ARTESANOS
Artesanos started as a commissioned job for CREA, a designed studio focused on bringing art to the new projects that started growing in Tulum. Their idea of involving only local makers of the Yucatan Peninsula - México- had so much potential for a documenting series that we decided to go ahead and visit each artisan, in their element. Tulum is a blooming town in the Riviera Maya, very young still with many opportunities for small entrepreneurs and artisans of the kind. They all start small, in their homes, their backyards, alone or with few helpers. Some began a while ago and now they have more clients to attend, but all of them know what it took to get there.
And so we embark on this crusade. Here's what we got from our first round.
And so we embark on this crusade. Here's what we got from our first round.
MATT
Sculptures in wood
Matt is originally from England. He's settled in Tulum more than 7 years ago now. He works in his back patio which is now his workshop. He has an incredible ability to transform whole logs into the most fantastic figures.
FLORENTINO
Florentino's father in law is an experienced welder. When he was young he moved to Tulum and became one of the first blacksmiths in town. Now he's teaching Florentino the ways around the job in hopes that one day he might be the one to run it.
TONIO
At first, Tonio started experimenting with cement. 'It was very hard and heavy, so I needed to find something that would allow me to shape things, a kinder material'. And that is how he got into pottery. As many, he turned his whole house into his workshop, he shares his room with his two dogs and bakes on a huge oven he has in his backyard.
CARPENTERS
For wood, we went all the way to Carrillo Puerto, a small town an hour away from Tulum. Where the trees grow tall and strong and you can get the very best wood. Where these two carpentries started in their own homes, with their families and now, even though they've grown, you can still feel the closeness, the friendship and the hard work.
