(2) AMATE BARK PAINTINGS Native Ethnic Mexican Folk Art Aall Deco 18x22 with fra

(2) AMATE BARK PAINTINGS Native Ethnic Mexican Folk Art Aall Deco 18x22 with glass and framed

1. Colorful Exoctic Birds on Tree Branches Surrounded with Flowers
2. 3 Angels Overseeing Village

Papel Amate, or painted bark paper, is an art form with clear pre-Hispanic origins. The handmade paper was originally considered a specialty of the village shaman and used only for special rituals. Decades later, the Otomi of Puebla began using bark paper as a canvas for painting. Typically, artisans will craft the paper from fig or mulberry tree bark, then sell or trade the homemade paper to other indigenous groups for decoration. The technique of making traditional bark paper has a 200 year-old history in southern Mexico. Today, the rustic homemade paper is still made in small villages along the Sierra de Puebla using a variety of different tree barks. The process begins by boiling the tree bark mixture for 3-4 hours in salted water. Afterwards, the softened bark is rinsed and placed on a stur