Art of the Huichol
The Huichol Indians live in a distant part of Mexico in far-off areas of Nayarit and Jalisco. In the face of great pressures for change, they have maintained many of their traditional beliefs and ceremonies. The Huichol reflect their belief systems in all of the art-work that they do.

Many Huichol religious beliefs are illustrated in beautifully designed yarn paintings called Nearika. Yarn paintings are made by the Huichol for sale to supplement their income. To make their yarn art, the Huichol cover thin boards with a mixture of beeswax and pine resin. Threads of yarn are then pressed into the boards. Decorated gourd bowls are another important art form made by the Huichols. The gourds are adorned with beads to form a variety of meaningful symbols. Decorated gourd bowls help in offering prayers to the gods, although these too are now made for sale.

MASKS
Masks have been used in many cultures around the world. Masks were an important part of Mexican culture long before the Spanish arrived. Today, masks are mostly found in the southern, central, and northwestern states of Mexico where many Indian populations live.

Masks are still used at many festivals and ceremonial dances. Many of the masked dances are performed to secure happiness and good fortune. Popular subjects performed with masks include reenactment of the Spanish Conquest, religious tales, and dramas that include animals and supernatural figures.
In most areas masks are made by specialists who are usually men. Sometimes dancers make their own masks. Carved and painted wood is the most common material used. Masks are also made from leather, papier-mâché, clay, cloth, cardboard, wire mesh, gourds, and wax.

Malinche mask. (Above) Nahua Indians; Guerrero. This mask played a key role in the Tenochtli Dance, which tells the story of the fall of Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital.

Hermit mask. (Below) Tarascan (or Purépecha) Indians; Michoacán. This mask is used in the Pastorela Dance, a play for the Christmas season. Most of the dancers, unmasked, are girls and women. Men are the characters in the play who wear the masks.

FOLK ART
Folk art is not an easy word to define. Some folk art is made for sale to collectors. Other things considered folk art by some are made to be used everyday, such as hand-made children’s toys. Some folk art in Mexico has been influenced by the Spanish while other folk art is based on traditional Indian arts and craft. Today, about 8 percent of the Mexican population, many of them Indian, earns a living making and selling forms of folk art and craft. Folk arts often begin with the creative ideas of a single person or a family and are then taken up by others in the village. Although folk art is based on shared traditions, it is constantly changing and evolving into new forms.

POTTERY
Pottery is probably the most popular Mexican folk art, and one of the most ancient. Pottery is found throughout the country, in many different styles and forms. Mexican pottery was traditionally made by hand, using coils or molds. Called earthenware, this clay was fired at low temperatures. Before the Spanish came to Mexico, the firing took place in bonfires. Mineral glazes, the potter’s wheel and open top kilns were introduced by the Spanish and are sometimes used today.

Common everyday pottery (la loza corriente) is simply decorated. It comes in a range of shapes and sizes. Most of this pottery is used to hold food or liquids. The more decorative pottery is often used for ceremonies or household decoration. Pots are decorated with slips (layers of liquid clay), paints, and glazes. Animal and human figurines are often made for sale.

Villages often specialize in making certain types of pottery. In many areas of the country, women might make the common ware and men the decorative. In some villages the entire family will work together to make a certain type of pottery.
Pottery, like all other Mexican crafts, has changed in the last 100 years. Traditional pottery is still made, but now usually for sale.

OAXACAN WOODCARVING
Oaxaca Valley is in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. Many of the carvers are descendants of the Zapotec Indians, native to this area. The soft wood of the copal tree is used to carve these amazing creatures. These figures are crafted with a great deal of imagi- nation. They are carved, sanded and then painted by hand using bright colors. The carvings are usually made for sale. Men often carve the figures, when they are not farming, in order to earn extra money to support their families. Sometimes an entire family may help create these fantastic and amusing figures.

PAPER ARTS

Paper has been used in Mexico since ancient times. Paper created from tree bark was made into books to record ancient histories. It was also used for decoration and for ceremonial use. The Otomi Indians still prepare bark paper by hand. The paper is most often used to make paper dolls that represent different humans, animals and spirits. These paper dolls are used in different rituals.

BARK PAPER made by the Otomí Indians is also used by Mexican artists, especially from the state of Guerrero. On this bark paper, they create lively paintings that include flowers and animal figures.

PAPERCUTS (papel picado) are a popular form of decoration used for holidays and festivals in Mexico. In its simplest form, tissue paper is folded and cut with scissors to form different patterns. The paper is then glued together to form banners that can be hung most anywhere. Skilled craftsmen use tools such as blades, awls, and chisels to create more complicated designs that include animals, skeletons, flowers and much more. These craftsmen often cut through fifty or more sheets of tissue paper at one time.

PAPIER-MÂCHÉ (papel pegado) is a very popular art form in Mexico. Large carnival head figures and piñatas are made from papier-mâché for different festivals and holidays. Animals, skeletons, dolls and other toys are also made from papier-mâché to be used for decorations or for sale. Pieces of paper are torn into strips and soaked in paste. A frame is made out of wood or wire to form a body. Strips of paper are then pasted onto the frame. After the piece is dry it is painted. The strips of paper are applied until the basic shape is created. When the piece is dry, extra fea- tures such as noses, ears and hands are added. Next, the piece is decorat- ed with colored papers and foils, or it is painted in bright colors. Papier- mâché is also created using molds made from fired clay or plaster. By creating molds, the same figure can be made over and over again for sale. Two molds are made, one for each half of the figure. Once the wet paper is almost dry, the two halves are pasted together.