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One day, Pedro Hernández came across a book with excerpts on the life of Frida Kahlo . This gave him the opportunity to read about an encounter the artist had with Pablo Picasso , and a gift he had made for her: Earrings in the shape of hands.
This anecdote inspired him to make his first accessories in the shape of nachos . He gave his first pair of earrings away but was later inquired on their price and the nature of the craft, which motivated him to start producing accessories for sale.
The young artist, born in the Unión Hidalgo municipality, in Oaxaca , started investigating some of the symbols that were most representative of women living in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Thus, he listed elements such as nachos, embroidered flowers, huipiles, tehuana dresses, shrimp, turtles, hummingbirds, and other emblems that exalt Zapotec culture .
Pedro makes his accessories out of cold porcelain , a sort of moldable clay that is useful to make small sculptures and such, he explained. “I prepared the designs and tried using wire and rings that were adequate for this type of work so I could start producing the first designs. We started selling out products through social media on August 2018 .
Much to his surprise, the accessories were a success. His pieces were in such high demand that he had to produce around 20 pairs of earrings a day to ship them to buyers in Oaxaca and other states .
“Each design is hand crafted and carefully painted to ensure that the client is given a high quality product. These designs are 100% local and made by Zapotec talent ,” said Pedro.
The accessory brand was named Bet’s, in honor of the designer’s wife , who thinks of his craft as a way to proclaim Zapotec culture.
The pieces have been worn by poets, singers, and writers. They have even been shipped to the United States.
Each set of accessories (a pair of earrings and a charm) costs MXN$250 pesos.
Pedro’s project has allowed him to create a movable gazebo to promote reading among children, as well as a small puppet theater and a children’s orchestra with instruments made out of recyclable materials.
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