Potters make their mark
Tonala was the host recently of the Seventh Annual National Ceramic Competition, where the talents of Mexico’s best clay artists are exalted each year.
Creativity, design, construction, innovation and use of materials were considered by the judges in doling out the half million pesos in prizes for first, second and third place in each category. Out of the 245 pieces entered, prizes were awarded to categories in barro bruñido, bandera, tradicional and canelo, miniature and contemporary ceramics, arcilla figures, ceramic sculpture and barro vidriado sin polvo.
Artists from Michoacan, Oaxaca, Chihuahua, Mexico State and Jalisco participated. A special prize is awarded to the galardon nacional (top ceramic prize), for creativity and for a young artisan’s work.
Three potters from Tonala and one from Zapopan were among the competition’s first place finishers. The winners’ pieces form part of the municipal treasure and are all on view at the Casa del Artesano in Tonala.
Also in Tonala
An exhibition of 30 photographs of Charros and Adelitas (female riders) by Oscar Ruiz Esparza is on display just in time for the yearly National Charro Championship held at the end of August is up at Galeria Tonala, which is an outdoor display of 16 metal stands on the median strip of Avenida Tonaltecas from Avenidas 16th of September to Constitucion. Tapatio Ruiz Esparza has honed his craft for more than 40 years and has displayed his works in Paris, Germany, New York, Orlando, Los Angeles and Vancouver.
Graveyard shift bus
Hoot owls will be glad to hear that the Buho Nocturno (after hours bus service) will continue, despite a 50 percent lower usage than expected. Since it’s initiation 10 months ago, the service has lost about 100 pesos per bus nightly. But the Jalisco Secretary of Transportation is looking at the program as a community service and has no plans to drop it. They are asking the business chambers to pony up the expense of keeping it open for the more than 600 people who use it each night on the 22 buses covering eight different routes. The cost is 15 pesos and the service runs from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Correction: Classic Cars
Last week’s Reporter stated that the Automovil Guadalajara club was holding an exhibition of antique cars at the Minerva glorieta on Saturday, July 28. It actually takes place on Saturday, August 4.
Classic cars from the 1920s and 1930s will be on display from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. and the traffic circle will be closed from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Organizers will be collecting donations in aid of Caritos, a medical charity organization. Their aim is to be able to lay a complete ring of 10-peso coins around the Minerva in order to raise a total of 350,000 pesos.
British get-together
The next British evening will be on Saturday, August 11 at Helen Carter’s house in Santa Margarita. Call cel. 331-599-3210 or e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.