Fantastic Figures

[Music] thank you [Music] foreign [Music] industry the making of objects outside the industry is centered along the banks of the  Rio Lerma and in towns and Villages near Toluca in flat bottom boats the artists gather  the Reeds near the banks of the river our native boat Glides gracefully  on past the stately Reeds that are so important to this unusual industry [Music] after locating Reeds of a desired link men Wade  in water hip deep to cut the Reeds at the roots after being exposed to the heat of the Sun  for several days the reeds are now ready for scraping and shaving before they are woven  into figures of fantastic shapes and sizes weaving the Thule read involves a  skillful coordination of hands and feet overlapping and interlocking  the figure slowly take shape the reeds are wet when in process of weaving  thus allowing greater flexibility in molding and here are the fascinating figures  that are the output of this industry a salute to the national emblem of Mexico  let us hope this Frankenstein of reeds will not cross your path some dark night after  the sun sets on the banks of the Rio Lerma [Music] the weaving of baskets also centers in  the towns and Villages around Toluca where the industry depends on the  stately Palm or part of its material palm trees are cultivated to furnish the  leaves used to wrap around the regions [Music] stringing the Palm leaves into narrow ribbon-like  strands is only one step in the weaving of baskets expert workmanship and skill  mold the finished product [Music] there are baskets of many shapes  and sizes popular as these baskets may be with the tourists they are made  principally for use in the home [Music] wood carving in Old Mexico is at its finest when  making molynilios a hand-propelled chocolate mixing device cut from blocks of hardwood the  Molino goes through several stages of manufacture all the work is done by hand even to  operating the lathe used to turn the wood guiding the razor sharp knife into the  spinning wood the crude piece becomes not only a thing of beauty but a very  practical mixing and here is how it works by the same skilled hands are fashioned  beautifully carved powder boxes decorated salt shakers candle holders and  other attractive articles [Music] the art of furniture making has been  developed to a high degree in Mexico especially in the vicinity of Guadalajara  where this industry still flourishes [Music] with a sharp knife a few  blocks of wood and some strong hemp twine these Furniture Craftsmen  begin construction of a chair [Music] the different parts are made by different  Craftsmen many more cut to order wooden supports needed for the framework [Music] these parts are  then fastened onto the body by hemp rope [Music] piece by piece this chair takes new forms the  framework completed an armrest is fitted into position before the leather is stretched  and the framework looks like this [Music] carefully the leather is drawn  over and nailed onto the framework and when the chair is completely  covered with leather it looks like this thank you fine pointed electric needles  burn the design into the leather [Music] many of the artists engaged in inscribing  these designs are women with Nimble fingers who operate the electric needles soon they  will be finished furniture form madame thank you one of the most important  and widespread industries of Mexico is the weaving of sarapis and  Industry as old as Mexico itself carding and separating the wall is done  much in the same manner as in days gone by so also are the spinning wheels turned as in  ancient days when hand operated Machinery of this type was used to spin thread for  the needs of the entire family [Music] winding the wall thread on the spindles  is a delicate and careful process the family loom in the home is often centuries  old but always in good working condition back and forth goes the spindle of world thread to weave the intricate designs that are  so beautiful in the finished product with each section of the Republic  having a design and coloring peculiar to itself in the weaving of blankets  and rugs the result is a riot of color and a variety of designs in this most  interesting of all Mexican Industries a visit to the blanket markets of Toluca is a delightful never to be  forgotten experience [Music] the city of Puebla is noted for  its tiles and pottery [Music] a visit to puebla's House of tiles will  show us how this industry flourishes women with extraordinary ability outline  the designs on plate tiles and pottery [Music] together some designs are made to order  especially for the customer [Music] the finished tiles are well packed  for shipment to all parts of the Republic the United States and  many parts of the world [Music] these beautiful tiles are used to decorate  doorways and fountains I'm archways among other art objects made in Puebla we  find much beautiful pottery and enameled wear [Music] this little shop in amasok is  noted for its clay toy figures the expertly fashion little figures recalled  Childhood Days and toys of clay [Music] rolling the clay into form and shaping is followed by molding and finally  painting with brilliant colors [Music] and the result hundreds of familiar  animals Birds elephants dogs deer hyenas and even Napoleon native figures and  the village cobbler a clay Pig for your pennies and don't forget the monarch of the jungle and buy them by the handful [Music] the soft wood of the trunk of the palm  tree similar to balsa wood is utilized to Advantage by the expert wood  Carvers in this strange industry the palm tree is cut down and the trunk of the  tree uprooted and allowed to dry under a hot sun sowing a trunk to its proper size  is the first step in the process usually the workers cut the trunk into  square blocks of wood after many hours of patient toil with small chisels the result  is a masterpiece of wood carving craftsmanship with objects set forth in the minutest  detail a village seen in miniature from Palm tree roots to creations of  Fantastic Beauty by the Wood artist the use of the needle and thread is  also a highly developed art in Mexico days of laborious and painstaking work are  represented in this hand embroidery art a sport coat of intricate design  and color made to order formulating the material was cut and fitted for  size before the embroidery was applied other forms of hand embroidery work  are found in belts and handbags and beautiful tablecloths [Music] near Guadalajara the second largest city of  Mexico is San Pedro laquipaki only a few minutes from Guadalajara by bus or rail laquipaki  is World famed for its beautiful pottery the first step in pottery making is the  grinding and powdering of the soft dry clay water is added to make a mud like paste then on the foot-powered potter's  wheel a vase begins to take shape meanwhile ashtrays for the tourists  are formed from clay [Music] to dry in the hot sun after the pottery is dry and before baking it is dipped in an enamel solution  which gives the piece luster [Music] after the pottery is baked  it is polished for hours and here's how it looks when finished the work of cutting the first design in the soft  clay is most difficult to become proficient in this art one must start when only a boy and  work for years and years before becoming expert vases jars and pottery of all sizes and  shape come from the factories of Lucky Puppy these artists mold from play the most  beautiful objects of pottery in Mexico [Music] these lovely Creations find their  way to all parts of the world first being shown in these native markets where  every conceivable object made of clay is displayed [Music] the absence of standardization has resulted in the creation of objects  of much Beauty and great utility foreign the products of the Arts and Crafts  of Mexico are not merely curios but serve very practical purposes the skill of these  Craftsmen has been handed down from father to son for generations with each succeeding  School of artists leaving the imprint of their own individual ideas of design and color  on the native Arts of Old Mexico [Music] thank you