Cesar
Velazquez and Erica Corona
of CarlosAlbert
Papier-Mâché
Artists
Tlaquepaque,
Jalisco,
Mexico
Welcome
to a world of fantasy, imagination, humor and color...all combined in
these delightfully whimsical figures by Carlos Munoz and Albert
Ickenroth. Albert is a native Dutchman, where he studied art and
culture as a youth, became enamored of the great masters, and
ultimately discovered his talent for working in papier mâché, bronze
and copper. In the mid-1970’s he vacationed in Mexico and was
fascinated by the people, culture, colors and
wildlife. He returned on a more permanent basis and met Carlos Munoz,
a native Mexican who also studied art. The two began working together
as the Carlos-Albert team in 1990, creating life-size and larger
animals in ceramics as well as papier-mâché.
Twelve years later, many of the apprentice
artisans who went to work with Carlos and Albert at the inception of
their business are still with them today. When you tour the studio
there is an atmosphere of positive energy and joy in the work
environment that is reflected in the creation of their art. Each
original figurine is one of a 
limited
edition of 150, meticulously hand painted and signed by the artists.
They add warmth and expression to homes throughout the world, and
inspire the hearts of children and adults alike.
Margaritas restaurants have been exhibiting the
work of CarlosAlbert for years. Their giant suns and exotic animals
can be seen perched on tiled roofs and climbing stuccoed walls. In the
photo on the
left you can see birds suspended in flight. A visit to each restaurant
reveals new creations and imaginative art that is imported from Mexico
every year. Margaritas is committed to sharing its wealth of knowledge
about Mexico, and information about these artists and other like them.
Visit a location near you and see for yourself. Join us as we welcome
these artists from CarlosAlbert in your community!
| Cesar Velazquez and Erica Corona have been working with CarlosAlbert for over 6 six years. This married couple is no strangers to the arts and crafts of Mexico. They both come from folk art families; Erica is the great granddaughter of Panteleón Panduro, the famous figurine sculptor whose work has spun off many ceramic workshops. Cesar and Erica have worked in the studios of Sergio Bustamante, whom many consider the catalyst for the fusion of traditional folk art with contemporary craft in Tlaquepaque, Mexico. These 2 exceptionally talented artists will be sharing sculpture, mold making and painting techniques during their visit to the United States. They will be casting their sculptures with papier-mâché and painting with acrylic paints. |
Artist
Presentation and Activities
On the day of the artists visit to your school,
Cesar will demonstrate how to sculpt lifelike figures using low fire
clay and/or plasticine modeling clay. He will also demonstrate how to
make a mold from the original figure, using plaster of Paris. Cesar
will demonstrate how to use papier-mâché to cast a duplicate
sculpture from the plaster mold. His wife Erica will demonstrate how
to paint the delicate and detailed features using brightly colored
acrylic paints. Throughout the day as students watch the artists work,
all phases of the processes will be shown. A
display of crafts from the CarlosAlbert studio will be exhibited to
show the variety of work produced from this craft center in Mexico.
Hands on workshops with the artists are also available, (please
schedule in advance).
A video portraying scenes from Jalisco, Mexico
will also be shown. The images reveal the lives and activities of
present day Mexican people. The purpose of this day long visit is to
expose students to this colorful country. They will be presented with
many facets of life in Mexico. This experience will allow them to meet
and talk with Mexican artisans. The program is designed to integrate
with various school curricula to impact the widest student population.
Students studying Spanish, art, world cultures and social studies will
be enthralled with this unique opportunity to visit with these
“cultural ambassadors”.
At the end of the day, Cesar and Erica will
present a finished sculpture to the school. This will remain as a
lasting symbol of these unique artists from Mexico, whose presence in
one day challenges, enlivens and stimulates those who come in contact
with them.
Pat Picciano, Education Outreach Coordinator and translator will lead all sessions for Cesar and Erica’s visit. Pat has led numerous presentations on Latin American craft. Over the past 15 years he has visited schools, universities, museums and libraries allowing thousands of people to observe and marvel at these talented artisans as they demonstrate their unique talents.
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