AMATES Mexican bark painting

Where Did Mexican Bark Painting Originate? Although Mexican bark painting has been popularized by the Otomi people of Puebla, Mexico and the Nahua Indians of Guerrero, Mexico, the creative technique dates to pre-Hispanic times, according to a research paper entitled "Riches of the Forest: Fruits, Remedies and Handicrafts in Latin America" and other sources.

History Otomi Indians first made paper from the bark of two trees: mulberry and fig, according to the website of Mexican art importer La Fuente. Nahua Indians of southern Mexico, accustomed to painting on pottery, adopted the method after encountering the Otomi in Mexico City, "Riches of the Forest" researchers found. They have "excelled for several generations at painting bright village and wildlife scenes on the hand-made paper," says La Fuente.art

Process La Fuente says artisans make Mexican bark painting by washing and boiling bark, then laying it out on wooden boards. After it drys, they beat the bark with a stone until fused. The method is also called papel amate.

Color Mulberry tree bark makes off-white paper. Fig bark makes darker paper, according to La Fuente.

Scenes After fusing bark paper, artists paint scenes using bright colors, according to the Palo Alto Art Center Foundation's website. Finished works could show scenes of village life, colorful flowers and animals, or traditional fables and stories. flowersanimals

Recent Developments The Palo Alto Art Center Foundation's website says, "When synthetic pigments/paints were introduced into rural areas in Mexico in the 1950s, artists fell in love with the bright colors, which produce amazing contrast against the bark paper."