Angel Santos: Perfection on Tonala Ceramics

There are 2 artists from Tonala that I like the most, one its Salvador Vazquez, and the other one its Angel Santos, both of them Masters, but very different in style. While Salvador follows a more "naive" and traditional line of decoration, Angel Santos looks for perfection, perfection in its burnished finish and perfection in his very sophisticated decoration, specially in his miniatures.
Angel was born in Zacatecas (as many great Mexican Artists), but moved to Jalisco at a very early age. At age 7 he started his relationship with clay, he was a helper at the Mario Silva studio, folk art its about tradition from one generation to the other the earlier you begin the better, that's what happened to Angel, he felt in love with the craft at a very early age.
While still a teenager Angel Santos opened his own studio, in those days it was difficult to convince folk art store owners that he was the artisan that made those well made ceramics, but with time and hard work he made a name of his own, specially because he was able to do his own designs with new never seen before ideas for his Ceramics.
His quest for perfection brought him to search for professional studies, so he went to school at the Universidad de Guadalajara where he made 2 mayors one in Graphic Design and the other one on Sculpture, this its something very rare to see in a folk art artist because usually they only learn the craft from family tradition.
Besides his skills for the craft, Angel also its a leader in his community, some years ago he formed the non profit organization "Herencia Milenaria" which its a group of Tonala Artisians that joined forces in order to be able to exhibit there ceramics as a collective group outside Mexico. In 2006 his group received from Mexican President Fox the National Award on science and Arts in the folk art category in recognition for work to promote Mexican Ceramics.
If you would like more information on this artist or just to get in touch please write us to mexfolkarts@yahoo.com.mx or check our item by the Tonala Great Masters please click this link: www.losnaguales.com.

Mexico's National Award of Ceramics 2009

Since the late 1970s the "Premio Nacional de Ceramica" was established to help promote the craftsmanship of Mexican artisans and to bring there work at collectors level, each year the number of the pieces and there quality has been growing and growing!, this year 5200 pieces where summit!!.
I'm very happy to let you know that this year 3 of my friends that I work with have won this great contest. They are: Angel Santos, Juan Hernandez and Juan Carlos de la Cruz.
Angel Santos, won the "Angel Carranza Award" in recognition to his long trajectory as a great master in the field of burnished ceramics from Tonala, just a couple of years ago he and his group of artisans "Herencia Milenaria", won the National Award of Science and Arts in the folk Art category. The work of Angel can be found in several books of Mexican Folk Art, between them Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art and Arte Del Pueblo, Manos De Dios/Art of the People, Hands of God ( the catalog of the National Museum of Mexican Folk Art). Angel its very famous for his miniatures where in just a few inches he can show a Mexican fiesta!.
Juan Hernandez from Metepec its also very famous for miniatures but his are miniature trees of life just 4 inches tall. One example its a day of the dead tree of life that we have at hour gallery, its 3.2 inches tall and it has 50 day of the dead musicians!!! each one with its own musical instrument!!!. (see photo) His work can be found in the miniatures section of the book "Crafts of the people hands of God", several museums have his work including the National Museum of Folk Art in Mexico City know as MAP.
Juan Carlos de la Cruz, wow!, what to write about him??!! I'm always speechless every time I see one of his day of the dead miniatures. Since a young kid he has been working the clay, he learned the craft from his dad also famous artisan Alvaro de la Cruz in Capula Mexico. Specially I love his day of the dead crowned nuns and his Galleros (see photo).
Usually we carry the work of this 3 masters under special order, any way, please check our online store www.losnaguales.com or send us an email to mexfolkarts@yahoo.com.mx Enjoy!!!.