Agustin Cruz Tinoco and his wife Cleotilde Prudencio
Martinez have a family of four children, all of whom are involved in the
time-honored Oaxacan tradition of woodcarving. Agustin the eldest son and his
brother Manuel, both second-generation carvers, work alongside their father in
the family workshop. Not unlike other art-producing families in Mexico, they
learned their craft from their father. Under his tutelage they have developed
individual styles and earned recognition as fine craftsmen in their own right.
There are several villages in Oaxaca well known for their
woodcarving but San Agustin de las Juntas, home of the Prudencio family, is not
one of them. In fact, they are the only woodcarving family in the village.
Agustin moved there in 1993 from a rural mountain area known as San Juan
Otzolotepec, where his family cultivated coffee and corn for its livelihood. A
year after he relocated to the village near Oaxaca City, Agustin brought his
wife and children from the mountain to begin life anew.
While working in construction by day to provide sustenance
for his family, Agustin began carving in the evenings, making a commitment to
developing his craft. In his early years, his woodcarvings were left in their
natural finish. When his eldest daughter Soccoro took an interest in painting
designs on her father’s carvings, his work began to evolve to its’ contemporary
form. Recognizing the significant contribution Soccoro’s talents gave to
Agustin’s work, over time the other women in the family took an interest in
learning to paint. Today they all have developed incredible skill and
contribute to the color and creativity of the work.
The process of creating a woodcarving involves many steps,
the first of which is choosing the wood. Copal trees, which grow abundantly in
the Oaxaca valley, provide the wood favored by the carvers. It is harvested and
carved while still green, rendering it soft and pliable in the artists’ hands.
The basic tools carvers use include machetes, a variety of knives, chisels and
sandpaper. After selecting a piece of wood the carver decides what to carve.
According to Agustin, the shape and size of the wood piece often determines the
subject.
A machete is used to carve the basic shape of the piece.
Then smaller knives and chisels are used to create the details and refine the
work. When the form is completed, the piece is set outside to dry thoroughly in
the sun. Once the wood has dried, a coarse grade of sandpaper is used to polish
the surface of the piece. The wood then goes through a curing process and is
placed in the sun again to dry. If the piece splits during the drying phase, it
is repaired with a paste made by mixing small wood scraps and sawdust with
glue. After allowing time for any repairs to dry, the artist uses increasingly
finer grades of sandpaper to put the finishing touches on the piece. The work
is now ready for painting.
Acrylic paints are used to vibrantly decorate the work.
First a base color is chosen to paint the carving in its entirety. Then a
variety of colors are used to embellish the piece with intricate and often
repeating designs. In the Prudencio family the women are given free rein with
color choices and designs, without interference or direction from the carver.
With his engaging personality and warm smile, son Agustin
is the “voice” of the family. He enjoys talking with tourists and collectors
and is active in seeking opportunities to showcase the work his family proudly
produces. Whenever possible, they participate in exhibitions
and competitions throughout Mexico and abroad and are the recipients of prizes
and awards for their exquisite carvings. In recognition of their award-winning
work, they have been featured in many publications, the most recent being Grandes Maestros del Arte Popular de
Iberoamerica, released in 2014. For many years the family has been selected
to participate in the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico and
will return again this year. Along with international recognition, acceptance
in the Market is a significant milestone in the artists’ careers.
Agustin Senior
Agustin
senior and his sons, Agustin and Manuel, have distinguished themselves as
master carvers. The women of the family contribute their special talents and
creativity to the art form by manner of intricate and elaborately painted
designs. While the Prudencio family is best known for their carved nativity
scenes, saints and other religious figures, and a wide variety of animals, they
also explore other sculptural subjects. Some carvings express events of
historical significance, such as the large chess set that uniquely reflects the
story of Mexico’s history and the arrival of the Spanish. Another favorite
subject of the carvers is Dia de los
Muertos (Day of the Dead), an honored and important holiday in Mexico.
Central to this theme, in a visit to the Prudencio workshop, it is not unusual
to find carved skeletal figures playing musical instruments, riding a bicycle,
or sitting at a table enjoying a meal. A very whimsical feeling prevails in the
work.
As
time passes, new ideas are explored and fresh, exciting work is the result of
the collective creativity of this talented and productive family. In speaking
of their work, Agustin states that “The intention of the family is to conserve
the traditional art of Oaxaca by teaching our children.” In his journey from
coffee and corn cultivation to carving, Agustin has come full circle in fully
embracing the folk art so closely tied to Oaxaca, both in producing it and in
passing it on to the next generation. La Familia Prudencio has a very colorful
and creative connection to its culture.
La Familia Prudencio will be at the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market in July and plans to visit our Folk Art Extravanza seminar again! Learn how to join us (and earn continuing educational credit, if needed) July 10-17, 2024 on CRIZMAC's website. All are welcome!
All photos by Nancy Walkup and Bill Yarborough.
All photos by Nancy Walkup and Bill Yarborough.
No comments:
Post a Comment