A Million Hearts for Haiti
Buy a Heart for Haiti, and generate a donation to an artisan grants program supporting Haitian artists in their struggle to rebuild their lives and businesses in the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake.
Haiti continues to be a land of spirited people who persist in using their hands to make a living for themselves and their families.
The innate Haitian ability to create something valuable, vibrant, and beautiful from nothing is their gift to the world.
The metal heart shown above is made from used oil drums which are burnt, opened and flattened. The artist then sketches the designs onto them and cuts out his designs with a hammer and chisel. The characteristics of Haitian art metal sculptures include areas that are concave or convex to create depth; intricate patterns created by hammering in "bumps" of different heights to create texture and lines chiseled in to define characteristics of the object. The sculpture is usually finished with a clear sealer or in a brownish hue which allows it to be used outdoors as well as inside.
View More Art from Haiti...
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MNMF Shops Gift Cards
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Historians trace the origin of Valentine's Day to the ancient Roman Empire. It is said that in the Rome of ancient times people observed a holiday on February 14th to honor Juno - the Queen of Roman Gods and Goddesses. From South Africa where Valentine's Day is celebrated with great passion and enthusiasm to Guatemala where this special day is a recognition of love and friendship to Santa Fe, New Mexico where the Museum of International Folk Art delights in the selection of special objects from around the world that center on the heart! |
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Heart of the Andes
 Cuenca, Ecuador is a World Heritage UNESCO site. An old Spanish colonial city, it is the third largest in Ecuador. In the near vicinity is the town of Chordeleg, with a well known silversmithing history. Combining their expertise of handcrafted silver with the historical coastal trade of European beads and glass created a mutual artistic community that produced beautiful, culturally rich adornments for women in the Andes. This is a craft that is slowly going away and in fact it is hard to even find this type of jewelry in the small towns throughout Ecuador today.
Our one-of-a-kind earring selection dates from the early to mid 20th century with a charming combination of silver, glass and porcelain beads.
View More Earrings...
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The Heart Workshop Studio Tour
Peruvian artists Claudio and Vicenta Jimenez never cease to amaze us with their unique and fascinating storytelling via their handcrafted retablos. This heart workshop is quite the crowded studio as the workers ramp up their heart production in anticipation of Valentine's Day. The wooden retablo is handmade and handpainted as Vicenta and Claudio make all of the elements in the creation of this scenery and story.
Retablos and nichos are found throughout Latin America as an honor or tribute to a saint or a circumstance in their culture. This devotional folk art can be found in churches and home altars as well.
View More Retablos...
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A Heart in the Hand...
Milagros (also known as an ex-voto) are religious folk charms that are traditionally used for healing purposes and as votive offerings in Mexico, the southern United States, other areas of Latin America, as well as parts of the Iberian peninsula. They are frequently attached to altars, shrines, and sacred objects found in places of worship.
Milagros come in a variety of shapes and dimensions and are fabricated from many different materials, depending on local customs. For example, they might be nearly flat or fully three dimensional as the hand above; and they can be constructed from gold, silver, tin, lead, wood, bone, or wax. In Spanish, the word milagro literally means miracle or surprise.
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When you do, you will receive 10% off all purchases made online and at our shops. Plus, you will receive the Museum of New Mexico Foundation Newsletter, which is your source for Member News and Events. You will also receive a subscription to El Palacio magazine, the oldest museum magazine in the United States! Click here to join.
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