Guillermina Aguilar Alcantara

Mexico

Year(s) attended: 2009

Ceramic Sculpture

Guillermina is rooted deep in the clay traditions of the Ocotlán district of Oaxaca and a great master of Mexican folk art. As a child, she began working with her mother and sisters to make apaxtels (basins) and braseros (incense burners) for Day of the Dead altars, and candle holders for local churches. Inspiration came to her in the form of animals and angels even in this early work. Since then, she has created a following for her painted, figurative clay pieces of people in her community in traditional costume, religious figures, and the mermaid, one of Guillermina’s favorite figures from Oaxacan folklore.