aztec art

Braiding black leather, Roy Nilson crafts a bracelet for men that recalls the art and beliefs of the ancient Aztecs. A finely-crafted skull glares from within the jaws of a jaguar to center the design. All young Mexica, or Aztec men, at the age of 14, were required to learn about weaponry and the art of war in special schools. Elite Aztec warriors wore headdresses denoting their honored status in this case, as a jaguar and warrior, or knight.

The jaguar skull serves as the bracelet's button clasp.

Fiercely loyal, brave and courageous, Aztec warriors were feared throughout most of pre-Hispanic Mexico. Fascinated by the legendary characters and their exploits, Georgina Cabrera designs this unique mask in their honor. The mask is crafted of ceramic and painted by hand. It features a large headdress to signify social standing.

According to the beliefs of most pre-Hispanic cultures, a smiling sun warms the earth for life to be born and renewed. Georgina Cabrera incorporates Aztec motifs such as maize, flowers, priests, and warriors in kaleidoscopic alignment, blending her own ingenuity, her family's trade, and her country's tradition. Accents of color brighten the ceramic piece, making it the essential adornment for a patio or garden.

Based in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Cabrera works with a special clay sent to her by her relatives from her natal Otumba. The clay comprises of three different types of clay blended with plumilla (the flower from reeds along the local riverbanks). Once the clay has taken form, it is left to dry in the sun for up to five days before baking at approximately 450° C. Finally, Cabrera uses acrylics to hand-paint the piece, providing the adequate accents for the viewer to appreciate the impressive symbols of a long admired civilization.

A proud Cabrera states: "I love to transmit my ideas through my products for people to get to know my work."

In Mesoamerican belief, the skull is a significant symbol, not only of death as we know it but also of the afterlife. This black ceramic flowerpot by Aldo Alvarez is an interpretation of the Aztec tzompantli, a rack where the heads of sacrificial victims were displayed as an offering to the gods. Carrying great cultural richness, the piece has a hole that allows for drainage.