ANGELES, DIABLITOS Y SIRENES

Yesterday afternoon, Thursday, Aurora took me and her daughter-in-law, Carla, on a little trip just outside Queretaro to the workshop of Francisco Coronel (sp?). I had met Francisco a few years ago, the first time I came to Queretaro with Eric Nichols as a student in his class. The whole class went to his magical little house on the edge of a hill, and he gave us a lecture about "Las Plantas" in spanish. Besides being an artist, he is an expert on the medicinal uses of native plants. At that time, I really didn't understand much of what he said, but he has a beautiful speaking voice and speaks very clearly. I was mesmerized.

Back then, we didn't get a tour of his workshop which is what we were treated to this time. His workshop is in his home, and he and his partner, Guadelupe, have a number of young people working for them. There were 7 or 8 there when we visited -- but I think there are more. Some go to school in the morning and work with him in the afternoon, and some do the reverse. Francisco showed us the process for making his fantastical figures of angels and devils and mermaids from beginning to end. They make a number of basic shapes with what we call papier mache (newspaper or cardboard and a mixture of flour and water) and then combine the shapes in different ways to make different kinds of figures. Right now, they are very busy filling orders for Navidad. That is Francisco holding forms at various stages of completion.

And here is Guadelupe painting the insides of these lovely little book boxes that are like retablos. You open the box like a book and on one half are painted figures (what he is doing now) and on the other are little 3 dimensional figures: Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus and an angel. They are making hundreds of them as a special order --- all by hand.

Other kinds of things are little fat angels or mermaids -- a lot of Dia de los Muertos skeletons of all kinds -- some beautiful Virgen de Guadalupes -- Christmas balls. Fantastical, whimsical, imaginative, colorful and beautiful!!

After our tour of the workshop part of the house, Francisco took us into the part that they live in. It is impossible to describe in words so I will let pictures tell the story:

And here is our group: Francisco, Aurora, Carla and, at the table some of the young women doing the first stage of the work -- the paper and glue.

After our trip to Francisco's, we picked up Aurora's granddaughter, Sophia at school and Aurora and Javier, who joined us, treated me to lunch at La Mariposa where I had a delicious pozole. This is a picture of Sophia playing with the miniature tea set I gave her for her cumpleanos (very late present). She is a delightful 6 year old whose joy at getting an unexpected present was evident and whose pleasure in playing with the little set at our table gave ME great pleasure also.