Ana Karen Allende

Happy Birthday Ana Karen Allende!

Artisan Ana Karen Allende is from Coyoacan in Mexico City. She has refined a style of rag doll known as Retacitos or Scraps. These dolls are presented to 15 year old girls on the occasion of their Quinceanera, their last childhood toy as they move into adulthood. What started as gifts for family and friends has expanded. Now Allende sells her creations at the art bazaar in her town, as well as to stores and museums. She also takes custom orders and will sometimes create various well known personalities.

Ana Allende learned the sewing techniques and personalized painting style she employs from her great grandmothers and grandmothers. Her dolls have a unique individual character that commercial toys may not. Her work has been exhibited and displayed all over the world and she has received various prizes and recognitions.

Leopoldo Mendez

Happy Birthday Leopoldo Mendez!

The Mexican engraver and lithographer, Leopoldo Mendez, was born on June 30, 1902, in Mexico City, to a poor shoemaker...one of eight children. Certainly his background influenced his artwork later, as did the Mexican Revolution, occurring when he was just a young boy. He attended Academy of San Carlos immediately following his primary education, and then La Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre, opened by Alfredo Ramirez Martinez.

Although he was a painter, bookmaker, muralist and an art educator, he is best remembered for his engravings, totaling over 700 over the course of his lifetime. He contributed illustrations to many political publications. In the 40s he helped form the political leftist group Taller de Grafica Popular, along with Alfred Zalce and Pablo O Higgins and others. The group was awarded the International Prize of Peace for their work.

Mendez is considered one of the most important Mexican engravers and even 20th century Mexican  artists. He did not exhibit extensively and was not know as widely as other Mexican artists of the time. Perhaps this is due to his belief that artists should work collaboratively toward the political end and remain anonymous. While his style of work was realistic, it also had Cubism, Italian Futurism, German Expressionism and Surrealistic leanings. Later in his career he turned toward more benign subject matter, such as the art book publishing company he organized and the book on traditional Mexican handcrafts and folk art that he was working on when he died.

Venciste...You Conquered...

Pedro Linares

Happy Birthday Pedro Linares!

Pedro Linares was born today, June 29, in 1906, in Mexico City.  He was the creator of the paper mache figures called  alebrijes, devised after he fell ill at age 30.  He saw the fantastical creatures while in a dreamlike state. When he awoke he wanted his family so see them also so he constructed the creatures from paper and then painted them with bright colors. The first ones were a donkey with butterfly wings, a lion with an eagle head and rooster with bull horns. They were all shouting Alebrijes, Alebrijes! hence their name. Other combinations evolved as he began making them.  Later he began creating the figurines for artists at the Academia de San Carlos such as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

In 1988, Pedro Linares was awarded the highest honor from the Mexican government, the National Arts and Science Award in the Popular and Traditional Arts category.

Angelica Arguelles Kubli

Happy Birthday Angelica Arguelles Kubli!

Angelica Arguelles Kubli was actually born June 25, 1963, in Mexico City. She studied graphic design at the Universidad Iberoamericana Since earning her degree specializing in illustration, Aguelles has experimented with various textures and layering techniques, perfecting her oil painting style. She uses simplistic color and form to create unique works, indicating her graphic design influences. She has exhibited her work in many shows and won awards and prizes.

Ixca Farias

Happy Birthday Ixca Farias!

This Mexican artist and teacher was born on March 16, 1873, in Guadalajara...I missed him in March!  He was born to Heraclio Farias and Teresa Alvarez de Castillo, He married Elodia Orozco and fathered 4 children, two boys and two girls. He studied art at the Chicago Art Institute and subsequently received an honorary Master of Arts degree from University Jalisco. He was a member of several associations and organizations including the Asociacion de Pinturas y Escultores Independientes and Sociedad Cultura de Jalsciense.

Not a lot of information about this artist...

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Leopoldo Bancalari

Happy Birthday Leopoldo Bancalari!

Although I do not know the actual day Leopoldi Bancalari was born, I do know he was born in 1907, in Guadalajara. He was a painter and sculptor. Bancalari began his studies in art in 1929, while still in high school, attending La Escuela de Artes Plastica.

In 1949, Bancalari became a master at La Escuela de Bellas Artes under Ixca Farias. Bancalari worked in oils and watercolor and in the final years he focused on sculpture. He was a member of the Union of Painters and Sculptors of Jalisco, organized by Jose Clemente Orozco.

Unfortunately I have not been able to locate any examples of his work. Bancalari died in 1977.

Mireya Cueto

Happy Birthday Mireya Cueto!

Born in Mexico City on February 3, 1922, Mireya Cueto was the child of puppeteers Lola and German Cueto. She was the founder of Museo Nacional de Titeres, the National Marionette Museum. The national puppetry festival has been carried out by Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes annually in her honor since 2001. Miyera Cueto lived to be 91 years old!