How ironic that I would be the owner of 2 velvet rug paintings! Not sure where they are at this moment, but maybe I could start the “velvet buzz” all over again! Doubtful! My husband brought them to me from his tour of duty in Spain with the Navy back in the late 70”s! I never thought much of them, and surely had no clue of the history behind them. After reading chapter 4, I was amazed at the deep history involved and the thousands of people who reaped the profits and fame from this art. The economic impact it had in so many countries such as Central America and Canada was shocking to say the least. Who would have thought they would end up in Hawaii and Alaska! The art of velvet painting was not controlled by the elites but by the law of supply and demand. “Economic outcasts found a refuge in both velvet and the border.” Velvet became the official fabric in the 1970’s with little information on how it originated. Velvet paintings “set the U.S.-Mexico border on a path to becoming an economic power and refuge for the poor.” A Union was even formed in their attempt to control the art’s quantity and quality, resulting in profits again. Price and quality soon dropped due to the large production and imitation pieces available. The work force involved made more money that they had ever imagined, only to drink and party their profits away, many dieing from this hard life. Scientology renewed the interest in the 1980’s only to be short lived again. Velvet paintings created an economic boom for many years and remnants of this art can still be found across the country including my attic!
The culture behind velvet paintings is vast. It stands for one of the most successful enterprises beginning with the economic and population boom in Juarez and spreading worldwide. How would I respond to an ELL who is ridiculed when he or she shares this family tradition within the school environment? It would be a great idea to create a thematic unit on the history of these paintings. Some students may have had ancestors that were involved and could share personal stories and may even have a painting to display. I have found that those who ridicule are lacking information and knowledge on the subject and can easily be influenced by real facts and real people.
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You MUST locate the velvets and see what condition they are in. Last year a student went into her grandmother's attic (as a result of reading the book) and found the velvet painting she remembered from childhood. She looked for a signature and found it but it was not one of the artists mentioned in the book.
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