Photo Tour of the Phoenix Heard Museum Spanish Market

As I strolled the exhibits, the intricate designs of Mel Rivera caught my eye. His straw appliqué art on wooden crosses was just beautiful. He said that the craft was not a new one and that it was practiced in North Africa before being introduced into Spain by the Moors in the 18th century. The Spanish artisans then introduced the method to people in Mexico and, what is now, New Mexico.

In the upper Rio Grande valley the craft was used as a practical substitute for the more elaborate wood and mother-of-pearl inlay. The technique flourished in the Rio Grande Valley in Spanish Colonial territorial times, but was abandoned in the late 19th century.