- Please go to our homepage from which much information is accessible on our fair trade efforts and the types of items we carry. To go to our homepage click the link at the top of this page "Back to Site" Please email us with any questions through the CONTACT page.
- Why are some of the pieces marked as 'Sold' and still in the store?
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We have many wonderful pieces that aren't listed in our online store. The 'Sold' items give an idea of what is available and you may request pictures of other pieces that aren't listed. For example, you can request pictures of all the beaded cats that are available.
- Where is this amazing Huichol art created and what is its history?
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This art is created by a group of families from the Huichol indigenous group of Mexico. They live in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains in the state of Nayarit which is north of Puerto Vallarta. Their art emanates from their intensely personal religious culture. In the words of legendary anthropologist Carl Lumholtz: "Religion to them is a personal matter, not an institution, and therefore their life is religious from the cradle to the grave and wrapped up in symbolism". This symbolism is displayed in their art. Beautiful yarn paintings or "cuadros", beaded animal carvings, prayer bowls and masks all display deep symbolism of the Huichol religious belief which is centered around their "holy trinity" of the deer(maxra), maize(iku), and peyote (hikuri). Visions are often inspired by the peyote god which allows the Huichol to communicate with their gods. These visions are reflected in their art and offerings to the gods.
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The art offered here contains intricate beaded designs depicting the spiritual icons of the Huichol people. In the prayer bowls, the Huichol people traditionally place offerings such as peyote, ceremonial arrows, and "muvieris" or prayer sticks.
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In a long-standing relationship with the artists, the very tiny size 14 beads are provided to them. The size and color of these beads are generally not available in Mexico. This affords a rich palate of colorful and metallic beads to produce this art that is of the finest quality. The beads are applied to a hand carved wooden form or the inside of a gourd after coating the surface with a beeswax mixture. The colorful and intricate designs reflect the Huichol culture and religion. Rich in tradition and mysticism, each piece of art is a unique treasure. The use of the very tiny beads produces an amazing result and is remarkable to behold. The usual bead size in most Huichol art is size 11, which are larger than those used here. The level of skill and artistry required to use these extraordinarily small size of beads is very high. It is only available here in North America.
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These pieces are obtained adhering to Fair Trade principles. It is very important that preservation of the Huichol culture be a central part of the sale of this item. These families are able to stay in their ancestral villages and maintain their way of life, all the while creating this very personal and unique art. We offer this art at a very reasonable price as part of our commitment to creating a sustainable market for the artists.
- What forms of payment do you accept?
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We gladly accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or regular account payments all through PayPal.
We will also take personal checks which must clear before we send you your art.
- How secure is this store?
This store uses PayPal for payments, and PayPal automatically encrypts your confidential information in transit from your computer to ours using the Secure Sockets Layer protocol (SSL) with an encryption key length of 128-bits (the highest level commercially available).
- Do I need a PayPal account to purchase from this store?
No, you are not required to have a PayPal account to purchase from this store. Although if you already have a PayPal account you may use it.