Francisco Diaz de Leon

Happy Birthday Francisco Diaz de Leon!

Known as the pioneer for modern Mexican graphics art, Francisco Diaz de Leon was born on September 24, 1897. He grew up in Aguascalientes and since his father was a bookbinder, he came to love books. After showing a talent for art, Francisco earned a scholarship to La Escuela Nacional de las Bellas Artes and went to Mexico City to study painting and drawing. He learned engraving techniques with Alfredo Ramos Martinez' school Chimalistac Open Air School of Painting and went on to become a teacher and a known leader of the modern movement in graphic arts in Mexico. He was also a writer, photographer and collector of graphic art.

In addition to reviving techniques such as drypoint, aqua tint and woodcut, he developed linoleum printing and introduced special Japanese paper to Mexico, for printing. His work was focused on the themes of landscapes, indigenous people, and modern form and color rather than politics. He designed numerous posters, books, catalogs and magazines. Leon edited the magazine Mexican Art and Life with Gabriel Fernandez Ledesma and had many works published in the magazine. He had few exhibitions since his career was focused on graphic arts.

William Spratling

Happy Birthday William Spratling!

Silversmith William Spratling was born in New York, on September 22, 1900. He initially studied architecture and taught in that field before becoming a silver designer.  He lectured at the National University of Mexico summer school. He eventually met and helped promote Diego Rivera, leading him to buy a home in Taxco in 1928, where he set up a silver workshop with him being the primary designer. Although Taxco had been mining silver for over 400 years, Spratling believed it was possible for the industry to support and benefit many more of its people. He was fascinated with Pre-Columbian and Mesoamerican art and drew much of his inspiration from these motifs. He accumulated a large collection of artifacts and figurines. Even though he was American, Spratling became known as the "Father of Mexican Silver".

He established "Las Delicias" what would become a large workshop employing over 500 people for a time but after going wholesale (Montgomery Ward, Neiman Marcus, etc.) and in a partnership that soured, Spratling's company went bankrupt. He continued to create his unique designs and even worked for a period in Alaska. In 1952, he re-established a small studio in Taxco. His work transformed over time from "sinuous lines" with sharp contrasts of deeply carved shadowed areas to more refined, linear work. He believed silver work should be mystic, visionary.

In addition to his silver work, Spratling also drew caricatures and illustrated books. In 1932, after 4 years working on it, his book about the mountain town Taxco, "Little Mexico" was published.

Unfortunately Spratling met an untimely death in an auto accident at age 66. A friend said of him, "He believed in humanity. He was an ardent American but had a great love for the Mexican people."

Celso Zubire

Happy Birthday Celso Zubire!

Mexican painter Celso Zubire was born on September 20, 1947, in Venustiano Carranza, Puebla. Zubire studied publicity and fine arts at Academy of San Carlos. In addition to his formal education, he traveled extensively in North and South America and Europe, learning about different cultures and art. He also lived in Louisiana, in the US for a time, painting murals.

Zubire's paintings are brightly colored in a bold, modern style. His themes include Mayan images, women, mermaids, musicians, etc. His work has shown all over Mexico and the US, as well as in Canada. I love the Cubist tendencies in the painting below!

Craig Frederick

Happy Birthday Craig Frederick!

Although he was born in Joliet, Illinois, September 20, 1957, my husband lives in San Pancho, Mexico now and I cannot resist giving him props for being a great metal sculptor!! Craig received no formal art training, but went to trade school for welding. After fine tuning his craft in various metal shops, including a traditional Mexican style Ornamental Iron shop in Albuquerque, NM, Craig opened his own fab shop in Page, AZ nearly 20 years ago. There, in his "spare time", he began to create metal sculptures, usually using found metal objects and rusted iron.

His primary themes have revolved around old school western wear, southwestern plants, and animals. He also draws from Native American images and icons. More recently he has created custom "Artistic Bikes" functional as well as non-functional, one of which I will include today...

Anita Brenner

Happy Birthday Anita Brenner!

Anita (Hanna) Brenner was born on August 13, 1905, in Aguascalientes. Her father was a Jewish emigrant from Latvia. During her childhood (and the Mexican Revolution) Brenner's family moved back and forth between Texas and Mexico. She did return to Mexico at age 18, under the guidance of Frances Toor, and she became acquainted with artists and intellectuals in Mexico City.

Brenner became an influential journalist and an important spokesperson for the Mexican artistic community. Brenner was an advocate for making Mexican life/art known to the US. She took part in a cultural mission program in the 1920's and with photographers Tina Modotti and Edward Weston, traveled Mexico to document indigenous and decorative art. Her journals and the photographs were published after her death in a two volume chronicle.

In 1927 she left Mexico to study at Columbia University in New York and spent several years. Her first book on Mexican art "Idols and Altars" , (the first book to chronicle Mexican art from Pre-history to the 1920's) was published there. After successfully defending her Ph.D. dissertation she traveled to Europe on a Guggenheim Fellowship to investigate the "geographical extent of Aztec art in Mexico" at European museums. While in Europe she wrote hundreds of articles for various publications.

In 1940, Brenner returned to re-establish the family farm in Aguascalientes they had left all those years ago. There she continued to write and publish books, collaborated on children's books, and created the magazine "Mexico/This Month" in an effort (again) to make Mexico known to the English speaking public.

Sadly, Anita Brenner's life was cut short with her death at 69, in an auto accident.

Angelica Carrasco

Happy Birthday Angelica Carrasco!

Graphic artist Angelica Carrasco was born on January 11, 1967, in Mexico City. She began her art studies in high school and received her bachelor's degree from La Esmeralda. Considered Mexico's pioneer in large scale printmaking, her worked has been termed "Abstract Neo-expressionism",

Carrasco has also focused on teaching and promoting art throughout her career. Her graphic arts often address themes of violence and range from 1-2 meters long. Working in etching, drypoint and aquatint, she is surrounded by her art, as her apartment is her studio!

 Her work has been exhibited all over Mexico as well as in Europe and North America and can be found in private and public collections.  She is a member of the Salon de la Plastica Mexicana as well as Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte.
  

Alma Reed

Happy Birthday Alma Marie Sullivan Reed!

Journalist, art patron and promoter Alma Reed was actually born in the US in 1897. From San Francisco, she was to marry Yucatan governor but before their marriage he was assassinated. She moved to Mexico to work as a journalist and also lived in the Middle East. After becoming enamored with the work of  Mexican muralist, Jose Clemente Orozco, she set up a one man show in 1928. She became his promoter and primary patron. Reed eventually set up her studio in New York and it was the meeting place for many figures in the arts. While Reed was the patron for many Mexican artists, her first and foremost was Orozco.