A Temple of Handicrafts

Readers of my blog know that I love Mexican handicrafts.  A place that I visit on almost every trip to Mexico City is one of the FONART stores.  FONART (The National Fund for the Promotion of Handicrafts) is a government agency which seeks to provide artisans increased income from the sale of their handicrafts.  The prices at the FONART stores may be higher than what you will find in the handicraft markets, but the quality of the merchandise is high, and you can be assured that the artisans are receiving a fair price for their work.

There are several FONART stores in Mexico City, but I like to go the largest one, which is located on Patriotismo Avenue, about a half hour's walk from my apartment.  

Earlier on this trip, I walked over there only to find that it was closed for inventory.  I went back yesterday, and it was open.  I was taking some pictures of the items in the store windows (photos which did not come out that well because of the reflection of the glass), when the guard at the door said, "There are lots of nice things to photograph inside."

I was rather surprised.  I figured that photography in the store would be frowned upon, but he said it was OK to take pictures inside.  Just to be sure, I asked one of the store clerks, and she said that it was not a problem.

There was a shelf of beautiful "Trees of Life".  I have mentioned before that these clay sculptures originally portrayed the story of the Garden of Eden, but now artisans make them with a wide range of themes.

This one has a theme I had not seen before... monarch butterflies.

The story of Noah and his Ark

I had never seen this theme before either.  It shows the "voladores", the men who swing by a rope tied to their feet from a tall pole in a ceremony that dates to pre-Hispanic times.

The "Trees of Life" are not cheap.  This one costs about $300 in U.S. currency.

There is a wide variety of pottery in different styles from different parts of the country.

There were a number of large pieces of the famous black pottery from Oaxaca.

I especially loved this one with a butterfly motif.

Lacquerware gourds, trays and boxes

I've purchased a couple of gourds at this store.

There is large selection of textiles and traditional clothing.

I came here to buy something specific.  My cousin in England collects miniature toy soldiers, and on a previous trip I found some here.  I bought four of them, and sent them to him as a gift.  I had hoped to find some different ones, but the case in which I had found them now contains jewelry.  I asked one of the store clerks, and she was very helpful.  She called some of the other stores, and found out that they have miniatures at a FONART store located in the headquarters of the Secretariat of Economy.  She started to tell me how to get there by public transport, but when I realized it was located in the Condesa neighborhood, I told her that I knew the neighborhood well and that I could walk there from my apartment.  So, another walk to Condesa is on the agenda!