TURNER – Leavitt Area High School will host visiting artists Pablo Paredes and Enriqueta Rosales, a husband and wife team of folk artists from Tlaquepaque, Mexico, on Wednesday, April 16.

Tlaquepaque’s name is derived from the Aztec language and means “land of clay hills.” Pablo still gets his clay from the same area as his Aztec ancestors. He comes from a family of artisans famous for their ceramic figures.

Pablo and Enriqueta will demonstrate the techniques used to create and paint their sculptures. Throughout the day students will watch the artists work during a series of lectures/demonstrations.

A display of crafts from Tlaquepaque, Mexico will be exhibited and Pablo will explain the processes involved. A video, including scenes from the artists’ region in Mexico, will be shown. Students will then have an opportunity to ask questions.

The purpose of the daylong visit is to expose students to the country. They will be presented with many facets of life in Mexico

The program is designed to integrate with various school curricula to impact the widest student population. Students studying Spanish, art, world cultures and social studies will have an opportunity to visit with the “cultural ambassadors.” At the end of the day, Pablo and Enriqueta will present a finished sculpture to the school.

Pat Picciano is the education outreach coordinator for Margaritas Mexican Restaurants. He will translate and lead all sessions for the artists’ visit. He has led numerous presentations on Latin American folk art and crafts.