{"product_id":"gerardo-ortega-tree-of-life-from-tonala-mexico-20-5-h-x-16-w","title":"Gerardo Ortega 'Tree of Life' from Tonalá, Mexico - 20.5\" H X 16\" W","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA large colorful ceramic 'Tree of Life' \u003cspan\u003e(Arbol de la Vida) \u003c\/span\u003ecrafted by Gerardo Ortega who is a master figural ceramist with a style of his own. His specialty includes happy and brightly colored objects whether they be animals, masks or sculptures.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Trees of Life' were traditionally used as a gift for newlyweds as a symbol of fertility and abundance. This hand-painted folk art piece is painted with vibrant colors including cobalt blue, bright green, red, yellow, turquoise and pink. It is adorned with 10 children, 16 flowers, 39 leaves and 3 holders for tapered candles. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGerardo, along with his brothers Oscar and Junior, create these fun and colorful figures of clay and follow their grandmother in the traditional Barro Betus technique where glazed pottery is burnished with the resin of Betula birch trees mixed with egg whites to achieve the high gloss patina. His work can be found both in museums and fine private folk art collections.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis one-of-a-kind piece of art would work well in interior settings from Southwestern and Folk Art, to Boho and Scandinavian.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePlace of Origin: \u003c\/b\u003eTonalá, Jalisco, \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMexico \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDate of Manufacture: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e1990s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eExcellent\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWear: \u003c\/b\u003eNear perfect. Please refer to pictures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e20.5 in. H X 16 in. W X (Base) 5 in. Diam.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eReference: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eArts \u0026amp; Crafts of Mexico\u003c\/em\u003e, Chloë Sayer\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Spirit of Folk Art\u003c\/em\u003e, Henry Glassie\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(46, 85, 143);\"\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color: rgb(46, 85, 143);\" title=\"Philadelphia's Magic Gardens (PMG)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.phillymagicgardens.org\/about-philadelphias-magic-gardens\/visit-from-home\/highlights-from-the-collection\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhiladelphia's Magic Gardens (PMG)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.moifa.org\/exhibitions\/online-exhibitions\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Museum of International Folk Art\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-contrast=\"none\" lang=\"EN-US\" class=\"TextRun SCXW190923169 BCX8\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW190923169 BCX8\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(46, 85, 143);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMuseum of International Folk Art\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-contrast=\"none\" lang=\"EN-US\" class=\"TextRun SCXW190923169 BCX8\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW190923169 BCX8\"\u003eExplore more \u003ca title=\"Mexican Pottery\" href=\"https:\/\/ourtastedesign.com\/collections\/mexican-pottery\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(46, 85, 143);\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMexican Pottery\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-contrast=\"none\" lang=\"EN-US\" class=\"TextRun SCXW190923169 BCX8\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW190923169 BCX8\"\u003eat Our Taste Design.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"EOP SCXW190923169 BCX8\" data-ccp-props='{\"134233117\":false,\"134233118\":false,\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":0,\"335551620\":0,\"335559738\":240,\"335559739\":240,\"335559740\":279}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Our Taste Design","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40208488628288,"sku":"OTD_00923","price":789.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0138\/7492\/1536\/files\/IMG_3359.jpg?v=1715632161","url":"https:\/\/ourtastedesign.com\/products\/gerardo-ortega-tree-of-life-from-tonala-mexico-20-5-h-x-16-w","provider":"Our Taste Design","version":"1.0","type":"link"}