Why is amate art important?

As long as humans have existed, art has been an important part of social culture. Teaching children about the folk art of other cultures helps us to appreciate what people from around the world consider valuable and beautiful.

What kind of paper is used in amate art?

Amate Bark Paper
Amate Bark Paper has been used throughout the ages in religious and legal texts as well as a canvas for painting. Each sheet of this traditional Mexican paper is handmade from the bark of Amate, Nettle, and Mulberry trees.

Why was Papel Amate done in the past?

The tiny Mexican village of San Pablito, found in the mountains of Puebla, has been making amate bark paper for centuries. When the Spanish banned the paper in Mexico because it was being used for magic and witchcraft, the remote town was one of the few places to preserve the traditional craft.

What is amate made from?

Amate is an ancient tradition of paper making from Mexico, made from the pulp of the fig and mulberry trees. To make amate, the outer tree bark is peeled and the inner bark is boiled and soaked in water overnight, then beaten with a smooth flat stone until it becomes pulp.

What is unique about Mexican folk art?

Mexican Folk Art uses a wide variety of forms, shapes, colors, and materials. This is due to the abundance of metals, clays, fibers, stones, paper, wood, and dyes that exist in the different Mexican states. Some of them are highly specific and world-known for their uniqueness.

What makes Mexican art unique?

Mexican art is special, vibrant, colorful and often just plain mesmerizing because it is derived from long-standing traditions that the native populations have kept alive within their communities. It may be said that this art speaks to the human experience and is universal.

How is amate paper being used now?

Mexico City artists began to incorporate the paper into their art and the Mexican government publicized and promoted the unique indigenous craft. Today, most households in San Pablito are involved in paper-making and the craft provides a vital source of income for local families.

What is the process of amate painting?

The Process of Amate. Amate bark painting, as an art form, is a multi-step process. As a reinvigoration of traditional Mexican arts, the act of creating the bark paper is just as important as the painting itself. To make the amate paper, bark is peeled from fig, nettle, or mulberry trees.

How to teach amate paintings to preschoolers?

Next, they can paint inside their drawings with the bright colors, using white to accent their creations. Typically, amate paintings do not have any background colors, and are usually painted within the thick black lines. For preschoolers, it is helpful to draw out a couple of simple pictures in black, and copy it onto brown paper.

What is amate?

Amate (pronounced “ah-MAH-tay”) is a type of paper produced from the fibers of the bark of fig trees. Beginning in pre-Hispanic times, different indigenous groups used the amate to communicate with others.

What is amate bark painting?

The Mexican tradition of making and painting tree bark paper is known as amate bark painting. It’s an intriguing folk art that’s quickly becoming popular as a living link to the ancient civilizations of Mexico’s past. The tradition of turning bark into paper dates back to the ancient Maya and Nahua peoples.