Saturday, Sunday, April 21, 22, 12-5pm
Galeria Atotonilco
Free

Galeria Atotonilco Open House

By Susan Page

The town of Santa Clara del Cobre near Patzcuaro in Michoacan is the source of some of the world’s most extraordinary works in copper. For over 500 years, nearby sources of copper stimulated the trade of copper work, and most of the items made were utilitarian. In 1966, an American artist, James Metcalf and his wife, Mexican artist Ana Pellicer, began working with the copper smiths, teaching them new techniques and decorative designs, thus heralding a new era in the town. Through their efforts, the town received the commission to create the large glorious flame holder for the Olympic torch for the 1968 Olympic games held in Mexico City. The impact of these two artists on the copper smiths of Santa Clara del Cobre has been compared to the impact of William Spratling on the silver smiths in the town of Taxco in the 1930s.

The copper mines near Santa Clara have since given out, and the artists now use scrap copper for their works. They smelt the copper into large flat disks. Then, using a combination of heat and laborious hammering, they flatten the disks into thin copper and shape them into stunning works of art. Specially shaped anvils and hammers help the artists create a wide variety of imaginative designs. At some points, they may fill a vessel with wax that hardens to create a surface against which they may work the copper form the outside.

Galeria Atotonilco owner, Mayer Shacter, recently acquired works from some of the most widely known copper artists. They will be featured at the gallery’s open house, Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22, noon to 5 PM each day. Refreshments will be served. Except for this Open House, we are open at your convenience by appointment. Call us at 185-2225.

www.galeriaatotonilco.com