It's Hispanic Heritage Month! A time to celebrate the culture, history, contributions, and achievements of Hispanic and Latinx-Americans. At Friends NYC, we carry the work of many Latinx makers, and we’d like to share a few of them with you here. Consider supporting these artists this month and beyond!
Jamsie Waymsie
James Montes is a 33 yrst old Mexican American Mixed Media Artist living in California and the guy behind Jamsie Waymsie. All his art goodies are handmade in Fresno, California.
The Lotería is a popular card game of chance played throughout Latin America. Each Matchbox is hand-painted and contains one Lotería card image on the front side that is trimmed in SPARKLY golden glitter flakes, the back side is a solid color. All matchbooks are sprayed in a heavy gloss coat to prevent glitter fallout and for added SPARKLE. These are truly tiny pieces of Mexican nostalgia and we can’t get enough of it.
Valfré
Ilse Valfré (b. 1987) is a Mexican contemporary artist known for her eccentric female characters that showcase a wide range of emotion. Having honed a signature style that incorporates retro futurism, Valfré’s work resonates with a large community, perfectly balancing a vintage feel with more modern sensibilities. In addition to the Devil Ciggy Break Case pictured above, check out the Bat Babe Ceramic Spoon, or the Butterfly Effect Grinder or the Music Junkie Flask, and MORE.
Rompotodo
Rompotodo is the work of Niki Chataldjkian in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She makes the cutest ceramic pieces. She says her mission is “to heal this world: through cute objects, colors that resonate, and the moments created from them.” You can read all about the collaboration Friends did with her and the inspiration behind her work here. And pick yourself up a mushroom ceramic vase, ghost pipe, or ghost candle holder online!
Tesoros Trading Company
Tesoros Trading Company is a retailer and wholesale distributor of folk arts and crafts and traditional items from over twenty countries, largely from Mexico and Central & South America. They work with families as well as larger factories. We've been lucky to add these treasures to the mix at Friends: Jesus Ashtray (pictured above), Blue Bird Mexican Dish, Small Nopal Pottery Dish and the Nopal Cactus Pottery Tray!
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month, familia. Take the opportunity to get to know the work of someone in the Latinx community. And spread love, it's the Brooklyn way.
