Born October, 1970 in Mexico City, Claudia Martínez Vargas has called Oaxaca her home since 1996. Her original miniature creations are all made from recycled materials.

Never having had formal art training, everything she creates is from her vivid imagination. It is said about her work that "the recycled garbage is neither created nor destroyed, simply transformed." Claudia has shown her work extensively in Mexico and in 1997 she won the "Grand Price in Folk Art" at a FONART exhibition.

It was our pleasure to welcome Claudia to Feria Maestros del Arte 2006 where she delighted visitors with her whimsical miniature "garbage" art.

Ricardo Hernandez Lopez was born in 1963 in Mexico City. He has lived in various cities throughout Mexico but made Oaxaca his home in 1996 where he currently resides with Claudia Martinez Vargas. He is self-taught and his work in miniatures is unparalleled brining him recognition on an international level.

Ricardo has exhibited throughout Mexico and the US winning multiple prizes for his work. He reflects on his work saying, "My work comes from a personal need to preserve our traditions and customs. Historical facts and daily images of Mexican life are reflected in my dioramas where I use a very old technique of preserving the scene in a box covered in glass. Such miniature scenes are found in history as far back as the Egyptian pharaohs. I am proud of my Mexican heritage and wish to preserve it for future generations and enjoy peoples from other cultures showing an interest in my work as well."

If you are interested in purchasing the work of either of these two artists, call Marianne Carlson at 011522 376 765 7485 or email mariannecarlson@gmail.com