I'm drawn to things that have handmade qualities, pattern, texture and bright colors, and a sense of mythology too, so it makes sense that I've become interested in Huichol indian crafts. Huichol people live in North Western Mexico, far up in the mountains.
They make impossibly beautiful beaded designs, pressing the beads into beeswax and using patterned symbols to speak of their religion which has three main components: deer, corn and peyote. You can see the deer embedded in the jaguar's cheek and the prayer bowl has deer surrounding a flower center that represents peyote.
They also make yarn drawings, which tell stories about their system of myths, usually having to do with tribal shamans communicating with animals or aspects of nature, or the gods of the sun, moon and fire.
It's fascinating stuff. The pieces I have were found at Scarlet Sage Herb Co. on Valencia and Mixcoatl Arts and Crafts on 24th, both among my favorite stores in the city.
