mexican beadwork

Formed of three blue peyote buds, a lighted candle is radiant in this exquisite nierika, or votive beadwork painting by Kupihaute. A butterfly alights on either side in his composition, which takes the shape of a flower with five wide petals.

The artisan, who writes fluently in the Huichol, Nahuatl, Spanish and English languages, talks about this work in his own words. "The nierika is a mirror that is offered to the sea together with the first corn that has been harvested, in order to renew the cycle of rains that will give life to the next crop cycle. As in most of the ancient cultures of our planet, the candle represents our trajectory between being born and returning. For this reason, even today, during the celebration of our birthday, it is customary to light and blow out as many candles as solar cycles have elapsed. The butterflies and spirals are indicating that existence is energy in permanent transformation between arising from and returning to earth."

The intricate images are formed with tiny seed beads. Kupihuate patiently places them one at a time with a needle made of abalone shell onto a huanacaxtle wood backing. Beeswax is used instead of glue.

The process is totally spontaneous, with no previous sketch or design. It is guided by the artist's unconscious to tell the stories that remain in our collective ancestral memory. He signs his work with the symbol of a butterfly on the reverse side of the nierika.

White rabbits chase glowing orange deer around an exquisite nierika, or votive beadwork composition by Kupihaute, which takes the shape of a flower with five wide petals.

The artisan, who writes fluently in the Huichol, Nahuatl, Spanish and English languages, talks about this work in his own words. "This nierika/mirror represents the duality of our existence. The rabbit symbolizes the permanent movement of earthiness reflected in the lunar mirror. The deer is the spirit that animates the movement of our wise memory, marking the spiral path of our ancestral cultures in permanent transformation and adaptation around the peyote-maize." The artist has created the word "eARThiness" to emphasize the word "art" found inside "earth." "For me, this eARThiness is very important and meaningful."

The intricate images are formed with tiny seed beads. Kupihuate patiently places them one at a time with a needle made of abalone shell onto a huanacaxtle wood backing. Beeswax is used instead of glue.

The process is totally spontaneous, with no previous sketch or design. It is guided by the artist's unconscious to tell the stories that remain in our collective ancestral memory. He signs his work with the symbol of a butterfly on the reverse side of the nierika.

Decorated with hearts and flowers, a festive white skull celebrates Mexico's Day of the Dead. Artisans from the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts demonstrate their skill with traditional beadwork. Crafted by hand, the pendant dances on a black cord.

Decorated with hearts and flowers, festive black skulls celebrate Mexico's Day of the Dead. Artisans from the Huichol centre for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts demonstrate their skill with traditional beadwork. Crafted by hand, the three-inch long earrings dance on sterling silver hooks.

Petite glass beads in iridescent greens and purple are used to craft this necklace from Mexico. By Adriana Trejo, it features beadwork in the style of Huichol handicrafts. Yet the feel is distinctly modern with a waterfall of roots that fan out like lace.

Sterling silver diamonds dangle from the ears, hosting waterfalls of petite glass beads with purple hues. Semi-opaque agate gemstones dangle at the end of each strand, displaying their complex hues. Ana Mirez presents this pair of waterfall earrings from Mexico, crafted in the traditional style of Huichol beadwork.

These beadwork earrings are as mesmerizing as rain drops falling on tropical leaves in the rain forest. Adriana Trejo in west central Mexico takes her inspiration from summer showers using seed beads in black, green and blue. Each tiny glass globe is individually strung with great precision to wear on sterling silver hooks.

A brilliant star lances mystic rays across the forehead of this beaded mask by Higinio Hernandez. It casts white light on the tatei yukahima, or “corn plant,” its golden ears ready to harvest. Teruka the scorpion stands guard over the corn on either side of the mouth, and jicuri, or “peyote” buttons, adorn cheeks and chin. Jicuri is the centerpiece of Huichol ritualism, revered for its curative properties and its ability to enlighten those who partake of it.

Aided by his wife and guided by their imagination and feelings, Hernandez creates these vivid images with brilliant chaquira beads patiently placed one at a time on a papier mache base. Beeswax is used instead of glue. His masks reveal the rich cosmology of the Huichol people and add color and life to any setting.

Because each mask is individually crafted without a pattern, small details may vary, such as the color of a flower or symbol, but without affecting the original design.

Care instructions: Since this exquisite mask is made with the traditional process of attaching the beads with wax, do not expose this piece to direct heat or light, which may cause the wax to dry or soften and thus loosen the beads.

Huichol (Wixarika) artisans are afforded great liberty in the depiction of the animals and other figures they cover in beadwork. This jaguar head ceramic sculpture by Miguel Diaz of Guadalajara, Mexico comes with red as it primary colour, drawing the eye particularly to the mouth with its sharp teeth.

colourful stars decorate this small papier mache sculpture from Miguel Diaz in Mexico. Crafted in the style of Huichol folk art, the skull is covered with tiny glass beads that are applied individually with beeswax. The Huichol or Wixarika are an indigenous people of central western Mexico with a rich artistic heritage.

With a patience characteristic of the Huichol people, the hands of Higinio Hernandez have transformed tiny chaquira beads into beautiful and glossy motifs adhered to a papier-mâché base. The result is a veritable explosion of color, replete with symbols sacred to the Huichol culture. A must for lovers of the truly rich culture of Mexico.

Huichol culture is guided by pre-Columbian shamanic traditions linked to ceremonies performed in their storied past. The jicuri (peyote) is the centerpiece of Huichol ritualism, revered for its curative properties and its ability to enlighten the one who partakes of it. Higinio Hernandez and his family preserve their cultural heritage through expressive bead art, representing essential Huichol symbols like jicuri, marra (deer), berika (eagle), iko (corn), and warra (corn stalk). For these pieces, each brilliant bead is affixed by hand to a unisel base, the resulting symmetry defying standards of patience and concentration.

Care instructions: To prevent the tiny chaquira beads from coming loose, do not expose this piece to direct heat or light as it may melt the Campeche beeswax adhesive.

Scintillating seed beads cascade from diamonds in very long, lovely earrings. Diamond-shaped talismans known as the "eyes of God" refer to the four cardinal points in Huichol belief and direct one to the correct path of life. Meticulously handcrafted by artisans of Mexico's Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts, they combine espresso brown seed beads with russet red and ivory.