• Exhibitions
    • Spotlight Gallery
    • Current Exhibition >
      • A FORTUNE INSIDE MY PIGGY BANK
      • The Joy of Nativity Scenes
      • Bandera Ware >
        • A painting by José Salazar
    • Past Exhibitions
    • Past Exhibitions >
      • Native Mexican Garment
      • Our Day of the Dead Altar
      • Women of Mexican Independence (1810)
      • Divine Pitchers/ Jarras Divinas
      • Cinco de Mayo display
      • Legends of Mexican Cinema photos
      • Navidad Mexicana
      • Day of the Dead Altar 2021
      • Independence Day Display 2021
      • Splendors of "The Tree of Life"
      • Mexican Independence Day
      • Navidad 2020
      • Old Postcards from México
      • La Catrina from its origins
      • OTOMÍ DREAM
      • NATIVITY SCENES 2019
      • Three Wise Man Celebration
      • DAY OF THE DEAD 2019
      • Whimsical Tales of Ocumicho
      • Mexican Independence Day display 2019
      • Lacquers from Uruapan
      • Mariachi outfit and its history
      • The Popular Mexican Velvet Hat
      • Cinco de Mayo -2019
      • Green-Glazed Ceramics
      • Double Exhibition
      • Chistmas Nativities-2018
      • Day of the Dead / El Día de Los Muertos 2018
      • Patriotic Play: Figures of the Mexican Revolution
      • Mexican Independence Day 2018
      • Fiesta Display: Traditional Mexican Embroidery
      • A Photographic Stroll
      • Traditional Toys
      • Cinco de Mayo 2018
      • Splendors of Oaxacan Art
      • Nacimiento Navideño 2017
      • Día De Los Muertos 2017
      • Birds of Clay: Burnished Pottery from Jalisco
      • ¡Alebrijes! Alebrijes!
      • Mystical Masks / Máscaras Místicas
      • Nacimiento Navideño/ Nativity Sets & Scenes 2016
      • El Día De Los Muertos 2016
      • Muñecas Tradicionales / Traditional Dolls
      • Barro Petatillo y Petate de Palma
      • Dîa de los Muertos 2015
      • Bandera Ware/ Flag Ware
      • Saintly and Spirited: Art Made of Tin
      • ¡LOTERÍA! Mexico's Game of Chance and Poetry
      • Tree of Life / El Arbol de la Vida
      • Mexico Dreams Animals
      • Transportation ¡DALE!
      • ¡Buen Provecho! Dining in Mexico
  • About
  • Events
    • Past Events
  • Get Involved
    • Donations
  • Links
  • Collections
    • Tin Art
    • Bandera Ware
  • Contact and Hours
  • Upcoming exhibition

The Museum's
Spotlight Gallery 

showcases one special piece from the collection

LA TEHUANA

La Tehuana


In the state of Oaxaca, the women of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec have long enjoyed fame for their ‘exotic’ beauty and richly colored textiles. The word tehuana has come to be used interchangeably, referring to a woman from the geographic region of Tehuantepec as well as to her distinguishing dress.

A combination of styles, the dress is an evolving testament to the diverse peoples that have passed through the Isthmus for centuries: cotton muslin from England used originally for its sturdy yet fine quality, floral patterns from Asia, the squared shape of th
e pre-Hispanic huipil (blouse), and the lace petticoats from Europe, all manifesting into the unique tehuana dress seen today.

Picture

La Tehuana


En el estado de Oaxaca, las mujeres del Istmo de Tehuantepec son famosas por su belleza ‘exótica’ y textiles de colores vivas. La palabra tehuana significa ambos, refiere a la mujer de la región geográfica de Tehuantepec, y a la vez, a su vestido distinguido.

Su traje es una  combinación de estilos y evidencia de la diversidad de gente quienes han pasado por el Istmo dejando su marca: el algodón inglés utilizado por su fuerza refinado, los diseños florales asiáticos, la forma cuadrado del huipil pre-hispánico, y la enagua de encaje de origines europeos, todos manifiestan en un traje único que se encuentra hoy en día. 



Work by Artist and Potter:
JERÓN MARTINEZ MENDOZA

Picture

Jerón Martinez Mendoza
1918-1990

Born in Acatlán, Puebla, into a long line of potters, Jerón Martinez Mendoza at first resisted joining the family artisanal traditional and, as a young man, sought to make his mark in the world in a variety of other fields. But success eluded him. After years of struggle, and motivated by the practicality of supporting a growing family, he yielded to the pull of family tradition and turned to pottery.

Beginning with utilitarian pieces for everyday use, Martinez quickly distinguished himself by designing clay water barrels with handles that were shaped to resist breaking. “People came from all over to buy my barriles,” he said. “They would wait in line by the kiln for them.”

Encouraged by acceptance of his unique ideas, and the necessity of earning a better living, Martinez expanded his production to include planters and pots. Still meant for everyday use, his pieces steadily evolved into shapes of animals, fish and birds. At the same time he began to experiment with different glazes and finishes: white, black and burnished (brown).

The"White Period"

Martinez’s early entrepreneurial ventures gave him an unusually business-like approach to organizing his workshop. Still concentrating on practical wares for daily use, his production and local sales were steady. And when the Pan-American Highway opened in 1947, his reputation, income and latitude to create opened up, too.

In partnership with his wife Oliva, Jerón began to make whimsical animal figures, Trees of Life and incense burners of bisque (unglazed clay) covered with a coat of gesso (chalky white plaster). This piece featuring three dogs with chickens atop their heads is a clear example of his playful expression.

While he shaped the figures, she applied the gesso, and they both finished the pieces with bright, colorful decorations. The distinctive white matte finish gave this phase of his work its name and identifying characteristic, no matter the pieces’ shapes or intended use. And while much of his later “burnished” work depicts serious themes, his white period animals show a clear influence of performing circus animals.

Bisque and gesso-finished clay pottery is much more fragile than glazed ceramics. But even as Martinez’s surviving “white period” pottery becomes more rare, his name and unique style have become better known. 

Jerón Martinez Mendoza
1918-1990

Nacido en una larga linea de afareros, Jerón Martinez Mendoza primero resistía unirse a la familia artisanal tradicional y trató de dejar su marca en el mundo en varias otras formas. Pero el éxito se le escapó. Despues de años de luchar con pobreza, y motivado por la necesidad de apoyar una familia, cedó a la tradición de su familia y se hizo alfarero.

Comenzando con piezas de ceramica utilitarias, Jerón se distinguió por mejorando los diseños tradicionales. Sus barriles de barro para llevar agua fueron formados para evitar que las manijas se romperian. “La gente vinierion de todas partes para comprar mis barriles,” dijó. “Esperaban en lineas largas al lado de la estufa.”

Animado por la recepción de sus ideas únicas, y la necesidad de ganarse mejor la vida, Jerón expandió se producción para incluir jardineras y macetas. Aún destinado para el uso diario, sus piezas evolucionaron de manera constant in formas de animales, peces y aves. Al mismo tiempo, comenzó a experimentar con diferentes esmaltes y refinamientos: blanco, negro y bruñido.

El "Periódo Blanco"

Claro que sus experiencias con inicios de negocio cuando era joven influía a Jerón Martinez en sus métodos de organza su taller. Ya concentrando en cerámicas practicales para uso diario, su producción y ventas eran constantes. Y cuando abrió La Carreterra Pan Americano in 1947, su reputación, ingreso y libertad para crear iban en aumento tambien.

En colaboración con su esposa Oliva, Jerón comenzó a concentrarse en la creación de figuras caprichosos, arboles de la vida y los incensarios de “bisque” (barro sin esmaltar), cubiertos con una capa de yeso (tirita blanquecino). Esta pieza presenta tres perros con pollos en la cima de sus cabezas es un claro ejemplo de su expression lúdica.

Mientras que Jerón formó las figuras, ella aplicó el yeso, y los dos pintaron los pedazos con decoraciones brillantes y coloridos. Era la esmalta blanca que dió a este period de producción su nombre y caracteristica para identificacion. No importaba la forma o uso intendido de los pedazos. Mas tarde, el arte de Jerón durante su “periodo bruñido” mostraron temas serias, los animales del “period blanco” eran influidos por animales del circo.

Alfarería de “bisque” y cubierta con yeso es mucho mas frágil que ceramica vidriada. Pero mientras que la alfarería sobrevivienda del “period blanco” de Jerón Martinez Mendoza se hace mas rara, su nombre y estilo distinctivo llegaron a ser major conocido.


Beaded Jaguar Head by Huichol Artist (Anonymous)


"MUÑECA"
by ceramic artist Josefina Aguilar

Picture
Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2018 Casa Dolores - All rights reserved.
Terms and Conditions
  • Exhibitions
    • Spotlight Gallery
    • Current Exhibition >
      • A FORTUNE INSIDE MY PIGGY BANK
      • The Joy of Nativity Scenes
      • Bandera Ware >
        • A painting by José Salazar
    • Past Exhibitions
    • Past Exhibitions >
      • Native Mexican Garment
      • Our Day of the Dead Altar
      • Women of Mexican Independence (1810)
      • Divine Pitchers/ Jarras Divinas
      • Cinco de Mayo display
      • Legends of Mexican Cinema photos
      • Navidad Mexicana
      • Day of the Dead Altar 2021
      • Independence Day Display 2021
      • Splendors of "The Tree of Life"
      • Mexican Independence Day
      • Navidad 2020
      • Old Postcards from México
      • La Catrina from its origins
      • OTOMÍ DREAM
      • NATIVITY SCENES 2019
      • Three Wise Man Celebration
      • DAY OF THE DEAD 2019
      • Whimsical Tales of Ocumicho
      • Mexican Independence Day display 2019
      • Lacquers from Uruapan
      • Mariachi outfit and its history
      • The Popular Mexican Velvet Hat
      • Cinco de Mayo -2019
      • Green-Glazed Ceramics
      • Double Exhibition
      • Chistmas Nativities-2018
      • Day of the Dead / El Día de Los Muertos 2018
      • Patriotic Play: Figures of the Mexican Revolution
      • Mexican Independence Day 2018
      • Fiesta Display: Traditional Mexican Embroidery
      • A Photographic Stroll
      • Traditional Toys
      • Cinco de Mayo 2018
      • Splendors of Oaxacan Art
      • Nacimiento Navideño 2017
      • Día De Los Muertos 2017
      • Birds of Clay: Burnished Pottery from Jalisco
      • ¡Alebrijes! Alebrijes!
      • Mystical Masks / Máscaras Místicas
      • Nacimiento Navideño/ Nativity Sets & Scenes 2016
      • El Día De Los Muertos 2016
      • Muñecas Tradicionales / Traditional Dolls
      • Barro Petatillo y Petate de Palma
      • Dîa de los Muertos 2015
      • Bandera Ware/ Flag Ware
      • Saintly and Spirited: Art Made of Tin
      • ¡LOTERÍA! Mexico's Game of Chance and Poetry
      • Tree of Life / El Arbol de la Vida
      • Mexico Dreams Animals
      • Transportation ¡DALE!
      • ¡Buen Provecho! Dining in Mexico
  • About
  • Events
    • Past Events
  • Get Involved
    • Donations
  • Links
  • Collections
    • Tin Art
    • Bandera Ware
  • Contact and Hours
  • Upcoming exhibition