Cilau Valadez runs Galeria Tanana in Saylita, Mexico.
He is the son of renowned Huichol artist Mariano Valadez and anthropologist Susana Eger Valadez. He grew up in Santiago Ixcuintla, Nayarit Mexico. Cilau’s parents were the founders of The Huichol Center. Throughout his childhood, Cilau was surrounded by Huichol master artists and their beautiful creations that were inspired by the tribe’s native myths and spirituality. Under the tutelage of his father Mariano, Cilau learned this intricate art form and the deep meanings of the symbols. He participated in many ceremonies and was mentored by an elder shaman where he gained firsthand knowledge of Huichol mysticism.
At the age of 14, Cilau took advantage of his dual citizenship and attended High School in the United States to become more fluent in English. Staying with friends and family, he graduated from Berkeley High in Berkeley, CA and returned home to Mexico, inspired to make the commitment to become a full-time yarn painter. Since then he has taken this art form to a new level, incorporating his unique cultural identity into dramatic art that blends Huichol cultural traditions with the cosmic consciousness he has acquired on his own spiritual path to higher knowledge.
Cilau works in tandem with Mariano as a father-son yarn painting team, and both have been invited abroad on numerous occasions to represent the Huichol people and native Mexican culture. He made his first international presentation in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl Center where he demonstrated the art of yarn painting for "Experience the Unexpected of Mexico," an event sponsored by the National Geographic Traveler's Magazine.
The same sponsors of this event invited Cilau to Chicago, IL., in 2008 to demonstrate yarn painting at the Chicago Cultural Center. During the summer of 2009, Cilau was a featured artist at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe. He later created a piece that was entered into a National Folk Art contest in Mexico, which was then selected as one of the best 100 pieces from more than 10,000 submissions. In November of the same year, Cilau was invited to the World Travel Market in London, England and in January 2010, he was invited to present his art in Madrid, Spain. In Madrid he appeared on 11 TV stations and 18 radio shows informing the Spanish people about his culture, art and the continuing work of the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts.
For commissioned pieces, Cilau’s creative process involves interviewing his patron to discover what themes they would like to see brought to life. Inspired by these interviews he taps into his creativity, and with the universe of Huichol symbolism creates uniquely vibrant and visionary works of art.
Cilau Showings:
http://www.folkartmarket.org/artists/rafael-cilau-valadez/
http://www.margs.com/community/education_outreach/visiting_artist_series/cilau_valadez
http://bazaar.culturalsurvival.org/profiles/cilau-valadez
http://yarnplaces.com/news/yarn-painting-cilau-valadez-tours-england/
http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2011/12/01/cilau_valadez_is_a_master_of_the_yarn_painting/
http://wingsandtails.tumblr.com/post/32736532016/elindigenazi-loreniuxtamayo-cilau-valadez-is
http://www.surynor.com/mariano-y-cilau-valadez/
http://www.mexicoartshow.com/valadezmariano.html
http://www.mexicoartshow.com/valadezmariano.html
http://teacherweb.com/CT/BowersElementarySchool/Vernali/gallery3.aspx
http://www.schoolartsdigital.com/i/141579/55
He is the son of renowned Huichol artist Mariano Valadez and anthropologist Susana Eger Valadez. He grew up in Santiago Ixcuintla, Nayarit Mexico. Cilau’s parents were the founders of The Huichol Center. Throughout his childhood, Cilau was surrounded by Huichol master artists and their beautiful creations that were inspired by the tribe’s native myths and spirituality. Under the tutelage of his father Mariano, Cilau learned this intricate art form and the deep meanings of the symbols. He participated in many ceremonies and was mentored by an elder shaman where he gained firsthand knowledge of Huichol mysticism.
At the age of 14, Cilau took advantage of his dual citizenship and attended High School in the United States to become more fluent in English. Staying with friends and family, he graduated from Berkeley High in Berkeley, CA and returned home to Mexico, inspired to make the commitment to become a full-time yarn painter. Since then he has taken this art form to a new level, incorporating his unique cultural identity into dramatic art that blends Huichol cultural traditions with the cosmic consciousness he has acquired on his own spiritual path to higher knowledge.
Cilau works in tandem with Mariano as a father-son yarn painting team, and both have been invited abroad on numerous occasions to represent the Huichol people and native Mexican culture. He made his first international presentation in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl Center where he demonstrated the art of yarn painting for "Experience the Unexpected of Mexico," an event sponsored by the National Geographic Traveler's Magazine.
The same sponsors of this event invited Cilau to Chicago, IL., in 2008 to demonstrate yarn painting at the Chicago Cultural Center. During the summer of 2009, Cilau was a featured artist at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe. He later created a piece that was entered into a National Folk Art contest in Mexico, which was then selected as one of the best 100 pieces from more than 10,000 submissions. In November of the same year, Cilau was invited to the World Travel Market in London, England and in January 2010, he was invited to present his art in Madrid, Spain. In Madrid he appeared on 11 TV stations and 18 radio shows informing the Spanish people about his culture, art and the continuing work of the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts.
For commissioned pieces, Cilau’s creative process involves interviewing his patron to discover what themes they would like to see brought to life. Inspired by these interviews he taps into his creativity, and with the universe of Huichol symbolism creates uniquely vibrant and visionary works of art.
Cilau Showings:
http://www.folkartmarket.org/artists/rafael-cilau-valadez/
http://www.margs.com/community/education_outreach/visiting_artist_series/cilau_valadez
http://bazaar.culturalsurvival.org/profiles/cilau-valadez
http://yarnplaces.com/news/yarn-painting-cilau-valadez-tours-england/
http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2011/12/01/cilau_valadez_is_a_master_of_the_yarn_painting/
http://wingsandtails.tumblr.com/post/32736532016/elindigenazi-loreniuxtamayo-cilau-valadez-is
http://www.surynor.com/mariano-y-cilau-valadez/
http://www.mexicoartshow.com/valadezmariano.html
http://www.mexicoartshow.com/valadezmariano.html
http://teacherweb.com/CT/BowersElementarySchool/Vernali/gallery3.aspx
http://www.schoolartsdigital.com/i/141579/55
The Huichol Center
2302 Del Monte Drive San Pablo, CA 94806 (510) 309-6403 |
info@thehuicholcenter.org
Centro Indígena Huichol, A.C. Calle Victoria # 24 Huejuquilla el Alto, Jalisco |