The Visiting Mexican
Artists Program

The Visiting Mexican Artists Program presents master Oaxacan woodcarver Ventura Fabian and his son, Norberto, in a series of presentations about their craft to diverse communities in the greater Boston metropolitan area. Over a three to four week period in the fall, to coincide with Mexico's Day of the Dead holiday, the artists visit schools and art centers in the greater Boston area to share the allure and vibrancy of Mexican artistic expression.

The project touches upon numerous themes, such as the art of Oaxacan woodcarving, the daily life of a rural artisan family, how children participate in helping the family survive economically, and how family members create a balance between subsistence agriculture and craft work. An educator's outreach packet is provided to all the participating schools prior to the visits.

The program has received commendations from both the Boston and Cambridge City Councils and has given presentations at over 40 sites in our four years of visits. Along with public and private school, we were also invited to Harvard's Peabody Museum, the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center, the University of Vermont, Club Passim's Culture for Kids Program, and the Boston Children's Museum. WBZ-TV featured the program on their news. Our presentations are adapted to the grade level of our audience, which have ranged from pre-schoolers to high school students to the general public.

The Visiting Mexican Artists Program's funders have included the Mexican Consulate in Boston, Cambridge Arts Council, Chelsea Cultural Council, Somerville Arts Council, Brookline Commission for the Arts, Roxbury Highland Charitable Foundation, Mt. Washington Bank Charitable, and Mexicana Airlines.

The School Presentations consist of five 45-minute sessions at each school. The visiting artists set up a basic "workshop" and proceed throughout the school day to create from raw wood a complete, highly detailed work of art. At an adjacent table, a wide array of their crafts is laid out for viewing. Throughout the session, as Ventura and Norberto work on their original carvings, all phases of their craft are shown. A study guide is provided to all participating schools prior to the visits.

After introductions are made, the audience is shown where the artists live in Oaxaca on a large map of Mexico. The students then watch a 10-minute video produced by Nina Hasin about the artists and their village that features animated segments of Ventura Fabian's carvings. She then gives a 15-minute talk about the history and craft of Oaxacan woodcarving, the daily life of the artists and their family in their woodcarving community, and a description of each phase of the process that culminates in the hand-carved, hand-painted figures. Examples of the work are passed through the audience in order to view the detail in the figures more closely.

Nina Hasin coordinates the event and translates for the artists as they answer the questions from the audience in the 20-minute Question & Answer period that ends each session. As the children leave, they file one by one past the table display to view the artwork. A carving from their exhibit is presented to the school as a parting gift. The school staff and any parents attending the sessions are permitted to purchase the figures on display at the end of the school day.

For more information please contact Nina Hasin at (617) 522-4008 or ninah36@yahoo.com

 Contact Nina Hasin at ninah36@yahoo.com or (617) 522-4008 for more information