Photo: Woven ipod @ Veronica Lazo Mendoza
Arte popular has no finer home than Oaxaca City, La Verde Antequera.
Whether you are seeking jewelry, woven textiles, ceramics, or elaborate wooden figures – the famous alebrijes – you might be overwhelmed by the variety and quality of local crafts. Our suggestion – take your time, check out and add a star if you’d like to the photos, read a bit before you arrive and visit a few of the stores and meet our favorite artesanos.
Request – Please let us know which venues and artisans have their own websites, Facebook pages, and other online portals which help tell the stories, sell the crafts, and invite potential clients and connect longtime friends.
Your turn
• Be respectful and saveor the soundscapes.
• Learn how to say ‘thank you’ in an Indigenous language. Oaxaca has 16 Indigenous groups and more than 100 languages. Here are a few greetings from the local markets.
• Seek out old friends. Print a photo I’ve shared years ago on Flickr and seek out the vendor or artisan. We are always keen on connecting with our friends.
Favorites
Instituto Oaxaqueño de las Artesanias, Garcia Vigil #809, 514-0861. Open daily. This state-run institution (often called Aripo) presents an exquisite collection of crafts Flickr
@IOA_GobOax
@climaco_nadia
Mujeres Artesanas de las Regiones de Oaxaca (MARO), 5 de Mayo #204, 516-0670. Open 9am to 8pm every day. MARO is run as a cooperative whose crafts women and administrators are involved in all stages of production – from the purchase of raw materials to selling their own products. Flickr
Mercado de Artesanias is the largest market dedicated exclusively to crafts in the city. Located five blocks southwest of the Zócalo, the market has a wide selection and great prices. Products range from jewelry to rugs and wooden figures. Thanks to the quality of the crafts, this is one of the nicest craft markets in the country.
Artesanias Teresita, Murguia #100-B. Victor Vazquez manages a store that specializes in wooden figures (alebrijes).
Artesanias de Buena Mano, Constitución #108. Francisco Jesus Hernandez Perez runs this store across from Santo Domingo and just east of the Pañuelto Garden. Buena Mano specializes in replicas of exvotos, bottlecap earrings and hand-made paper from the Taller Arte Papel Oaxaca in San Agustín Etla. Flickr
La Mano Magica, Alcalá #203, 516-4275, sells rugs and weavings as well as paintings and stylish curios. Located across the across street from the Museum of Contemporary Art, this is an impressive gallery. Website
Casa de Artesanias de Oaxaca, Matamoros #105 at the corner of Garcia Vigil, 516-5062. Open Monday-Saturday. This cooperative includes more than 80 organizations and family workshops. Wheelchair-friendly. Website
facebook.com/lacasadelasartesaniasdeoaxaca
Mercado Benito Juárez is the town’s oldest market (inaugurated in 1893). Located two blocks southwest of the Zócalo, the market is a great place to buy crafts and local food.
Adolfina, Xicotencatl #418 (corner of Rayón), 514-6618. Traditional clothing, including dresses from the Istmo and men’s guayabera shirts. Beautiful quality.
Los Baules, Alcala, photo. Quality textiles and embroidered blouses and dresses.
Oro de Monte Albán, Alcalá #403, #503, photo. Jewelry is styled with Zapotec designs from Monte Albán and other archaeological sites. In 1947 Rosa Quevedo and her daughter Tere Calvo started a family business opening the first jewelry shop in town. In 1985 they received authorization of the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico to reproduce ancient works of Indigenous art. Website
La Forteleza, Constitución #200 and Reforma. This store sells cold drinks and Fuego Interno matchboxes made by La Araña.
Toys
Maromeros, Matracas, Oaxacan Graphic Arts Institute (IAGO)
Piñatas, (most markets)
Textiles
If you are seeking quality embroidered textiles, visit Adolfina, Los Baules and Mujeres Artesanas de las Regiones de Oaxaca (MARO).
Want something light and inexpensive? Check out the clothes made from muslin or calico (manta) at the Mercado de Artesanias. Among the advantages of clothes made from manta — it’s an authentic display of embroidery, it’s light and it’s beautiful (fresca, linda, autentica!).
Jewelry
Beautiful jewelry can be found at the Mercado de Artesanias and at Oro de Monte Albán.
Tin
Thin tin figures (hojolata) are famous.
Kitchen
The wooden beaters (molinillos) used to make chocolate are for sale in most markets.
Paper
Gift bags and wrapping paper are sold at Manzano, located in the Abasto(s) Market, Local #273 and 20 de Noviembre #305. Over the Christmas holidays, look for bright-colored lanterns (farolas).
Restaurant Supplies
Not standard crafts but the place to go if you want the local pop-cycle molds – El Cisne, Zaragoza #304
Workshops
Spider Art – Local artist Boris ‘Spider’ shows kids of all ages how to make artistic creations at Alcala #902-Bis. Summer workshops run during the school vacations, particularly July-August. Slideshow
Self-Guided Tours
If you want to learn more about craft production, it’s easy to purchase directly from the artisans.
For example, if you’re interested in purchasing a rug, visit a family-owned workshops in the nearby towns of Santa Ana del Valle and Teotitlán del Valle. Black pottery catch your fancy? Visit San Bartolo Coyotepec. Wooden figures (alebrijes)? Visit San Antonio Arrazola and San Martin Tilcajete.
Happy shopping!
A few words about buying crafts in Oaxaca
Go on your own or with someone you trust – If you visit craft villages on your own, 100% of your purchases go the artisans. Many package tours insist on a commission (paid from the artisan to the guide) and rates can go up to 40%. If you go on your own, you’ll see authentic production, not a show.
For the lazy – Vendors stroll the tables on the Zócalo in the afternoons and evenings. They sell toys and trinkets and all sorts of crafts. It’s an easy way to make purchases, particularly if you want a wooden comb or a rebozo.
Pricing – Prices vary depending on the quality of the product and where you make your purchase. That said, prices in the Mercado de Artesanias are generally not much higher than what you find in artisan homes.
Measuring – If you are purchasing a rug, you might want to take a measuring tape, particularly if you are looking for a particular size.
Shipping – Most craft shops can pack your purchases for shipment. So if you see something fragile you’d like, ask if they can pack the materials securely.
Airline Passengers – Metal and tin crafts (hojalata), mirrors and any sharp object (including knives) must be packed in checked luggage.
For more info – Shoppers interested in learning how traditional craft production fits in to sustainable and responsible travel should review our guide to Tourism and Crafts.
Embedded Tweets
Shipping
The question is … how to economically and safely send crafts from Mexico to the United States? Shipping has been prohibitively expensive. Let’s figure this out = La pregunta es … ¿cómo enviar de manera económica y segura artesanías desde México a los Estados Unidos? El envío ha sido prohibitivamente costoso. Vamos a resolver esto
Headlines
Amazon, futuro de los artesanos de Oaxaca
Features
Planeta.com