Inspired by precolonial symbols and contemporary ceramics, Manuel David Reyes Ramirez and Maricela Gomez Lopez met in Cuernavaca. They returned to Oaxaca to reconnect with their Mixtec roots and to pursue a dream of being artists. Because neither came from a family of artisans, they connected with 80-year-old potter Adelita Reyes in Oaxaca and credit her with showing them where to dig for clay and how to use natural pigments to create their muñequitos figures. Both are inspired by the age-old traditions of their community and even potsherds they find on walks. They often incorporate imagery from ancient designs and daily customs into their works. “It is very satisfying for us to know we are using the same materials our ancestors used,” Reyes Ramirez says.

IFAM's Murray notes that the market's pillars are important “because artists have indicated that these issues or topics have a direct impact on their work.” She adds, “The pillars further serve as a north star to help guide any mission-centered work and to highlight that folk art is a driving force behind global change. It impacts more than just ‘arts and culture' and plays a huge role in economic and personal development for communities who often don't get a chance to tell their own stories.”

Staci Golar is a nonprofit arts and communications consultant and an arts and culture writer. Her work has appeared in publications across the United States.