Basics of Huichol Bead and Yarn Work, as Seen in Puerto Vallarta and Other Places in Jalisco, Mexico

This article is meant as a *very* basic introduction to the Huichol bead and yarn art found in and around the state of Jalisco, Mexico. We actually didn’t spend much time learning about this, so I definitely advise checking out other resources online, such as the Wikipedia page, here.

That said, during any travels to Pureto Vallarta and its surrounding areas, you’ll no-doubt see quite a lot of this style of traditional artwork, which strikes me as both simple and rather complex at the same time. The simplicity comes from the technique, which numerous shop owners described to me in just a few minutes. As far as I understand, it goes like this:

• The artist selects something on which to apply the beads, yarn, or other material (we also saw people using small colored grass-like fibers). This could nearly anything — from flat surfaces to statues of things ranging in size from small souvenir-sized peices to much larger works. (We even saw an entire Volkswagon Beetle done up this way!)

• Then, the working surface is covered in what I was told was beeswax (although, in…