Puebla Tehuacán

The artisans of Puebla use many different kinds of materials for their work. Everything from durable iron that is very delicate and thin as straw, cedar wood and stones, to such simple materials as walnut shells and clay are used to produce original authentic artwork.

Nearly the entire state of Puebla manufactures items out of clay; this is demonstrated by the variety and volume of artwork from the region that is sold all over Mexico. Beautifully crafted jars, vases, pots and comales are sold for decoration and everyday use, Day of the Dead figurines and such beautiful delicate artwork as the Mayolica and Talavera are just a few examples of the finely crafted clay art produced in the Puebla area.

Artists who blow glass produce fragile, decorative and colorful artwork like mugs and glasses which are also sold all over Mexico. The city center of Puebla and the southern area of the state of Puebla have become the main areas where fiber is transformed into workable yarns of various different textures and colors.

In San Pablito they create figurines from paper mache that are then used for different traditional rituals and ceremonies. Huaquechula and San Salvador are known for Chinese paper that is worked into cardboard horses and animals. In Cuetzalan and Zozocolco vanilla is turned into aromatic figurines of various beautiful flowers and shapes.

To the north and center of the city of Puebla, nimble hands weave beautiful blouses, huipiles, pants, dresses, serapes, blankets and materials of wool and cotton, again in the traditional patterns and colors of the specific areas. Wood from the lináloe trees south of the city of Puebla are used to make wooden dishes and kitchen utensils, more durable and fine woods are manufactured into furniture which are then carved and inlaid with ivory or mother-of-pearl.

The crafts are created not only for commercial use, but also for festive use: wooden masks and feathered headgear for dances and the castles of gunpowder are typically used for the rejoicing during holidays in Puebla. Thousands of families in the state of Puebla produce the many different handicrafts the region is famous for, both in rural and urban areas. Usually the workshop is part of the family house and the results of the revenue depends on the cooperation of all its members, earnings help for daily subsistence as the artisans are mostly rural peasants or laborers.

The marketing of handicrafts is basically done by the old systems of barter and consumption although now many of the larger companies have systems for distribution and exchanges, bringing needed products into the communities such as agricultural products and other useful services. There are basically two types of trading: One with intermediaries who, in many instances, limit the ability of creative artisans as they strive to produce greater numbers in order to survive with the prices they are paid; and another direct-to-consumer, sometimes the products are sold at lower prices because there is no need for the in-between person who of course makes a profit for their work. The art of Puebla has adapted to change.