MUSEUM SHOPS | July 2024

We are excited to welcome some beautiful new additions from Mexico to the Shops this month. Following a buying trip to Tlaquepaque in February, our orders of ceramics, glassware, and more are now available at the Lynn Godfrey Brown Shop at the Museum of International Folk Art and the Spiegelberg Shop at the New Mexico History Museum, as well as shopmuseum.org.

The Lynn Godfrey Brown Shop at the Museum of International Folk Art will feature a small collection of pieces from master ceramicist José Luis Cortéz Hernández. Cortéz specializes in barro bruñido, an ancient Mexican pottery technique meaning "burnished clay". This labor-intensive style of pottery is only made by a few artisans in Tonalá. He is a remarkable representation of the continuity and reinvention of the tradition. Luis was awarded with the “Premio Angel Carranza” award in 2013, also known as the “Premio Nacional de la Ceramica de Tlaquepaque” and was awarded to him by President Enrique Peña Nieto. Despite not being born in Tonalá and not being from an artisan family, Luis persevered to become a Master Artisan in the Burnished Clay technique, not only Tonalá, but throughout the whole of Mexico. We had the pleasure of visiting his home studio and selecting this collection of 12 items to feature in the store.

Luis and Irma Cortéz in their home studio in Tonalá, Jalisco, Mexico.

In addition to Cortéz's work, the Shops will feature other treasures from Mexico. From Guadalajara is high fire ceramic tableware with hand-painted details and finishes. From Tonalá is colorful blown functional glassware. From Puebla is whimsical and playful polychrome painted clay sculptures celebrating the Day of the Dead. In addition to these treasures are tin and other crafts from Michoacan, Guanajuato, and San Miguel de Allende. Be sure to stop in soon to see the full collection before it's gone!

Selection of clay crafts from Saul Montesinos Gonzalez from Puebla.