (not to be confused with the coastal resort town of Ixtapa).

On the way we saw verdant agricultural areas (green from summer rain) producing corn, grain, vegetables, sugar cane, fruit, cattle, sheep and goats. Some fields were being worked by hand, or with teams of oxen. In some of the mountain areas near Taxco, the climate is perfect for floriculture: hundreds of acres of roses are grown in greenhouses covering every available inch of land on the steep hillsides. (The climate is also perfect for humans: the days are delightful and, although there is ample rain at this time of year, the storms obligingly come at night.)

The road took endless switchbacks through remote mountain and forest areas, where waterfalls plunged off steep cliffs. In the late afternoon light, the golden mountain tops contrasted in high relief with deep blue canyons below.

At last, we rounded a curve and looked down on the town of Taxco. Built over the centuries, at an impossible angle on a steep mountainside, the town has a fairy-tale appearance. It has white-washed buildings and steep cobbled streets that make for hard climbing. It is easy to get lost in the narrow, twisting streets, and even easier to lose your way in the walkways that climb, descend and writhe their way through the labyrinthine public market.

In Taxco, silver is king. Silver jewelry is crafted in home workshops for sale at dozens of retail jewelry shops throughout the town. We found a wonderful selection of brilliant (but reasonably priced) silver pieces at a shop operated by Ricardo and his wife. At Chiripa, you can find a piece that is just right for you.

Ricardo learned the jewelry business from his mother Alicia, after whom his shop is named. Ricardo loves to play tennis (there is at least one horizontal tennis court in this vertical town), and bears an uncanny resemblance to tennis star Andre Agassiz who once reportedly visited Taxco. Ricardo laughs and tells of the time a star-struck tourist mistook him for Agassiz and nearly asked for his autograph. -jkm

A Riot of Table Linens

2011-12-17T10:08:00.000-08:00

From the log of the August, 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Pátzcuaro, in Michoacán, is famous for its colorful, hand-woven table linens. The linens are produced in family workshops, on hand-operated wooden looms. Marco Adame helped us select some nice patterns in his little retail shop, then took us to the workshop where other patterns were still on the looms. His little car bounced and scraped on the steep, rocky road to the workshop. But the workshop and the view were well worth the bumpy ride.

At the workshop, we had the privilege of choosing cloth in a variety of brilliant designs that were still in the process of being woven.

The next day, the weaving was completed, and the cloth was cut and sewn to our specifications. We picked up our completed order after sunset. You can find these lively and functional table linens, including table cloths, placemats and napkins, at Chiripa. Add fun to your table!

A Quest for Ceramics

2011-12-06T13:15:00.000-08:00

From the Aug 2011 log on the Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

About 25 miles from Pátzcuaro, in Michoacán, is the indigenous Purépecha village of Capula -- known for its fine ceramic work. We hired a taxi to take us to the village. The taxi dropped us in the town center, and we proceeded on foot. We hoped to find Fernando Arroyo, a recognized master artisan, who makes finely decorated ceramics. Arroyo and his wife Belem were among the first Capula artisans to make ceramics with lead-free glazes.

After a half-hour of trial-and-error, we knocked on the door of a little adobe house that we hoped was that of the Arroyo family. The door opened, and Fernando and Belem welcomed us into the family workshop. Our eyes adjusted as we stepped down into the dark little room, which has a low ceiling, a dirt floor, and no electric lights. But just beyond the workshop there is a sunny little courtyard. The family bicycle is parked against the courtyard wall, where Arroyo has hung examples of completed works.

A special kiln, needed for the production of lead-free ceramics, stands in one corner of the workshop (the kiln serves as a storage cabinet when not in use). The workshop benches are crowded with ceramic pieces in various states of completion. You would be amazed at the stunning, elegant pieces created in these humble surroundings. We chose as many as we could carry, and Fernando packed them with newspaper in a cardboard box.

Fernando’s son and a neighbor boy sat in the doorway, looking on.

When the transaction was completed, the entire family gathered for a photo.

We carried the box, heavy with ceramic treasure, back to the town center (calling on other artisans along the way). There is only one taxi in Capula, and it was standing empty next to the public market. We finally tracked down the driver, a gentle and amiable man with a dry sense of humor, who agreed to drive us to Pátzcuaro. En route, he talked about his passion for the beautiful Michoacán environment, and about his efforts to reduce the plague of litter on town streets and country roads. We gave him a good tip, and he used it to buy ice cream (a Pátzcuaro specialty) for his wife. “She will love me for this,” he beamed. -JKM

The Barter Market

2011-11-22T13:41:00.000-08:00

From the August 2011 log on the Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

In Pátzcuaro, on certain days, the indigenous Purépecha people from surrounding villages hold a barter market on a rundown outdoor basketball court near the old church. This market is not for tourists, or even the other people of Pátzcuaro, but for the villagers themselves. The vendors trade produce of various kinds -- reckoning, say, the comparative value of peppers and dried beans. Vendors also offer an eclectic array of used clothing and household items.

Fresh and dried fish, from the nearby lake, are also on offer. Fish have long been an important part of the Purépecha life and diet, and are a common design element in local handcrafts – including hand-made jewelry, textiles and ceramics. You can see some beautiful examples at Chiripa.

Blue Fish Platter by Fernando Arroyo, Capula, Michoacan.

Sugar Skull Demonstration October 14, 2011

2011-10-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

Join the revelry and reunion indicative of Los Dias de los Muertos (the Days of the Dead) at Chiripa on Friday, October 14. It's the semi-annual Gallery Night sponsored by the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Megan Hile Block will demonstrate sugar skull making and decorating from 6 -9 pm. We'll be serving seasonal refreshments. AND, if we're lucky and the truck arrives, you can see some of the new product from the last buying trip to Mexico.

For those of you who cannot join us, visit Megan's terrific blog post showing the skulls she made last year with her family. Megan is an energetic young woman, a fan of Chiripa, and a BIG fan of Latin America. Her short bio is below.

Megan Hile Block is a mother, homemaker, school teacher, food blogger and chocolatier with a passionate love of Latin American culture. She has spent years immersing herself in the Spanish language at her “day job” working with bilingual schoolchildren in the Verona School District. In the evening, she dons her gourmet chef apron while creating incredible recipes inspired by the cuisine of the world. She is most recently immersing herself into the art of chocolate making. You can find out more about her work on the web at her wonderful food blog www.foodalution.com

Purépecha Silver

2011-09-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

From the log kept on the August 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Pátzcuaro, in the mountains of Michoacán, is cooler and wetter than Guadalajara. Salvador Farfán García and his son Gustavo are the last remaining practitioners of the traditional Purépecha silver craft in Pátzcuaro, Michoacán. Salvador’s world renowned cousin Jesús Garcia Zavala, who also studied under the great maestro Casares, died a couple of years ago.

We decided to locate Salvador, but it was not easy. With luck, we managed to get Gustavo’s address from a jewelry retailer in Pátzcuaro.

The walk past Once Patios.

The path led us past the Casa de las Once Patios, where a blind accordionist plays every day in hopes of getting a few coins from passersby.

The mournful chords seemed as timeless and melancholy as the ancient adobe walls. We climbed the steep cobbled stairway to the hill above, from which there is a magnificent view of the city, mountains and lake.

Pátzcuaro at the top of the stairs.

We wandered through the quiet little residential district that sits up on the hill. At last, with some friendly help from local residents, we found Gustavo’s home. Gustavo graciously showed us his little workshop, where he makes fine silver jewelry on a tree stump using hammers, files, and other simple hand tools.

Beth watches Gustavo at work on the stump.

Gustavo carefully forms a sphere from a flat disc.

Gustavo files a silver fish.

Then, he led us back down to the center of town to meet his father (from whom he learned the silver craft).

Our pilgrimage took us to Pátzcuaro’s public market. Following Gustavo’s lead, we plunged into a warren of covered walkways – so dark and crowded that they seemed like underground tunnels. Finally, in a most unlikely location opposite a meat vendor’s stall, we found Salvador’s tiny little shop.

We picked out a fine selection of pieces, including a magnificent fish necklace of a kind that Purépecha brides-to-be traditionally received as a toke of their betrothal. We also chose hand-wrought silver earrings of a kind found nowhere else in the world. See them for yourself at Chiripa! -JKM

Salvador and Gustavo Farfan with some of their creations.

Earrings available from Chiripa.

Guadalajara and Environs

2011-09-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

From the log kept on the August 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Guadalajara is a big city. It has some architectural jewels, and is welcoming in a matter-of-fact, working-city sort of way. But it is not exactly quaint or charming. We visit Guadalajara because it has cheap airline connections from Chicago and because the nearby towns of Tlaquepaque and Tonalá produce a wide variety of fine artisan crafts including hand-blown glass, metalwork and ceramics.

Beth and Jim select metalwork at Diseno Marco Polo in Tonala.

This year, at a craft exhibition in Tlaquepaque, we met Luis Fernando Gonzalez Camerena who produces lovely dancing figures, ornaments and flowers from simple corn husks. The corn husks are cleverly fashioned to resemble traditional lilies (azucenas), cala lilies (alcatraces), gladiolas and multi-colored daisies (margaritas). These bright flowers do not wilt, and they make a wonderful display or gift – especially when placed in a handmade copper, ceramic or glass vase from Chiripa!

One evening, we had time to walk in the historic center of Guadalajara. There are many beautiful colonial buildings, including the great cathedral. Street performers entertain the citizens as they stroll in the cool evening air. While watching a performing clown, we suddenly found ourselves drawn into the act – much to the amusement of the local audience. The clown presented a heart-shaped balloon to our friend Shelley, whom he had coaxed to center stage.

Shelly is drawn into the action on the streets of Guadalajara.

Life can take a serious turn near the stoplights in Guadalajara. When the light turns red, and traffic stops, people walk between cars selling newspapers, snacks and window-washing services. Severely disabled persons may also work their way between lanes of traffic, seeking alms. The air is hot, and thick with dust and exhaust fumes.

The window washers are equipped with spray bottles and squeegies, and expertly complete their task just as the light turns green. Drivers hand over a few pesos as their cars start to move. Once in a while, the job takes a little too long and cars start honking. Or, a window washer might drop a water bottle and retrieve it casually as an accelerating car threatens to run him over.

At one intersection, a street performer stood in front of traffic twirling fiery batons as cars waited for the green light. The baton-twirler’s face, neck and arms were completely covered in silver paint notwithstanding the sweltering sun. On a past trip, we saw a fire-eater swallow fiery torches as his daughter collected pesos from the waiting cars. The fire eater hugged his daughter when both of them had returned to the safety of the median strip; but from our angle it looked like he was holding the flaming torch perilously close to her long dark hair.

-jkm

Neighborhood Details

2011-08-25T14:17:00.000-07:00

Musings from the Feb 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Most of the posts to this blog focus on the artist, the art/craft she or he creates, and the process we go through to find those special people. In the process, I'm often distracted by my surroundings. One afternoon in San Miguel de Allende (Guanajuato, Mexico) we were in search of a particular paper mache workshop. I couldn't stop myself from recording some details on our walk through a very regular neighborhood.

The sky is so blue!

Fish as rain spout; wires everywhere.

Verde (green) painted advertisement on a wall.

Bilingue/bilingual in the side of an exterior wall.

So many unexpected architectural details!

And finally we find the door that opens to a display area and workshop for some very creative paper mache.

A worker graciously pauses to show the colorful shakers.

Partners Beth And Jim M return from the Aug buying trip tomorrow, Aug 26. I wonder what photos and stories they will bring home. kl

Copper Connections

2011-08-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

Musings from the February 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Lourdes (Lulu) and Alfredo operate two businesses in Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacan, Mexico. Lulu manages the decorative copper shop called Casa Felicitas near the zocalo and Alfredo oversees the construction of furniture with copper panels in a business called Dona Mariquita. They are an amazing couple; fun, energetic, serious about their business, and very hard-working.

This photo was taken at the furniture exposition in Guadalajara last February. We met up with Lulu and Alfredo at the end of a long day. I must have taken dozens of shots of this dynamic couple and almost none turned out. Lulu is so expressive and energetic she's a blur on most photos.

Most of the furniture at the exposition is quite imposing, perfect for hacienda-style homes. We buy selectively knowing that many of our customers have small homes or condos. No matter the size, the copper and distressed wood is warm and inviting. And there's always a sip of tequila to warm the spirit while shopping!

We often write of forays into the hinterlands of Mexico, but in this case we travel to a huge exposition center in Guadalajara to visit our friends. There's nothing rustic about this venue! We usually breathe a sigh of relief when we leave big metropolitan areas preferring the pace of small town life in Mexico.

This photo of the zocalo in Santa Clara del Cobre is more indicative of our preference. One can spend ours watching people and the life of the small town. But, we seldom have time for that! When in Santa Clara del Cobre we're shopping for the perfect copper pieces for Chiripa. That always includes time with Lulu and Alfredo.

You can see some of the copper on the Chiripa website.

Tennis Anyone?

2011-07-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

Musings from the Feb 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

One of our favorite workshops in Oaxaca is that of Jacobo and Maria Angeles in San Martin Tilcajete. It is a beehive of activity. In the midst of carving and painting and selling beautiful alebrijes (the colorful animals famous in this area), day to day life activities go on.

We were fortunate to stop in the day some workers and friends were getting ready for a big game. The explanation of the game was that it is a kind of Zapotec (the indigenous people of this area) "tennis."

The gloves caught our attention. They are made of leather with nails and weigh between 8 and 10 pounds. The solid rubber ball weighs between 2 and 3 pounds. Unfortunately, we were not able to come back the next day for the big match. I resolved to learn more when I came home. (Big mistake!)

The young man on the left is one of the stars. He's traveled to compete against teams in California. Jacobo sits on the couch. The young man in the white shirt wears a glove in the right hand and holds a ball. The young man on the right is Jacobo's son.

I have found very little online about the game and how it is played. The website www.oaxaca.travel has a page called "Did you know that in pre-hispanic Oaxaca tennis was played?" The game is called "juego de Pelota" (ball game)—not too descriptive. [This site may no longer be live/available.]

A book at books.google.com called: Tennis: a cultural history by Heiner Gillmeister has a good photo of the glove on a hand with the ball on p. 73.

I'd love to learn more about the game as it is played today. Please share if you have played or know something about it. Thanks. -kl

Signed by Josephina, Too!

2011-06-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

Musings from the February 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Lizards have become a symbol of Chiripa. The colorful carved creatures have brightened our walls since we opened in 2006 and we have often used them in advertising to help identify the business. They are a popular item at Chiripa and now climb the walls of dozens of homes in Madison and beyond.

Oscar prepares our selection for shipping.

Most of our lizards have had the artist's signature: Oscar Carillo, Arrazola, Oaxaca, Mexico. But Oscar is just half of the story. Oscar carves the playful creatures from copal, a soft wood abundant in that area. His wife, Josephina Morales adds the colorful painted designs. It is often the bright colors and exact details that draw a person to one lizard over another.

Josephina poses with a favorite.

A while ago a customer commented on the signature and asked if perhaps we couldn't encourage the family business to add Josephina's name to the art. I did just that in February when we visited Oscar and Josephina's workshop.

I wish I had had my camera out to capture the big grin on Josephina's face. She quickly picked up a fine pen and added her name to the pieces we selected.

I hope that she continues to take credit for the fine work that she does. -kl

The doorway to the gallery and workshop in Arrazola.

From the streets of Arrazola one can see the ruins of Monte Alban in the distance.

I was taken by the colorful chickens this year. Stop in to see them!

The Paper Chase

2011-06-11T12:27:00.000-07:00

Musings from the February, 2011 Chiripa buying trip.

These days, the city of Puebla depends heavily on the production of German cars (Volkswagens). But in the old colonial heart of the city, the buildings speak of a different age. The imposing cathedral, started in 1550 (just 60 years after Columbus), features the tallest bell towers in Latin America.

Puebla is a magnificent, refined city – more Spanish in character than some cities in Mexico. It is here that the highest quality (and most expensive) Talavera ceramics are made. The exterior walls of many colonial buildings are covered with Talavera tiles that glow in the morning light.

Last night we were looking for humbler, but still beautiful, items – brightly colored paper lanterns that create a warm and festive glow wherever they are hung. In Mexico, the lanterns are traditionally used during the Christmas season (Navidad), but you can use them any time. On a warm Spring evening, they will add magic to your patio.

We weren’t having much luck with our search, until a passerby came to our rescue. She was a high school math teacher, on her way to the conservatory where her daughter was taking flute lessons. Like most teachers, she was smart, friendly, helpful and dedicated. She knew just where the lanterns could be found, and offered to take us there – even though it was far out of her way.

She set off at a brisk pace, chatting the whole time. The streets were filled with pedestrians poking into dozens of little specialty shops that offered ceramics, hardware, shoes, dresses, household goods and candy (special dulces for which Puebla is famous). Many of the shops sold paper, but not the special lanterns that were the object of our quest. Fortunately, the friendly teacher guided us to exactly right place, a hardware store – and there we found the illumination we sought. Thank you teachers!

The Tale of Another Shipment from Mexico

2011-06-07T16:02:00.000-07:00

We are always thrilled to receive delivery of the items we purchase on our buying trips for Chiripa. You may also know that it’s never smooth sailing. Here’s how the delivery unfolded in mid-May:

After the usual month-or-two delay from the scheduled date, we were informed the delivery would be made from a 55-foot semi truck with no lift gate (to lower boxes to the ground). The delivery time was set for Thursday morning, after rush hour on South Park Street. OK, we’ll round up the guys and make sure all hands are ready. Maybe we can negotiate the truck into the Chiripa parking lot so we can unload directly into the garage.

The driver calls at 11 am on Wednesday; he’s an hour away. Quick! Find the other partners and get them to the shop! Chase away the drivers who want to park in the spaces in front of Chiripa’s garage. Chase away the police officer who stopped to inquire about a neighborhood business.

There’s no way Albert, the driver from Laredo, can back that huge truck to the garage. Great...we’ll have to unload boxes onto the street in front of the shop. Chase away the car that just parked in front of Chiripa.

Chiripa’s boxes are packed w-a -y in the front of the container, all fifty-five feet from the door. Get Beth and Albert into the trailer to start moving boxes down to Jim and Jim on the street. Kathryn, keep an eye on the shop while helping coax some furniture and boxes through the front door. It starts to sprinkle rain. Jim and Jim use dollies to transport the boxes from the street through the mist and into the garage, stacking them high. We all continue hoisting and carrying for about an hour.

Finally, the truck is empty. Whew! Everything – and everyone – seems unscathed after the experience. We thank Albert for his help and he heads on to his next job. Chiripa’s next job? Unpacking all the boxes. -BAR

Amate Books, Oaxaca

2011-05-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

Musing from the February 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Still rather impatiently awaiting the truck from Mexico. Most future posts will relate to products once we have them, but, for now I'll reminisce a little more about the February trip.

A regular stop in Oaxaca is Amate Books. It's an English language bookstore that can entertain for long periods of time. I browse the selves and tables to see what is new and what is popular. I frantically jot down titles and authors and publishers hoping to be able to find these for Chiripa once I return home. I especially like scanning the children's books. Outside the shop is a bench. These photos were taken while resting after a long day of shopping.

The border around the door is composed entirely of dried marigolds (the flower of the Day of the Dead). To the right of the door stands a larger-than-life skeleton Catrina made of straw-wrapped wire. We have seen this style of art in the state of Michoacan and wonder if the piece is from that area. To the left of the door is a fine piece of sculpture (enlarged in the second photo). It is of the style found in the nearby village of Atzompa although we never find anything so fine.

As I look up I see a large tin chandelier with what was probably originally candle holders. It pays to rest in Mexico. Besides people watching there are always interesting details to engage the imagination.

Moonlit Night in Oaxaca

2011-05-11T10:07:00.000-07:00

Musings from the Feb 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

We are patiently awaiting the shipment from the February buying trip. It seems so long ago. One night near the end of the trip we climbed the stairs of our hotel to the rooftop patio. There are no lights, but the moon was up (full the night before) and we were greeted with this stunning view of Santo Domingo and the lighted street leading to it.

As we gazed from the edge of the patio out at the beautiful city on a balmy February night we looked down and were greeted with snapshots of everyday life. Clothes on a line, bottled drinking water, walkways; life.

There were no people outside in these inner courtyards. It was late. But the visuals leave a sense of mystery; a longing to return. -kl

UPDATE: the truck has cleared customs and is on its way!

Huichol Blunder

2011-05-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

Musings from the Feb 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

We like to stop at the downtown street market when in Tlaquepaque (Jalisco, Mexico). The Huichol people (from the state of Nyarit) set up tables to sell their intricate bead work and continue beading while tolerating the casual shoppers.

I was particularly drawn to a young woman rapidly creating the subtly shaded peyote flowers of a bracelet. She continued working while I selected a collection of earrings, bracelets, barrettes and beaded ornaments (that I'll save for holiday shoppers). When I was finished I asked her if I could take her picture. She agreed and her young son eagerly joined for this photo.

I thanked her and was about to leave when she asked for money. I was surprised, but opened my coin purse to give her a token amount for allowing me to photograph her. But, no, she didn't want money for the photo, she wanted money for the goods I thought I had purchased. Oops! I was so intrigued with capturing the beading process that I forgot to pay for the jewelry and ornaments. We all had a good laugh and I went on my way just a little embarrassed! -KL

La Chata in Guadalajara

2011-04-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

Musings from the Feb 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

One of our regular restaurants when traveling to Guadalajara is the popular La Chata near the Zocalo. It's just a couple blocks from our standard hotel. And, on those trips when we arrive weary from airline travel, there's nothing better than a quick hike to a traditional Mexican restaurant where you know they will serve good food and beer.

The restaurant's kitchen is open to the street offering tempting glances at the frying chicken and fresh tortillas. The cooks are reluctant to pose, but tolerate the intruding gringos.

Don't expect a quiet atmosphere. This place is always hopping. But the service is fast and the food good. It's usually my first taste of mole and I know I'm in Mexico. kl

The Most Beautiful House in Mexico

2011-03-31T10:43:00.000-07:00

Musings from the Feb 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

For several years, we have been visiting our friend Miguel Paredes at his little shop in Puebla. Miguel makes the clever and amusing little skeleton scenes that you can find at Chiripa.

This year, Miguel invited us to visit his workshop (“taller”) located in his home. Miguel, his wife Lilia, and their son Daniel welcomed us into what looked like an ordinary middle-class residence.

But once inside, we realized that this house was by no means ordinary. We were stunned to see magnificent painted murals, worthy of a museum, covering the walls! Miguel had painted all of them – not for any commercial reason, but for the pure love of art.

In the living room was a huge mural portraying the Virgen of Guadalupe, surrounding by angels with musical instruments representing the major indigenous peoples of Mexico. (One of the angels was modeled after Miguel’s son Daniel as an infant).

Running the full length of the stairway was an epic mural tracing the entire history of Mexico and its people, from the dawn of time to the present day.

Surrounding a doorway, there were beautifully painted symbols representing the months of the Aztec calendar.

At every turn, there were fine artisan crafts from every corner of Mexico (Miguel had acquired many of them by trading with other artisans). We wandered through the house as through a museum.

Lilía offered us delicious home-made bread, fresh mangos, and other treats for lunch. As we ate, we talked about Miguel’s craft, which grew out of the Mexican “Day of the Dead” tradition.

The conversation was enhanced by Daniel’s wonderful photos of the “Noche de los Muertos,” taken in the indigenous village of Uriche in Michoacán. (The photos were stored on his iPad.) Miguel explained that, when he was a boy, his mother made a special meal each year for dear ones who had departed this life. The front door was left open, and the friendly spirits were invited to enter and partake of the meal. Miguel’s mother spoke to them, and invited them to sit at the table, as if they were still alive. (According to traditional belief, they were still really alive as long as those remaining here still loved and remembered them.) The muertos did not physically consume the offered meal, but transformed it – so that it was even more delicious when consumed by those who remained.

After lunch, we went out behind the house to Miguel’s small but extraordinarily well organized workshop. He showed us the painstaking process by which he makes the little skeleton figures and scenes, including the firing and painting of the tiny clay figures. (As Lilia explained later, Miguel loves to create new designs and art every day – not just when he has a commercial order). Lilia helped us choose a satisfying collection, which you will be able to see soon at Chiripa.

Glass in Tlaquepaque

2011-03-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

Musings from the Feb 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

In Tlaquepaque, a suburb of Guadalajara that is famous for its artisan crafts, we also stop to visit our friend Tina Ruiz. Tina’s husband of many years died last year (see this post), leaving her to run the family’s hand-blown glass business. It has been a hard year, and Tina has had to contract for production help. But she still sells hand-blown glass produced according to her family designs. She continues to nurture the avocado trees that she and her husband planted just before he died, and hopes to sell avocados in a couple of years. She was delighted to receive a Chiripa cap to protect her from the sun!

Chiripa carries a fine selection of beautiful hand-blown glassware, selected from Tina’s shop. Chiripa currently has several color options for the glass mask luminaries behind Tina in this photo. You can also find select pieces on the Chiripa website.

The Next Generation

2011-03-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

Musings from the Feb 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

After breakfast, we visit our friends at D’Casa Ceramics. In their home workshop, the Castro family makes the fine, stoneware that you can find at Chiripa. Enrique, the veteran proprietor, worries about the general state of affairs in Mexico and the world, but is very happy that his son (also named Enrique) is now helping to run the business.

Enrique, Sr., takes pleasure in showing us the craft that he has learned over many years, and discloses to us his secret glaze formula (no lead) which he has hand-written in pencil.

Enrique explains that he personally perfected his unique designs and techniques based on years of experience, including many experiments and “fracasos” (failures). There are no “fracasos” now, and the Enrique’s work shows a master’s dedication to beauty, quality and durability.

This year we found the painter working on our "house" pattern: Rosy.

You can see the finished product on our website. Click on the image below.

All Good

2011-03-08T16:48:00.000-08:00

Musings from the Feb 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

In Guadalajara, we often stay at the old Hotel San Francisco de la Plaza. It is centrally located (though not in the very best neighborhood), and reasonably priced. An ornate chandelier (impossible to dust, and therefore undusted for 50 years or so) hangs high over the colonial-style interior courtyard.

There is an excellent breakfast buffet, including delicious fresh papayas and plenty of coffee, which keeps us nourished for the rest of the day. The weather is clear and beautiful, but people eating breakfast wear jackets against the morning chill.

We enjoy seeing the same dining room staff each year, including a courtly man in sport coat and tie, and a special waitress who lights up the breakfast room with good cheer. “Todo bien?” (everything fine?) she chirps, merrily. When we say “sí, gracias,” she laughs and says “Hokay!” (her voice fills the room). When we ask how she is doing today, the answer is always the same: “Bien, bien, bien!” Behind the counter, as she refills the coffee and tortillas, she breaks out into a spontaneous whistle as if she really, really loves her work. Imagine it! -JKM

A Taste of Mexico

2011-02-25T11:19:00.000-08:00

Chiripa is back from another successful buying trip to Mexico. In the past we've chronicled our journeys with a sequential log. For a change of pace the posts from this trip will be random features of some special moments and memories.

We begin with the final day in Oaxaca (February 22) and a final dash through the central market just south of the Zocalo in search of molinillos (the carved wooden whisks used to froth hot chocolate). We find them in abundance.

From the market we head a couple blocks east for a last stop at Mayordomo for some take-home chocolate. The chocolate making is over for the day, but the aroma still overwhelms.

Of course we take the time to sample a bowl of caliente (hot) chocolate and photograph the young woman preparing our drinks.

Hot chocolate on a hot day in Oaxaca . . . it works. But it will taste even better in the blustery winter weather waiting for us in Wisconsin. We'll sip with memories of the perfectly wonderful time we had in Mexico, February 2011.

August 2010

2011-01-03T14:10:00.000-08:00

The last entry from the log kept by JM on the August 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Street vendors and Mexican citizens are gearing up for their country’s bicentennial celebration. Vendors are on street corners, well stocked with flags, noise makers, and even clownish wigs in red, green and white. Neighborhood residents are stringing papel picado banners across their streets, from one building to another.

Mexico always bustles and there always seems to be a reason for a parade or fireworks at dawn. Imagine the decibel level on September 16, 2010, when the entire country will have a reason to party!

Amidst all of Mexico’s problems, we never fail to find a taxi driver, artisan, restaurant worker, or other citizen who is proud of his or her country and heritage. On this trip, a chatty cabbie spoke fondly of everything from world-class mariachis to the clear, fresh air in Michoacan, and pretty little San Miguel de Allende. Viva Mexico!

And now we begin to plan the next adventure to Mexico in February of 2011. . . stay tuned.

A Small Gamble Pays Off

2010-12-22T14:22:00.000-08:00

From the log kept by JM on the August 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

August 26. Late afternoon found us in the dusty little bus depot in the town of Dolores Hidalgo, the cradle of the Mexican Independence movement. We had walked the town hunting for Talavera-style ceramics, for which Dolores is famous. We ended up at the bus depot after a short respite on the zocalo, where we watched the people and sampled the ice cream.

We always use public transportation (buses and taxis) to get around Mexico. We are big fans of the Mexican bus system, from which the U.S. could learn much. The bus system is cheap, safe and efficient, and serves a huge number of people of all income classes. We go to the bus depot without reservations and, within minutes, we are on a bus traveling to our chosen destination – near or far. The long distance buses are roomy and comfortable. The only negative is the bad U.S. movies played en route.

An hour later, the bus from Dolores dropped us at the depot in San Miguel de Allende. We asked a taxi driver to take us out into the countryside, to Rancho Cienguieta, where our friend Felix lives and operates a tin workshop with his extended family. We hadn’t been able to contact Felix by phone, so we took a chance on a taxi.

Happily, the gamble paid off. The taxi driver, somewhat bewildered, dropped us on the rural back road near Felix’s home. We walked down the lane, and were happy to catch Felix at home (he was just getting ready to leave). He was equally happy to see us. With the family looking on, we ordered some of Felix’s ever-popular star luminaries, then caught a ride with the family back to town.

They dropped us at the market, where they were shopping for the week’s supplies, and we strolled the steep cobbled streets back to the hotel.

Hunting for Papel Machado

2010-12-16T14:11:00.000-08:00

From the log kept by JM on the August, 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

AUGUST 25. From Patzcuaro, we took the long bus ride to San Miguel de Allende, via Morelia and Celaya. The on-board U.S. movies were loud and bad, as is customary. They always help to make the trip seem much longer.

This afternoon, in San Miguel de Allende, we visited the workshop of our good friend Ricardo, who makes fine tin and ceramic mirrors for Chiripa. We asked about other crafts in San Miguel, and Ricardo offered to take us to a workshop that makes papel machado (paper mache). You probably made paper mache figures in elementary school, but in Mexico this humble craft has been raised to a community art form. In Mexican parades, you will often see huge papel machado puppets that dance ahead of the marching band. They have a blank, weird look, but somehow seem to be running the show....

Ricardo picked us up at 8 PM, as planned. Minutes later, we picked up his older brother Rosalío, who operates a fine artisan craft store in San Miguel (Casa Artesanal San Migueliense). When he was still a boy, Ricardo followed Rosalío to San Miguel after their father died. Ricardo credits Rosalío with teaching him the tinmaker’s craft, but adds (smiling): “Now I am better than he is.”

Darkness fell as we bumped our way through a maze of cobbled streets at the far end of town. We stopped in front of a closed doorway that did not look promising. But moments later we were inside, confronted by a wild assortment of paper maché figures, including giant clowns, oversized chickens, masks, skeletons on sticks, and a colorful assortment of peppers, fruits and vegetables.

We enjoyed our visit with workshop owners Juan José and María Eugenia, who showed us the techniques they use. In short order, we had purchased a big boxload of their creations for Chiripa.

The next day, we took a long hike to another part of town in search of a second papel machado workshop, called Papel Maché Originales. After a fair number of wrong turns, we finally found the workshop on a dusty side-street. A handful of workers were busy forming, drying and painting a mad variety of papel machado figures.

When we rummaged through the inventory, looking for good pieces to buy, we were startled to find Bucky Badger stools and paper mache badgers that looked like Bucky’s cousins. The shop owner told us that he once had an order from some “personas de queso” (cheese people) in Wisconsin, but then he never heard from them again....
It was hot on our way back, so we stopped at a little corner store and bought a frozen, chocolate-covered banana to share. It was cold and delicious....

Peeking into Tzintzuntzan

2010-11-24T08:40:00.000-08:00

From the log kept by JM on the August 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

August 24, 2010. In Tzintzuntzan (Michoacan, Mexico) there is a handcraft market that offers a mountain of goods, including ceramics, straw baskets, cornhusk flowers, wood carvings and much more. You can see local people binging their wares for sale.

Patient sellers often pass hours or days between sales, so Chiripa is glad to bring them needed business. The recent wet weather, with its occasional heavy deluges, has made life even ore difficult for open-air market vendors.

Behind the market is a centuries-old church and an old walled park with ancient olive trees. We cross the park, and pass through a doorway in the far wall near the church. Just down the street, and around the corner, we knock on the door of Ofelia Gamez, who is well known for the hand-painted lead-free ceramics she makes in her home.

We interrupt Ofelia's work long enough to pick out some nice pieces for Chiripa. Ofelia's son, Manuel Morales, who also has a workshop in Tzintzuntzan, has gained an international reputation for his elegant ceramics. This sample is currently at Chiripa.

In the Garden of Stone

2010-11-11T12:59:00.000-08:00

From the log kept by JM on the August Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

August 22, 2010. It rained last night in Patzcuaro – hard. The water poured down the tile roofs and leaped into the streets. Sheets of rain lashed crumbling adobe walls and soaked through improvised roof patches. People huddled in doorways and sat in groups under the arcades. Cars looked like boxy boats navigating swift-flowing tropical rivers.

After the violent rains, the morning dawned cool and soft. The carefully-clipped grass on the renovated plaza was wet and lush. Walls were washed with luminous morning light. The wet green moss was bright against the red clay. It was a perfect morning to explore the stone garden.

To tell the truth, it is not exactly a garden. And yet, in a way, it is. You can find it right along the roadside, as you approach the town of Tzintzuntzan. The stone garden is actually a rambling roadside display of fine cantera stonework – open to anyone who wants to stop and wander through it. High on the hill behind the stone garden, is the imposing pre-Columbian ruins built at the height of the Tarascan Empire. And just down the road there is a lovely cemetery where ancestral spirits are welcomed back to life -- with bright marigold bouquets, sweet confections and candlelight -- on the Noche de Los Muertos.

In the stone garden there are hundreds – no, thousands – of sculptured cantera figures created by present-day local craftsmen. There are whimsical angels and demons, creatures of legend, owls, lizards, and fish with human heads. There are pensive maidens, cheerful drunks, fierce predators, quiet doves, Madonnas, and sleeping figures tired from labor. There are smiling suns, strong west winds, dragons, shepherds, saints, frogs, lumbering turtles and scavenging pigs.

And here is the best part: they are all strewn on the ground together, right next to the road: large and small, time-worn and newly carved, animal and human, earthly and spiritual, fine and crude. There are no fences, class distinctions, security barriers or dividing walls. Each figure seems to have its own secrets, but they are all lying together in the damp grass, gathering moss.

They are all for sale if you can get them home. But we warn you, they are heavy. Chiripa has done the heavy lifting, and brought a few of these stone spirits home for you. They will bring your garden to life, and your purchase will make a stone carver happy.

Dining Room with a View

2010-10-31T11:32:00.000-07:00

From the log kept by JM on the August 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

August 21, 2010. It seemed like a fine morning to eat at the Hotel de la Basilica. The hotel, which sits on a hill in the center of Patzcuaro, is named for the basilica that sits just across the street. The basilica was constructed from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Its huge bells ring out across the city, a soulful reminder to faithful and unfaithful alike.

The hotel dining room offers splendid views over a jumble of red-tiled roofs (reminiscent of hill towns in Italy) to the lake and mountains beyond. Morning clouds hang half-way up the mountains. The dining room is small, but we have our choice of tables because tourists are scarce these days. The hot coffee is delicious on a cool morning.

A lovely table setting features hand-made ceramic plates from the nearby village of Capula. (Chiripa has just a few of these very same plates which are made with a lead-free glaze.) The centerpiece is a colorful, handmade castle of firecrackers (not available at Chiripa), of the sort commonly put to use at fiestas here. The centerpiece also includes hand-woven straw ornaments from the nearby town of Tzintzuntzan (which we plan to visit after breakfast). Heavy, hand-blown glassware and hand-formed ceramic mugs complete the table setting.

In Patzcuaro, hand-woven table linens are also a specialty. Men weave the fabric on heavy wooden looms. Skilled seamstresses then fashion the fabric into napkins, placemats and tablecloths. At Chiripa you can find Patzcuaro table linens in a riot of bright colors. They look great with hand-made ceramic plates from Capula and hand-blown glassware from Tlaquepaque! Enjoy the colors, textures and hand-made character of Mexico in your home.

Beautiful, But Sad

2010-10-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

From the log kept by JM on the August 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

August 20, 2010. We arrived in the village of Santa Clara del Cobre after the close of it's annual Copper Fair. The craftsmen of Santa Clara create some of the finest hand-hammered copper in the world, and each year they display their very best work at the copper Fair.

Some of the pieces from the fair were still on display, and they were as stunning as in the past years. But this year, according to frequent prize winner Roberto Castro, the annual fair was muy triste (very sad). The Mexican economy is in trouble, and attendance at the fair was poor.

That was costly and disappointing for the artisans who risked much of their annual livelihood to create prize-winning pieces for the exhibition. An artisan may spend months creating a single piece. Copper (from scrap) is repeatedly fired, water-cooled and hammered into shape (the finest pieces are created from a single piece of metal). The artisan then works carefully, with smaller specialized hammers, to bring out the surface design and characteristic red glow of the finished metal. In the hands of a skilled artisan, the result is a glorious work of museum-quality art. The elegant final shape will last for hundreds of years.

Although we missed the Copper Fair this year we did manage to bring home some fine copper pieces. At Chiripa, you can find a wide selection of hand-hammered copper to suit your taste and budget. Your purchases help preserve the copper craft in Santa Clara del Cobre.

Old and Eccentric

2010-10-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

From the log JM kept on the August 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

August 19, 2010. The old Hotel de los Escudos, in the center of Pazcuaro, is not what you would call luxurious. But it is clean and economical ($29 a night at this time of year). It is also interesting, in an eccentric and centuries-old sort of way. The desk staff remembers us, and it has a handy location right on the serene Plaza de Vasco Quiroga. It has big pine pillars and beams, and limestone steps indented and worn smooth by centuries of foot traffic. There is no security to speak of, but it feels comfortable and safe. So it suits us, and we keep coming back.

Morning light hits Los Escudos on a prior trip.

Note: the zocalo has not been rebuilt.

This time we stayed in the hotel “annex,” which has a lobby with a stuffed deer and a picture of the plaza covered with snow on July 16, 1996. Our interior room was almost too quiet, except for the rooftop bells that reminded us of the time every 15 minutes. In the corner of the room was a round brick fireplace that might be as old as the hotel. Patzcuaro nights can get cold, and firewood is provided. The blackened brick in the fire chamber suggested that the fireplace has seen plenty of use, but we paused when we saw that the brick on the outside of the fireplace was also blackened.

The ceiling, resting on heavy pine beams, towered 20 feet above us. The bathroom looked like a quaint little 10-ft. tall house within the 20-ft. tall room. It had brick and stucco walls, a pine door, and pine-encased semi-transparent windows that could swing open. Like many hotel bathrooms in Mexico, it was raised 8 inches above the bedroom floor. In the middle of the night, you must remember to step up on your way in (and down on your way out) or you will come to a bad end.

Once you have negotiated the step and entered the little house-bathroom, you must close the creaky pine door. The door does not shut unless you pull hard, and then it slams (waking your spouse). It is pitch black inside, so you try to find the light switch. The light shines through the window into your spouse’s (now open) eyes. If you are male, you raise the toilet seat, but it does not stay up by itself. You improvise by addressing the toilet from the side, and holding the seat up with your knee. If you are lucky, you finish the operation before the seat slips from your knee and slams down with a loud slap.

When you finish in the bathroom, you turn out the light, force open the creaky door with your shoulder, remember to step down, and grope your way back to bed. You misjudge a bit, and curse when you slam into the bed with your shin. You eventually get back to sleep, but your spouse will be awake for several hours….

"Going green" in the interior lobby at Los Escudos.

A Bit of Luck in Tonala

2010-09-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

From JM's August 2010 log of the Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

August 17, 2010. We have never had much luck in Tonala. The town on the outskirts of Guadalajara is reputed to be a major center of craft production. But we have always found it frustrating. There are a lot of workshops, but much of the production we've been able to find is kitchy grade B stuff--not the high quality traditional crafts that we seek.

Today we decided to give it one more try. We had a specific mission in mind: to find the workshop that creates interesting metal work under the name of Marco Polo Designs (we had failed to find it once before).

The taxi dripped us on Alfereros street, where we had heard the workshop was located. But Alfereros is not a continuous street. It stops, changes names, travels several crooked blocks under its new alias, and then resumes liife under its original name. The house numbers follow no discernible order, and seem to be assigned by a random number generator.

Despite these difficulties, we persisted. Finally, after asking several friendly pedestrians and shopkeepers, and consulting with a helpful policeman, we found the little yellow house and workshop at Alfereros #8. We rang the bell, but there was no answer. Again . . . No response. Once more . . . Nothing. It looked like yet another defeat in Tonala.

But we weren't quite ready to quit. After polking around the back streets for another hour or so, we returned One more time to Alfereros #8. This time the door opened, and a friendly figure emerged. He smiled when he saw us, and waved us in.

We ordered some really nice luminaries (table and wall), a big dancing Catrina skeleton, and other good metal pieces, including some clever geckos to climb all over your walls. Tonala is still hard to figure out, but it may be growing on us.

Farewell to a Friend

2010-09-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

From the log JM kept on the August 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

"I am so glad to see you, but I have some very bad news." We held our breath, waiting for what Tina would tell us: "My husband Carlos has died."

Carlos and Tina in February, 2010.

It was just this past February when Carlos had drawn us a big glass of tequila from the barrel in the back room. (Carlos had received the barrel in payment from a small tequila maker who could not afford to pay cash for the special hand-blown glass bottles that Carlos had made for him.) When we protested that the glass was too big, Carlos just smiled and said "the tap closes slowly . . ." We laughed, and he told us about the avocado trees that he was planting on their little farm. He hoped to sell the avocados to provide retirement income.

On a hot afternoon just one month later, Carlos was watering the young avocado trees when he suffered a stroke. He wanted to clean up before going to the hospital, but he naver made it. Carlos was gone, and Tina is left to tend the trees herself.

Tina and Carlos were maried for 43 years. As newlyweds they moved to Tlaquepaque to live in his mother's house, just across the street from the old Rufugio monastery. For many years, the house served as glass-blowing workshop, retail store and residence.

Tina misses Carlos "more each day." But at least for now, she bravely carries on the family glassware business. Chiripa is proud to be one of her loyal customers.

Farewell, Carlos.

Oaxaca Parade

2010-08-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

JM normally provides the content for the Chiripa blog, but, since he's just back from Mexico I thought I'd do another post with images from the March trip that didn't illustrate the log from that trip.

I make it a point to visit the English language bookstore in Oaxaca to get ideas for books we might carry at Chiripa. One late afternoon in March I was casually browsing the shelves when I heard a loud commotion outside the window. Looking out I saw a parade in the making.

The "band" stopped right by my window and the young women in traditional Oaxacan dress started dancing.

Just as quickly as it had started they moved on down the street delighting the crowds outside.

The workers in the bookstore just kind of shrugged when asked about the reason for the parade. It had something to do with education, but they weren't really sure.

It was fun, colorful, and unexpected. A perfect Chiripa (happy accident) for me.

The Beauty of Buses

2010-08-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

JM normally provides the content for the Chiripa blog, by, since he's off to Mexico I thought I'd do a couple posts with images from the March trip that didn't illustrate the log from that trip.

Anyone who has been reading this blog knows that we travel by bus throughout Mexico. It is a convenient, efficient, and safe way to travel. This is a typical bus station in a major city.

We see all sorts of travelers and amazing baggage. On this day I noticed a woman getting off a bus carrying a beautiful bouquet of flowers. By the time I could get my camera in gear she was almost out of the picture.

The woman walking behind her saw me and stopped her friend so I could get a better picture.

And then they got me in the picture. And finally, as we were parting ways the woman gave me one of the red roses from her arrangement.

This was all done without words except Gracias.

Blouses from Oaxaca

2010-08-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

Below you will see 12 styles of blouses made by women in Oaxaca. Chiripa is considering carrying a small amount of clothing and we'd like your opinion about these blouses/tunics/huipils. All are cotton, many are hand embroidered, and the source is a woman-owned busines in Oaxaca. The owner decided to form a business after traveling with a Mexico Ballet Folklorico group. Wherever they went people would ask her how they could buy clothing like the women in the group were wearing. She began working with women and women's cooperatives in the Oaxaca city area.

FEEDBACK is what I'm looking for. Please respond with a comment.

What # blouse is your favorite(s)?

What # would you consider purchasing?

If you would like to see the blouses in person, stop by the shop at 636 S Park Street in Madison Wisconsin. They will be on display for two weeks.

Thanks for your help!

A Misguided (But Thrilling) Ride

2010-08-04T15:39:00.000-07:00

The final entry from the log kept by JM on the Feb/March Chiripa buying trip.

March 6, 2010. Reliable local sources suggest that we should visit the remote mountain village of San Pedro Cajonos where there is wood carving and jewelry made from silkworm cocoons. But they warned us that getting there would be somewhat difficult. They told us to start by catching a collectivo taxi near the Benito Juarez monument on the outskirts of Oaxaca.

We got to the monument OK, but it was not clear where we should board the collectivo (or which one we should take). Our cab driver and a food stand operator thought they knew, so we joined a group of people waiting at one of the stops.

When our turn came, and a collectivo drove up, we climbed aboard. Other people were waiting (and probably had more pressing needs), but they courteously deferred to us. We soon wished they hadn't, because it quickly became apparent that we were heading in the wrong direction. We were headed high into the mountains, but not to the place we had intended.

For the next hour and a half, the cab driver roared up steep switchbacks until we grew light-headed and dizzy. It was a thrilling ascent, and the scenery was spectacular, but at the end of the ride we arrived at the town of Ixtlan de Juarez (not the village of Benito Juarez, where we had planned to change collectivos to get to our ultimate destination).

The driver said he would gladly take us to Benito Juarez, but the road was bad. It would take a long time and cost us a fortune. So we gave up, and just looked around Ixtlan. In this remote spot, we might have expected to find a poor and backward village, but it was actually rather modern and prosperous. There were excellent covered basketball courts (with nets, a rarity in Mexico), a mural of Michael Jordan, and kids with their names printed on their team uniforms.

A pleasant place, but not what we were looking for. So we swallowed some Drammine pills to control the dizziness, and headed back down the mountain to Oaxaca.

That night we loaded up our packs and walked to the first-class bus depot. At midnight, our bus departed for Mexico City. We slept fitfully, and at 6 a.m. we stumbled out of the bus into the TAPO terminal in the big metropolis. A taxi took us to the airport, where we made ready to fly home to El Norte.

A last look at Oaxaca night-life from a rooftop restaurant.

Hand-Made Paper

2010-07-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

From the log kept by JM on the Feb/March 2010 Chiripa buying trip.

In the foothills north of Oaxaca is the town of San Augustin de Etla. There you can visit an interesting workshop that produces high quality hand-made paper. They are happy to give demonstrations, and there is also a nice shop where you can buy interesting paper items of all sorts (we did).

Paper drying in the bright Oaxacan sun and hand-made paper kites in the shop.

The natural setting is beautiful, and on the hill above the workshop there is an old mill that has been converted to an art school and display gallery.

The unique architecture makes effective use of the water that flows down the hillside and right through the facility. The lush vegetation and hilltop views evoke the Oaxaca region as it may have looked before an exploding population, industrialization, deforestation and traffic took their toll.

If you are feeling adventurous, you can get to San Augustin for just 10 pesos per person (less than a dollar) by taking a collectivo taxi from a location next to the Abastos Market. From the zocalo in downtown Oaxaca, walk west on Trujano until you get to the market area. Cross busy Periferico at the end of Trujano, and you will see an area where the brown and white collectivos are parked. Be sure to ask for a collectivo to St. Augustin de Etla. If you take one that is just marked Etla, you will be disappointed to find yourself in a very different place.

Pounding The Streets

2010-07-20T15:53:00.000-07:00

From the log kept by JM on the Feb/Mar 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

March 4, 2010. They are pounding the streets in downtown Oaxaca. This is not repaving of the usual sort. To preserve the historic character of the city, the streets are paved with big cobblestones. Workers pound with hammer and chisel to cut and fit each cobble by hand. The fitted cobbles are then set in concrete, in decorative patterns. The workers toil late into the night, and on weekends, in order to finish the street in time for the Mexican Independence Bicentennial Celebration.

We are also pounding the streets of Oaxaca, collecting and carrying boxes of handcrafted treasures from the Oaxaca Women's Cooperative, the Artisan Market and other places. We found an abundant selection of small items to catch your eye, add interest to your home, delight your friends and make you smile. Something for every budget!

Fine Food and Fantastic Crafts

2010-07-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

From the log kept by JM on the Feb/March 2010 Chiripa buying trip.

March 2, 2010. This morning we traveled south to the villages of San Bartolo Coyotepec, San Martin Tilcajete, and Ocotlan. We picked up a good selection of Oaxacan black pottery at the Dona Rosa workshop in San Bartolo, where Dona Rosa's son still presides.

Dona Rosa was, of course, the woman who discovered the technique for making the famous shiny black pottery (you can find it at Chiripa) and a piece or two online .

In Ocotlan, we stopped at the tiny home workshop of the famous Guillermina Aguilar, where we picked out as many clay figures as we could carry.

But the main event was in San Martin Tilcajete, where we met Jacobo and Maria Angeles for breakfast at their restaurant, Azucena Zapoteca (Zapotec Lily). The day was already hot, but there was a cool breeze under the veranda. Jacobo and Maria offered us a spectacular array of traditional Zapotec and Mexican dishes. The food was fabulous, and the presentation reflected Maria's artistic touch (Rick Bayless take note!).

The restaurant, magical as it was, was just a prelude to the workshop. Jacobo and Maria are among the most highly regarded artisans in all of Mexico producing exquisitely carved and painted alebrijes that are in great demand by collectors throughout the world.

Jacobo and Maria with a lion in progress March 2010.

The carved wooden animals have an uncanny lifelike but abstract quality, and the painting--well, you must see it to believe it: elegant designs are executed in unbelievably minute and precise detail, using traditional Zapotec motifs and stunning natural colors. The colors are from natural ingredients grown in the Oaxacan countryside. You can see some beautiful examples at Chiripa.

We also hope to bring Jacobo to Madison in October, so you can meet this great artist (and wonderful human being) in person.

Zapotec Weavers

2010-06-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

From the log kept by JM on the Chiripa buying trip in February and March of 2010.

March 1, 2010. Today we made our regular pilgrimage to the Zapotec Village of Teotitlan del Valle--epicenter of Mexican weaving. You can buy Zapotec rugs in Oaxaca, but you really must got to Teotitlan to get to the heart of the amtter. We normally take the bus from the Abastos Market, but today we got a ride from our good friend Bulmaro Perez (one of the most famous of the current generation of Mexican weavers). On our way out of Oaxaca we stopped at one of Bulmaro's favorite restaurants for a tasty blue-collar breakfast of enchiladas stuffed with barbecued beef.

Bulmaro Perez Mendoza with some of his beautiful tapestries.

When we got to Bulmaro's workshop, we were overwhelmed (as always) by the fine texture, elegant design, and rich natural colors of his rugs. (Bulmaro uses cochineal, indigo, marigold and other natural dyes.) Before long we had dozens of rugs scattered on the floor, and were lost in indecision. Bulmaro, the consummate and congenial salesman, padded around on his bare feet, smiled and pulled out more rugs for our consideration. At last we are down to a few select beauties (more than we had badgeted for, but far fewer than we wanted to take home). Some were woven by Bulmaro's father, an undisputed grand maestro. We are sure that you will love them (when they get to Madison).

Which rugs to choose . . .

In Teotitlan, we also visited other old friends including the Chavez and Santiago families. From them, we acquired a fine selection of finely woven wool rugs, table runners, purses and place mats.

Federico Chavez ("el veterano"), shown here with his wife Dolores (and dyed wool ready for weaving), has had rugs displayed in museums throughout the world. The Chavez family dyes its own wool with natural dyes, and in the family workshop there is a loom for each of the five family members.

Federico's son Eric (in the photo above) has fallen behind on his weaving, because he works long hours as education director of the new (and already world-renowned) Oaxaca Textile Museum. (You should visit the museum at 917 Hldalgo, just east of the zocalo in Oaxaca.)

An exhibition of Huichol garments was the featured show when we visited the museum in March.

Daughter Janet has opened a sweet retail shop in Oaxaca, where you can buy one of the family's fine rugs and talk to Janet in English, French, Spanish or Zapotec. The shop, called Galeria Fe y Lola is tucked into a courtyard on Cinco de Mayo, just down from Santo Domingo and next door to the little Gecko Coffee shop. Son Omar is still in school, but helps in the shop and is already an accomplished weaver.

Dolores, Omar, Federico and Janet at the entrance to the shop.

Streets and Markets

2010-06-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

From JM's log on the Feb/March 2010 Chiripa buying trip.

February 28, 2010. We wandered through the labyrinthine Sunday market that sprawls along the streets of Tlacolula, a Zapotec village in the Oaxaca Valley:

Spectacular offerings of papayas, plantains, peppers, roasted peanuts and spices. Molcahetes, lime for tortillas, flour, machetes, chisels and hardware of every kind.

Morose turkeys with legs bound. Flowers, hanging beef haunches, and strings of spicy chorizo sausage.

Sweet, smoky smells of roast chicken, onions and charred peppers rising from do-it-yourself charcoal grills.

Beautiful young women and tough old great-grandmothers in decorative dresses and aprons.

Back in the City of Oaxaca, we took an evening paseo around the zocalo, the site of violent political protests a few years ago. Tonight, the battleground is occupied by scores of balloon vendors holding gigantic bouquets of floating color.

Children are chasing everywhere, batting each other with big balloons, and filling the night air with their joyous chatter. Prosperous and desperately chic young people are clutching their cell phones and heading for bars and clubs that throb with noise. Tourists drik cervezas and fend off mariachis and street vendors int he cafes under the arched porticos. A few blocks away, in the working class market, tired workers stuff unsold goods into plastic bags and huddle around dimly lighted food stands--chatting and eating tortillas. Beggars wrap their shawls around them, and count the day's few pesos.

Cholula and a Slow Bus South

2010-06-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

From the log JM kept on the Chiripa buying trip in Feb/March 2010.

February 28, 2010. Before continuing our journey from Puebla to Oaxaca, we took a short side trip to the town of Cholula. Cholula is the site of an enrmous but unexcavated pre-Columbian pyramid. They claim that the total volume of the pyramid exceeds that of the Great Pyramid in Egypt.

A colonial church now sits atop the pre-Columbian ruins, and from the church there are fine views of snow-capped volcanoes:

The smoking Popocatepetl (17,802 ft.) and its dormant companion Itzaccihuatl (17,342 ft.).

Local artist Jesus Garcia demonstrating his popotillo (Mexican Straw Art) at the base of the pyramid.

They say that there are 365 churches in Cholula--one for each day of the year--including this sweet little church designed and decorated entirely by indigenous artists.

A more elaborate church was preparing for a wedding with lots of fresh flowers.

The fast first-class bus had already left, so we booked on a slower second-class bus to Oaxaca. It offered no movies, so we were free to enjoy the spectacular scenery along the way. The sun was setting, and a big pale moon rose over the wild landscape. White mist floated over themountains. Far away, a luninous white church stood alone in the vast and somber land.

Late in the evening, after several stops, the bus finally dropped us at an unfamiliar station near the gritty Abastos Market in a poor area of Oaxaca. We collected our baggage and tried to get our bearings. A friendly shopkeeper gave us directions, and we walked through dark streets to our hotel near the Zocalo (not our usual hotel choice).

We arrived at the hotel just as a busload of Mexican tourists pulled in, and we were engulfed in the chaos (five young women complained of being assigned to a room with 2 beds). But, at last, the harried desk clerk got things sorted out, and we were shown to our modest lodgings. We had a good supper at Los Cuiles, and managed to get a little sleep despite the noise resonating in the stairwell for much of the night.

Packing Tape and Treasures

2010-06-03T09:51:00.001-07:00

The doors are famous in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico

From the log the JM kept on the Feb/March Chiripa buying trip to Mexico:

We spent the morning packing and labeling our delicate San Miguel treasures for shipment. It was the usual desperate struggle with boxes, tape, stickers, bubble wrap and packing lists, but finally we had everything packed and ready for delivery to the familiar little freight office of the estimable Sr Victor Manuel Torres y Osuna. Sr. Torres will ship the items to our export shipper in Guadalajara.

We made a final stop at the Rocio craft workshop, which makes hand-painted nichos and etchings that you will treasure. Then we started our long bus trip to Oaxaca in southern Mexico. We changed buses in Queretaro and Mexico City, and made an overnight stop in Pureble--two hours east of Mexico City over the mountain pass traveled by Cortes at the time of the Spanish conquest. Puebla is a large industrial city, but the old city center is a well-preserved colonial treasure that features Talavera tile facades.

The Hotel Colonial entrace in downtown Purebla

When we are in Puebla, we always shop for a few skeleton nichos and other small treasures at the shop of our friends Miguel and Lilia. Their creations always make us smile, and you will smile, too.

Skelton Skier, $20 available online or call 866-244-9510

Mischievous Angels and More

2010-05-29T14:14:00.000-07:00

From the log JM kept on the Feb/March 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

February 26, 2010. No visit to San Miguel de Allende would be complete without a visit to the Artisan Market. We bought ceramics and jewelry from the Leyva family,

Adela Flores with her brightly painted suns.

and picked out a large selection of painted wood carvings (mischievous flying angels and a couple of devils) offered by a family from the state of Guerrerro.

We also visited the home of our friend Ricardo Banda, to pick out some finely-crafted tin and tile mirrors for your home and luminaries for your patio.

Ricardo keeps careful track of our order.

But, that was just the beginning! We also picked out some hand-made decorative tiles, and made a trip up the highway to the historically-important town of Delores Hidalgo, where the Mexican Independence Movement began. They were reconstructing the highway, which follows the 200-year-old route of the original independence march. It was slow going, but we made it to Delores in time to choose a good selection of hand-painted ceramic ware from the Liceagui family. We watched the Liceagui painters at work, and were astonished by their steady hands and skill.

Even our photos didn't interrupt the artist's concentration.

Upon leaving the Liceagui workshop, we had to run for several blocks to catch up with the bus leaving for San Miguel. Our frantic chase amused the amiable group of bystanders, who laughed and cheered us on. Because of the slow traffic, we finally overtook the bus--only to find that it was the wrong one! But well-wishers waived down the correct bus ahead of us and, puffing and sweating, we finally pulled ourselves aboard. There were no heart attacks.

Cold and Stars in San Miguel

2010-05-20T15:56:00.001-07:00

Text from the blog the JM kept on the Feb/Mar 2010 buying trip for Chiripa.

We were late arriving in San Miguel de Allende, a beautiful colonial town that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We contacted Felix, an experienced artisan who produces the magical tin stars, and many of the luminaries and mirrors, that grace Chiripa. Within a half hour, Felix and his wife arrived at our hotel to take our order. It was an unusually cold night in the courtyard, and Felix and his wife borrowed our jacket and fleece to keep warm. (They came dressed in T-shirts.)

The Truck Arrives

2010-05-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

I'll interrupt the log from the last trip to report that the truck arrived at Chiripa on Monday, May 10. But, unfortunately, not all of the shipment was in the truck. Some is back at the warehouse in Guadalajara. We're still sorting out what happened and hope to know soon when the rest of the shipment will be delivered. In the meantime we're keeping busy unpacking.

Requiem for a Silversmith

2010-05-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

Text from JM's log on the Feb/March 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

February 24, 2010

We are sorry to report that Jesus Garcia Zavala--silversmith extraordinaire--has passed away. The sign over his form shop near the Patzcuaro Basillica has been painted over with whitewash.

Jesus created the beautiful silver fish necklaces and other items seen at Chiripa, and his work has been displayed in museums around the world.

When we asked Jesus why there were 12 fish on all of his necklaces
he replied that there were 12 disciples, of course.

Jesus carving one of his cast silver fish.

Fortunately, Jesus shared his silverworking knowledge with other family members, and we were able to acquire a few pieces that his cousin has crafted in the same tradition.

Earrings by Jesus Garcia Zaval available at Chiripa and online.

Farewell to a Patzcuaro icon.

Copper, Furniture, Guns and Gorditas

2010-04-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

Text from JM's log on the Feb/March 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

February 23, 2010

Lourdes (“Lulu”) and Alfredo are a good team. Alfredo designs and builds the gorgeous wood and copper furniture you see at Chiripa. Lulu is a perpetual motion machine – the lively and engaging face of the family copper business. As we discussed hand-hammered copper and furniture, a neighbor lady came by offering homemade gorditas. We thought they were delicious, and a passing local patrol of heavily-armed federales apparently agreed.

The military presence is an unfortunate sign of the times in some parts of Mexico. Later, after visiting several other copper workshops, we had a more elaborate meal of pasta and shrimp prepared by Renaissance-man Alfredo. Muy sabroso!

Casa Felicitas, Lulu's domain
in Santa Clara de Cobre, Michoacan, Mexico

Tzintzuntzan and Back

2010-04-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

Text from JM's log on the Feb/March 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico. Photo captions by Kathryn.

February 22, 2010

We traveled to the lakeside village of Tzintzuntzan, which in past centuries was the capital of the powerful Tarascan empire. There we shopped for cantera stone carving.

An array of carved volcanic rock.

Carver Diego Lopez Zaldivar with his family

A veiw of the ancient ruins from Diego's window.

And we visited the overflowing artisan market. We bought armloads of things, including dozens of tall cornhusk gladiolas on bamboo sticks.

We stuffed everything into a small taxi, and then tried to stuff ourselves into the same tiny space. It was a struggle, but nothing like that which ensued when we tried to get out again at our destination. The taxi driver smiled in amusement as we thrashed around in a hopeless tangle of seat belts, bags, flowers and sticks. He kept his good humor, even when a rogue stick nearly cost him an eye. But at last we broke free, and no one was hurt. All part of the Chiripa business model!

A staple at Chiripa is the cornhusk flowers that we can only find in the Tzintzuntzan market.

These colorful additions to our shop inspire people to say: "Chiripa makes me happy!"

This photo is the family who's stall at the market sells the many flowers we purchase

(daisies, callas, tulips, and the gladiolas mentioned in the copy above).

Left to right: Angelica Morales, her husband Juan Alberto Aparicio, and their daughter Jessica Morales.

We were happy to find all of them at the shop on this trip.

Paula Guzman Perez makes these delightful skeletons.

Her display was set up outside the local cemetery that is famous for it's Day of the Dead observance.

It was just a Chiripa that she was on the path that I walked on my way to buy stone carvings.

Patzcuaro Calls Again

2010-04-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

Text from JM's log on the Feb/March 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

February 21, 2010 — Ah, Patzcuaro! The chill mornings at 7,000 feet, the evergreen-forested hills, the lake, the field stone fences painstakingly constructed by generations of campesinos, the 400-year old stone buildings, the rustic wood cabins with steep tile roofs, the church bells, the wood smoke, the ice cream vendors and consumers,

the market,

the beautiful Purepecha faces,

the easy pace and, of course, the crafts.

In Patzcuaro and surrounding villages there are hand-woven table linens in a riot of colors, pine needle baskets, wood carvings, furniture, cheerful flowers fashioned from corn husks, hand-hammered copper, cantera stone carving, leather, traditional ceramics, and the best guitars in Mexico. We have returned many times, and it touches us still.

The beautiful old Plaza Quiroga is being refurbished this year to the design originally mandated in the 1500’s by King Felipe II of Spain.

The project provides lots of jobs in these hard times, and the result will no doubt be beautiful. But it may take a while to acquire the patina of the old square we loved.

The construction deprives us of or our accustomed morning paseo, and young lovers must find other places to embrace. We wonder whether the birth rate will be affected.

We end the day after dark, in a little shop that sells hearts, crosses and other mysterious items made with the little tin “milagros” that are so popular at Chiripa.

When we tell the young shopkeeper that we are from Chiripa, her eyes sparkle and she breaks into a beautiful smile: “Oh yes, I remember you!”

Hard Times

2010-04-01T13:55:00.000-07:00

Text from JM's log on the Feb/March 2010 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico. Photo captions by Kathryn.

February 20, 2010 – HARD TIMES

“We may have to shut down if things don’t improve.” Like many other artisans, Enrique is deeply concerned about current economic conditions. He and his wife Gloria run D’Casa Ceramics, a small workshop that produces hand-crafted Talavera-style ceramics. Each piece requires hours of careful hand painting. The ceramics are then fired at high temperature to produce a durable and exquisite product.

The showroom/office at D'Casa Ceramics, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

Enrique engages the guys while Gloria figures our total in the background.

The artists work in the back room painting patterns on stoneware.

Their fine brushes are made from squirrel tails.

Enrique and Gloria worry about their small family of talented painters, who rely on them for a steady wage. (Enrique showed us the ceramic jar that held the wages to be paid that afternoon.) If Enrique and Gloria are forced to shut down, the world will be a poorer and less beautiful place. Chiripa is helping to sustain this handcraft tradition. You can share in the beauty, and keep the tradition alive!

Another painter working on a very detailed platter.

The completed piece waits to be fired.

We sell this platter at Chiripa and online.

Other pieces in the Rosy (teal) and Imperial (blue) patterns.
Stop at the shop to see what's on hand.

Tequila and Goat Stew

2010-03-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

Text from JM's log on the Feb/March 2010 buying trip to Mexico. Photo captions by Kathryn.

February 18, 2010 – AN EARLY START

The alarm went off at 1:30 AM, and in less than an hour we were on the bus – headed past the cozy little Chiripa shop on Madison’s South Park Street, and on our way to Chicago O’Hare. It is cold and dark, and we are thinking of the warm sun and friendly faces of Mexico.

Bus terminal driveway in Puerta Vallarta.

This is one of the reasons I love Mexico.
Artisan crafts are everywhere.

February 19, 2010 – TEQUILA AND GOAT STEW

We started our first full day in Mexico with hot coffee and a good breakfast.

A breakfast buffet awaits us at Hotel San Francisco in Guadalajara.

My two favorites were on the menu: fresh papaya and fish fillets.

Yes, breakfast. But you will only find the fish on Fridays (I think)

and maybe only during Lent. It was my first "Chiripa" (happy accident) of the day.

Our buying activities included an afternoon visit to the Tlaquepaque workshop where our friends Tina and Carlos produce colorful hand-blown glassware (possibly for your table).

Carlos Perez Castellanos and Tina Ruiz of Vitro Disenos Artesanales.

No, the red glass bulls are not coming to Chiripa, but some of the hearts are.

Carlos offered us a glass of tequila. He had made hand-blown tequila bottles for an artisan tequila producer, but the producer lacked cash to pay. So the producer paid with barrels of tequila, one of which stood in the back of the shop. Carlos drew us a big glass (“the tap closes slowly,” he said). Inspired by the fine tequila (we shared the glass), we ordered a lovely selection of hand-blown glassware. Tina and Carlos were happy, and you will be too.

In the evening, we had dinner in an old part of Guadalajara, at the Birreria las 9 Esquinas. This restaurant specializes in goat meat stew and lamb barbecue with all the trimmings (including pickled vegetables, onions and garlic). The stew bubbled in big cazuelas. For dessert we had fresh strawberries covered with thick cream.

I was sorry to have left my camera back at the hotel.

The restaurant was recommended by a Chiripa customer.

Check out their website. (You can view it in English.)

Home Again

2010-03-12T15:39:00.000-08:00

Those following this blog will have noted that I did not post anything while on the Chiripa buying trip to Mexico. We set an almost impossible schedule with little time to find and use a computer.

Future posts will lead you through some of the highlights of the trip. But, because it is still tourist season in southern Mexico I wanted to promote a favorite artist and a favorite restaurant.

Maria and Jacobo with their new Chiripa caps!

Jacobo and Maria Angeles of San Martin Tilcajete, Oaxaca, Mexico create stunning alebrijes and run one of the finest workshops in Oaxaca. And we will write more about it in a future post. But, who would have guessed that their restaurant (at the junction of the main highway and the road that leads into San Martin) offers some of the finest food we've tasted in Mexico.

Azucena Zapoteca
Cocina Tradicional Oaxaquena
Carretera Pro. Angel Km. 23.5
San Martin Tilcajete
Ocotlan, Oaxaca
Tel. 52 49 227 / 52 49 228
email: angeles@tilcajete.org

DON'T PASS BY. STOP, EAT, ENJOY.

This was one dish that included a delicious mole and that amazing stringy Oaxacan cheese. What a treat!

Next to the restaurant you'll find a gift shop with a wonderful sampling of Mexican artisan crafts. You may also get to watch some of the master painters working on their alebrijes.

And in the near future you'll be able to see some of their fine pieces at CHIRIPA.

Off to Mexico

2010-02-16T17:13:00.001-08:00

We ended the posts from JM's August journal just in time for the next Chiripa buying trip to Mexico. Affectionately called "The Milk Run," we'll be traveling from Guadalajara to Patzcuaro to San Miguel de Allende to Puebla and on to Oaxaca. We'll visit old friends and check out some new leads.

The long Wisconsin winter should be winding down when we return in early March. Until then you may see sporadic posts but access to computers is not guaranteed where we travel.

These photos were from our trip last February. They all shout MEXICO to me:

Bus: how we get from place to place; an amazing system!

Balloons: every zocalo (central plaza) has a balloon vendor; color and kids!

Babies: lots of them; I wonder if Felix's grandson will be walking!

Buddies: nothing beats a beer break during a grueling day of shopping?

Hasta luego!

Reflections on Traveling in Mexico

2010-02-04T12:54:00.001-08:00

The final post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa with some photos from that trip.-kl

On our way home from Mexico, a few reflections:

• Once again, we were astonished by the beautiful and sophisticated crafts produced, in very humble and remote places, by hard-working artisans. Chiripa is glad to help these artisans carry on their ancient tradition, and earn a decent living for their families.

• Our experience of Mexico is very different from the sensational images we see in the media. We felt very safe, welcome and comfortable, and saw no evidence of violence or pandemic flu. Mexico is a big country, far older than the U.S. It has a deep cultural tradition and is populated with beautiful, warm, hard-working and courteous people. They have a strong religious and family tradition, and work hard to provide a good life for their families.

• Mexico has probably the largest indigenous population in the Americas (when Columbus discovered the “new” world in 1492, Mexico City was already bigger than any city in Europe). That fact continues to shape Mexican society, and makes Mexico a very special place.

• You can still see older people wearing traditional costumes, especially in rural areas. But when the older generation is gone, you will likely see mostly baseball caps, T-shirts and jeans produced in China and Indonesia.

• Once in a while (but still rarely), you will now see a man or woman in shorts. Middle- and upper-class people are talking on cell phones and staring at text messages (just as here), and a few of them are smoking (but nothing like here). Obesity is rare (unlike here). Despite a declining birthrate, you still see lots of babies (unlike here).

• Artisans are worried about the economy and the future. Many struggle to make a living, and traditions are at risk of being lost. Industrialization and cheap imports continue to replace traditional local crafts. Without viable and appreciative markets, traditional hand-made crafts and know-how will eventually cease to exist. --JM, August 19, 2009

ENART, Tlaquepaque

2010-01-27T10:18:00.000-08:00

A post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl

A jolly taxi driver drove us from our downtown hotel back out to Tlaquepaque, and took the opportunity to practice his English on us. He quit school at an early age to herd cattle, and has never been to the U.S. (although he dreams of vacationing in Florida or Hawaii). But he is serious about learning English, and practices whenever he can.

We spent the day at the ENART craft show, which includes exhibitors from all over Mexico. We don’t buy much there, but sometimes we get new ideas about what is available and where. This year, for example, we found some really cool purses made from (believe it or not) recycled newspapers and magazines. A non-profit charity produces and sells the purses.

At ENART, we were also delighted to encounter Carlos Pedro Hernandez and his wife. We visited their home in a remote Michoacán village 2 years, and enjoyed a delicious lunch of soup and fresh homemade tortillas.

At that time, we watched as Carlos worked clay by hand to make spectacular lead-free “pineapple” ceramics like the one pictured here.

We bought some smaller pieces, as we did 2 years ago, and look forward to displaying them at Chiripa. You will be amazed! -JM, August 18, 2009

Tlaquepaque

2010-01-19T15:05:00.000-08:00

A post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl

We visited Tina’s shop in Tlaquepaque, a suburb of Guadalajara, where you can find many crafts for sale. Tina and her husband operate a small workshop that produces wonderful hand-blown glassware. But Tina laments that business is slow – so slow that they had to close down the workshop and lay off workers (at least until Chiripa showed up!). It was a familiar story among the artisans that we visited.

We ordered a nice selection of glass items that will get the workshop going again, at least for a little while. The glass creations are all made from recycled glass, and they are all lead-free. They have that special hand-blown shape and feel that will add an artisan touch to your home and table.

Some of the sizes available at Chiripa. Other colors: cobalt blue, aqua, red.

We also checked in on our good friends at D’Casa Ceramics, near Tlaquepaque. This family business operates in a little workshop on a residential street, but produces beautiful, high-temperature, Talavera ceramic ware that is durable and lead-free.

The proprietor, Enrique Castro, had many years of experience as a supervising engineer with large ceramics firms before starting his own business with his wife Gloria Saucedo. He takes a lot of pride in his work, and you can trust him to provide the very highest quality product. --JM, August 17, 2009

"Rosy" is the name of this pattern. It's one of Chiripa's "Best Sellers."

Bussing to Guadelara

2010-01-16T09:15:00.000-08:00

A post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl

This morning, as we headed toward the bus terminal, workers were sweeping the streets with long brooms made of bundled twigs and fronds, and people were stretching and taking their morning exercise laps around the Plaza Quiroga.

The bus terminals in Mexico are amazing. Buses are constantly coming and going in a precise and intricate dance. They simultaneously carry thousands of people to hundreds of different destinations. The barkers call out the names in a flat nasal twang: “Morelia, Morelia!” “Uruapan!” “Zitacuaro!” It is an enormously efficient transportation system, from which we could learn much.

Sadly, if you take a first-class bus, you must endure the movies. These are often loud and violent U.S. products, and by the end of an otherwise pleasant and restful trip they can leave you exhausted. These movies, far more than any diplomatic communications, shape the world’s image of the United States. The overall impression is that of a violent, corrupt and degenerate society.

Despite the movie torture en route, we completed the 5-hour trip from Patzcuaro to Guadalajara, via Morelia. You couldn’t describe Guadalajara as quaint or picturesque, although its downtown features magnificent colonial architecture. It is a big, hard-working, blue-collar place. It has plenty of rough edges, but it is not mean. A sincere young taxi driver told us that Mexico City was choked with pollution, traffic, poverty and crime (“todo malo”), but that Guadalajara was much better (“you don’t get robbed here”).

On Sunday afternoon, families and couples are out walking in the downtown (unlike many U.S. cities, which are ghost towns on weekends). Children, in their underwear, are laughing and playing in the fountains. The splashing water and cool mist offer relief from the afternoon heat. --JM August 16, 2009

Patzcuaro

2010-01-08T12:49:00.001-08:00

A post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl

This morning, there was a religious ceremony at the colonial basilica in Patzcuaro. Families lined up in front of the church over an hour ahead of time.

Girls were dressed in their finest white dresses, and boys were dressed in white shirts and sometimes ill-fitting suits.

At the proper moment, the families began filing in to the beautifully decorated church interior. Their songs echoed from the 400-year-old walls.

We watched part of the ceremony, then browsed for local crafts in the surrounding market. We made another visit to the craft market in Tzintzuntzan and, in the evening, we bought a good supply of the colorful hand-woven tablecloths, napkins and placemats for which Patzcuaro is famous. (A small selection is available online.)

Here, as everywhere else in Mexico, people love to eat at all hours of the day.

There are big steaming vats of “exquisite” menudo (tripe soup); pozole; carnitas; roast corn with cheese, lime and salsa; sizzling roasted onions and savory peppers; corn meal corundas; cups of fruit with salsa; simmering tamales; and hand-made tortillas fried on big comales over wood coals.

Downtown, under the arcade, you can get a cerveza, a cup of delicious local ice cream, or a frozen fruit bar (made from local fruits that you have never heard of).

In the late evening, you might want to sit on the balcony of the Primer Piso Restaurant, overlooking the square, and enjoy the delicious seasonal special of Chiles en Nogada (stuffed pepper in cream sauce).--JM August 15, 2009

Barro Sin Plomo and Tzintzuntzan, Michoacan, Mx

2010-01-03T12:35:00.000-08:00

A post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl

We knocked on the wooden door, not far from the center of Patzcuaro. After a pause, the door opened and we were warmly welcomed by our friends at Echery Pottery. Echery works with Barro Sin Plomo (“Clay Without Lead”), a non-profit charity that promotes lead-free pottery methods in rural communities. The effort is important for the health of artisans and their families – especially children – as well as for consumers.

Chiripa was an early supporter of this lead-free effort. But lead-free producers face competitive challenges, especially because cheaper lead-containing ceramics are still finding their way across the border for food use (often by immigrant populations) in the United States.

Our friends took us to several villages, and down dirt lanes, to the homes of participating lead-free producers. You would be amazed at the beauty that skilled artisans create in these humble and unexpected places (you can glimpse some of their work at Chiripa).

Later, we stopped at the town of Tzintzuntzan, capital of the pre-Columbian Tarascan Empire. The ancient ruins above the town command a beautiful view of the lake and surrounding mountains.

The stone ramparts were built with carefully fitted stones, without mortar. On the road below the ruins, there are workshops that carry on the stonework tradition – producing “cantera” stone carvings (garden ornaments and other statuary).

If you can’t get to Tzintzuntzan yourself, you can see some fine examples at Chiripa. --JM August 14, 2009

Patzcuaro and Santa Clara del Cobre

2009-12-16T11:08:00.000-08:00

A post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl

We were up again at dawn – this time for a 5-hour bus ride from San Miguel to Patzcuaro in the cool wooded highlands of Michoacán. We love many places in Mexico, but Patzcuaro is a special favorite.

We always stay at Los Escudos, a comfortable and economical hotel on the beautiful Plaza Quiroga – one of the oldest and finest public spaces in the Americas. We also like to eat breakfast at the nearby Mansión Iturbe Hotel (another venerable hotel located in a former colonial mansion). It offers lots of hot coffee, wonderful fresh fruit, local specialties like “corundas,” and an accompanying assortment of pastries including old-fashioned “rosettes” like your aunt or grandmother used to make.

Today, we stopped at our hotel just long enough to check in. Then we walked to the intersection near the edge of the downtown, where we caught the bus for the copper village of Santa Clara del Cobre. Six pesos (less than 50 cents at today’s exchange rate) will take you the 15 miles or so to Santa Clara.

The annual Copper Fair is in full swing in Santa Clara. The plaza in front of the church is festooned with bright paper banners (“papel picado” like you see in Chiripa). A hundred colorfully-dressed dancers (some armed with little bows and arrows) ward off a scary array of costumed evil spirits -- all to the oompah sound of a brass band.

At the local Copper Museum, there is a stunning display of hand-hammered copper. These are works of the highest art – easily qualified for display in the world’s best museums. But they are all produced right here in Santa Clara, by artisans who devote months of labor to each piece. The artisans are competing against their friends and neighbors, and the rivalry is fierce. A first-place award is a great honor.

Most of the displayed works were far out of our price range, but we bought a number of other fine pieces from the Castro Hernandez family, which captured 2 of 5 prestigious first-place awards at this year’s show. You will soon be able to find these elegant pieces at Chiripa, at very reasonable prices.

We returned to Santa Clara the next morning. But today the Copper Fair was interrupted by rain. Not just the usual gentle mist – but a fearful deluge. At this altitude (Santa Clara sits at over 7,000 feet), the lightening and thunder make your hair stand on end. The rain hammered down, and torrents of water poured down the cobbled streets like mountain rivers. A woman swept at the tide rising over the curb, trying to keep it out of her shop.

Fortunately, the curbs are high, and many sidewalks are sheltered by deep overhanging roofs. For the most part, the people just took the deluge in stride.

To all appearances, Mexico is the same beautiful place as ever. But there are some storms raging, and some dark currents flowing beneath the surface. The state of Michoacán faces serious economic difficulties, and young men have emigrated in droves. Some of those who remain have been drawn into gangs and drug violence. We felt completely safe, and saw no evidence of the violence portrayed in the news media. But it is on the minds of many people here.

Over coffee, one business owner confided to us that she is careful about what she says at parties, because “you never know for sure who is involved in what.” Neither she nor her family have ever received any threats, but she hears rumors of extortion and “protection money” schemes. Even legitimate business success can cause resentment in hard-pressed communities. And in today’s climate, businesses are forced to lay off workers who have no safety net. Job losses are making everything worse.

Back in Patzcuaro, another deluge hit in the late afternoon. Waterfalls leaped from the overhanging roofs, slid down big banana leaves in interior courtyards, and splashed on the stone pavement. But melancholy Patzcuaro, with its 400-year-old adobe walls and red tile roofs, has endured many storms. It just hunkers down and waits. -JM August 12 and 13, 2009

Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato

2009-12-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

A post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl

Shortly after dawn, we used the usual tongs and metal pan to make pastry selections at the bakery, and then walked to the bus station. We made it in time to get some coffee and catch the early bus to Dolores Hidalgo (birthplace of the movement that led to Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1810). At Dolores, we visited the shop of our trusted friend Estela Liceagui, and selected some nice Talavera ceramics for Chiripa. Estela was proud that President Obama was visiting Mexico that day.

We were back in San Miguel by noon. There we picked up some hand-painted tile, and ordered some of the latest painted tin creations from our friend Hector. We also picked up more items in the craft market. The rest of the afternoon was spent on another frantic struggle with cardboard boxes, packing tape, labels, etc. We carried the boxes ourselves, and delivered them to our cooperating shipper just in time. This is not glamorous work. But it is often necessary when you buy directly from artisans who are good at their craft, but unsophisticated when it comes to packing, consolidation and export. It lets us bring you hand-selected crafts that are available nowhere else, and ensures fair prices to the artisans (without the middle-man).

We were just starting to relax in our hotel room, after our packing struggle, when we heard a knock at the door. It was Ricardo, another fine tin artisan, responding to the phone message that we had left the day before.

We quickly gave up on any idea of relaxation, and went with Ricardo and his wife to their home workshop. Ricardo speaks a little English, so that made it (fairly) easy to agree on the details of our order.

Ricardo specializes in fine mirrors, and has been at his craft for many years. His children are grown, but on weekends he and his wife love to visit their grandchildren. Like other artisans we know, Ricardo confided that the current economy has had a serious effect on his business. So he was happy to catch us before we left San Miguel. -JM, August 11, 2009

San Miguel de Allende

2009-12-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

A post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl

After a welcome jolt of black coffee and a good breakfast (it was nearly noon), we caught a taxi to visit our friend Felix. Felix makes many of the cleverly worked tin stars, mirrors and other items that you see at Chiripa. He does this in his family’s modest home, in the rural Rancho Cienaga, several miles outside of San Miguel. Unfortunately, Felix has been without a telephone lately (telephones cost money), so we had the taxi take us unannounced to his residence.

Felix was there, and as happy to see us as we were to see him. We talked over our order (using our imperfect Spanish) and paid him in advance. We have always trusted our artisan friends to deliver, and they have not failed us once. Chiripa (“a stroke of luck”) has been lucky for them, and we hope for you too!

When we got back to town, we started our hunt in the San Miguel artisan market, where indigenous people (like our friends the Leyva family) offer a variety of interesting craft items.

These sellers do not pack for export, however, so we had to do that ourselves. The evening and part of the next day were occupied with cardboard boxes, tiny “Made in Mexico” stickers, bubble wrap (“burbuja”), packing tape and magic markers. Let’s hope it all gets to Wisconsin in one piece! -JM August 10, 2009

Note: It DID!

San Augustin Etla, Oaxaca, MX

2009-11-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

Time has gotten away from me. All of the new shipment from Mexico is processed and on the shelf. Most of the holiday decorations are up. AND, if you are in the Madison area, stop by the shop on Saturday, Nov 21 for a Holiday Open House and a special offer on all angels. You'll find tin, clay, brass, and wood angels; all 20% off for one day only.

And now back to the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl

"Eric and his younger sister Janet took us to the village of San Augustín Etla. The setting is beautiful. The moist valley has an exotic, tropical feel that is quite different from the city of Oaxaca. The abundance of water made this an important mill town and administrative center in the past. That is gone now, but an impressive building complex remains. A famous painter saved the decaying buildings and, with government help, transformed them into a modern architectural gem brought to life by water flowing throughout the hillside complex. It seems only a matter of time before this becomes a significant tourist destination.

A sculpture exhibit on display in the complex commemorates more than 2,000 individuals who emigrated from a single village in search of a better life in the U.S. None of them returned, and many died.

We spent a somewhat lazy Sunday afternoon in Oaxaca, revisiting the Women’s Cooperative and picking up a few last items for Chiripa. After supper, we said goodbye to our friend Kathy (who would stay another day before flying home). Then we walked to the bus depot and climbed on the midnight bus for Mexico City.

The night ride to Mexico City was uneventful, except for the military checkpoint where we had to climb out and watch while soldiers searched our baggage (nothing but dirty clothes in our case). We slept, and dawn found us in Mexico City’s Norte bus terminal. From there, we grabbed a bus to the lovely colonial town of San Miguel de Allende (a World Heritage site)." -JM August 9, 2009

Chicago Visit

2009-10-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

We interrupt the Chiripa buying trip log to tell you about a fantastic opportunity in Chicago. The National Museum of Mexican Art is hosting a Folk Art Festival from now until Sunday, October 25.

We took the opportunity to drive down and visit two of our close Oaxaca friends who are part of this special exhibit and sale. Jacobo Angeles (carved and intricately painted wooden figures-alebrijes) and Bulmaro Perez (hand woven and naturally died wool rugs) have brought dozens of samples of their expert craftmanship.

Jacobo is always laughing;
he's holding on to the loom that Bulmaro shipped to the museum to demonstrate his craft.

If you have the opportunity to visit Chicago and the museum you won't find a better place to see their work in the Midwest (except at Chiripa, of course!) and to meet with the artist and learn about the natural die processes that they use. Please tell Jacobo and Bulmaro that we sent you! When the museum closed we took Jacobo and Bulmaro to dinner. They chose the cuisine (Mexican, of course) and we headed for Frontera Grill, the Rick Bayless restaurant on Clark St. in downtown Chicago.

Jacobo and Bulmaro at Frontera Grill, Chicago.

From the mezcal apartif and through the meal we caught up on each other's businesses and learned about their family traditions for the coming Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) celebrations. By chance, Rick was at the restaurant that night and Jacobo and Bulmaro were fortunate enought to meet him and invite him to their homes when he travels to Mexico. It was a very special night!

All camera's came out for the photo op with Rick Bayless.
Jacobo is holding some of his work.

I can't say enough good things about the National Museum of Mexican Art. This is the very best time to see it if you are interested in Dia de los Muertos. A large exhibit space is dedicated to altars (ofrendas) that honor individuals or groups of people who have passed beyond this world.

Other exhibitors at the Folk Art Festival: Guillermina Aguilar from Ocotlan, Oaxaca (clay figures); Miriam Castaneda from Xoxocotla, Morelos (paper Mache); Florentina Lopez de Jesus from Xochistlahuaca, Guerrero (back strap loom weaving); Jose Jorge Garcia from Oaxaca, Oaxaca (silver filigree jewelry) and the Mondragon Family from Toluca, Estado de Mexico (sugar skulls).

The Mondragon family comes to the museum a month before Dia de los Muertos to make 20,000 sugar skulls. They will write a name on the skull if you wish. The museum sells out.

The photogenic Gillermina Aguilar graciously consented to a photo.
Her family's work can be found at Chiripa.

It looks like a cold and rainy weekend ahead. Our Mexican friends are shivering. Go say hello from us and spread some warmth!

Arrazola

2009-10-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

A post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl

"Today we were on another old bus as it lurched out of Oaxaca’s noisy Abastos Market, headed for the village of Arrazola. Gears ground as the bus pounded its way over endless potholes and speed control bumps (“topes”), and stopped frequently to gain and lose passengers. The day already promised heat, and the bus was dark with dust and exhaust fumes. The short trip seemed endless, but at last we reached the village. On the distant heights above the town, we could see pyramids forming part of the spectacular pre-Columbian ruins of Monte Alban.

"Arrazola, like San Martín, is known for its painted wood carvings. But our initial impressions were not favorable. As we worked our way up the steep cobbled streets, ducking into family workshops, we found mainly mediocre work.

"But at last we stumbled into the workshop of Sergio Santiago. This was something different!

"The delightful figures seemed to come alive, and we had fun picking out a good selection for our Chiripa customers. If the figures survive the trip to Wisconsin (Ojalá!), you will soon see them at the shop. -JM Aug 8,2009

Ocotlan, San Martin Tilcajete, And More

2009-10-06T15:35:00.000-07:00

A post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl

"This morning we jumped off the bus and plunged into the busy Friday market in the village of Ocotlán. The market is teeming with country folk buying and selling aromatic peppers, fruits and vegetables, fresh cheese, live turkeys with feet tied together, hardware, clothing and other goods. You can still see lots of older women in traditional pleated skirts, embroidered blouses, aprons, headdresses and rebozos, and men in handmade straw sombreros. But when their generation is gone, you will probably see only machine-made baseball caps, T-shirts and jeans from China and Indonesia.

"On our way out of Ocotlán, we bought clay figurines at the cluttered multi-family households of the famous Aguilar sisters. Then we hopped on the bus, and headed down the road to the villages of Santo Tomás Jalietza (weaving on backstrap looms) and San Martín Tilcajete. We nearly lost Kathy when the bus started before she was fully on board, but she managed to stay upright and hang on. One passenger carried a handsome live chicken, in an open plastic bag, from the market in Ocotlán. The bus dropped us along the highway, so we hiked into town.

"San Martín is famous for colorfully-painted carved wooden figures called alebrijes, and in the village plaza many of the artisans had their works on display. We picked out a good selection, then walked down the rocky dirt street to our primary destination at the far end of the village – the home of Jacobo and Maria Angeles. These world class artisans produce exquisitely carved and painted alebrijes that raise the craft to the level of high art. You can see several fine examples of their work at Chiripa.

"We ended the day at the village of San Bartolo Coyotepec, home of the famous Oaxacan black pottery. Examples of the pottery are available at Chiripa." -JM Aug 7,2009

Gallery Night, Friday October 2

2009-09-29T14:27:00.000-07:00

Enjoy extended hours and refreshments on Friday, October 2 from 5 until 9 p.m. as Chiripa participates in the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art’s semi-annual Gallery Night.

One of our featured pieces will be this painting by Gregorio Mendez. We met Sr. Mendez in February while traveling to remote Cuetzalan, Puebla, Mexico.

Take this opportunity to bring in friends who’ve never been to Chiripa. We’ll be on hand to talk about the people who make the fine artisan crafts that we sell and to give information about the places where the art is made. With winter just around the corner, perhaps it’s time to plan that warm weather trip to Mexico. We’ll help you pick the spot.

Mitla, Rugs, and Trees

2009-09-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

A post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl

"We caught the familiar brown-and-yellow bus as it left the second-class bus depot in Oaxaca’s gritty Abastos Market (“abastos” means “provisions,” and thousands of people of limited means buy and sell daily necessities at this big market). We rode to the end of the line, and got off at the village of Mitla. The village is an important textile center, and is also the site of important pre-Columbian ruins.

KZ contemplates the plethora of patterns at Mitla.

The pattern we often see in rugs sold at Chiripa.

"On our return ride, we got off at Teotitlán del Valle, the most important of Oaxaca’s rug-weaving villages. There, we greeted old friends and picked out a lovely selection of hand-woven rugs, purses, pillow covers and table runners for Chiripa (guaranteed to warm and brighten your environment).

The Santiago Family in Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico.

Another pattern at Mitla similar to the design in the rug above.

"Our last stop was the village of Tule, to see what may be the world’s largest tree. The famous 'Tule Tree' is about 2,000 years old, and has a trunk as big as a house! The tree is still healthy, and green with new growth. But it is surrounded by a clutter of souvenir shops and food stands, and expanding development threatens its water supply." -JM Aug 6,2009