Catrina with Pineapple Day of the Dead Catrina Papier Mache Statuette

Marina Lozano

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I an artisan in papier mache. I was born in Mexico City, a privileged place for arts and crafts.

I became excited about this art when I was 16 years old and studying at the National Polytechnic Institute. It was a point at which I left school due to my low grades in mathematics. It was my father who, as a result of seeing me plunged into depression, encouraged me to study something that would restore my creativity and increase my hope and security. He took me to workshops on sculpture, painting, the human figure, wood carving and, of course, paper arts.

"It was precisely in that resurgence stage that I learned how important human creativity is, and I fell in love with the flexibility of paper. It is a blank canvas to create whatever comes to your mind. I studied papier mache with Alberto Riano in Mexico City and in Guanajuato I learned the traditional techniques and design styles with Clisterio Sanjuanico.

"I think that what was most challenging was being open to the techniques of these great masters. And I also learned to keep abreast of new artistic trends. Now that I teach, I understand the openness that you must have for each person. I started making piñatas, a very well-known technique in Mexico. This is how my designs became more popular, and I began to create more specific sculptures.

"My inspiration comes sporadically — one work leads to another. Every detail motivates me to continue creating. And more than anything, seeing designs from different sources makes ideas come out of nowhere.

"The digital age brings more challenges, each one different and with its own complexity. I remember that, 20 years ago, they conducted a census in my town of Cortazar, Guanajuato. There were 50 artisans specializing in papier mache. Today, there are only two left. But I know there are endless opportunities in this field, each with its own learning and teachings."

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NOVICA was started with a dream to create a better world for artisans, because a better world for artisans is a better world for all.

Along the way, the founders of NOVICA discovered something very important - as artisans around the world succeeded, there was also a visible and profound impact on the communities around them.

Your purchases are that powerful. They directly and indirectly provide for education, help with health care, fund basic needs, support children, preserve disappearing arts, and of course, spread happiness around the world.

The founders of NOVICA had a vision of the future that is not one of mega factories producing cookie cutter products for all to cheaply consume. Instead, a bright future that celebrates artisans who take the time to create an item by hand. A future where time is protected, where stories are told, where unique details are honored. Love, respect, inclusiveness become driving force.

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