Jailhouse segmentation - take a look! - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

jim_mex · 11-03-2009, 12:04 AM

I've commented many times that searching for scrollsaw artists in my locality is rather like looking for rocking horse excrement - pretty elusive! Well today I had a surprise.

A local restaurant about 4 blocks from where I live has been revamped in traditional Mexican style and since I know they produce good food I decided to go there to eat today and also check out the new surroundings.

Walking in, the first thing to catch my eye was a couple of typical Diego Rivera arum lily studies hanging on the walls - pretty much in keeping with just about every 'traditional' Mexican restaurant around the world. But these were different. They were very well crafted segmentation projects finished with acrylic paints!

I asked the owner if I could take photos of one of them - in my opinion not the best example of the two, but as a crowd of Mexicans were partying in front of the other I couldn't get near to get a good shot of it.

The owner then surprised me by telling me she'd bought these two very nice pieces at the local prison! Apparently the long term inmates are encouraged to learn handicrafts to bide away their time and also make a little money from the sales. A while back someone had introduced a couple of them to a scroll saw and hand carving techniques and I was looking at the end result.

I thought it interesting to post this experience to show what can be done with segmentation and acrylics, especially when you have plenty of time on your hands!

Seriously though, this was quite an exciting find and I reckon I'm going to follow this up and see what more info and treasures I can uncover

Enjoy the photos!

Pete Ricci · 11-03-2009, 12:38 AM

Jim
That is absolutely fantastic. I lived in MExico , Guadalajara, for 31/2 years and I do remember many colorful painted wood works and carvings. Your pictures brought back some of my fondest memories of MExico. I remember going to a local artisan spot called tonala bad spelling and now at times I have seen this work around the US.
Pete

jim_mex · 11-03-2009, 01:02 AM

Hi Pete - I also lived in Guadalajara for almost 5 years around 15 years back and moved around the city a few times living in both Tonala - you spelt it correctly! - and Tlaquepaque. A fascinating experience in view of the wide variety of arts and crafts to be seen. Tonala was more of a folksy place and very much ceramic orientated whereas Tlaquepaque was more upmarket and varied and home to some now famous artist/sculptors like for example Sergio Bustamente.

There was certainly a lot of decorative wood carving to be seen but most of it was fairly rough carved product catering to decorating Mexican/Santa Fe style properties. What really impressed me about these two pieces I saw today is that they were really well executed and much finer than most of the stuff I see in the usual tourist outlets. So now it has me thinking 'where did these prisoners learn this skill from' and what other secrets might they have in store?

Just hope I don't have to rob a bank or move cocaine to get in to see them!! LOL!

Pete Ricci · 11-03-2009, 01:19 AM

Jim
You should try to make time to go to a Judy Gale Roberts course in Tennessee it would be well worth your while. I would think you would really enjoy it.
Pete

jim_mex · 11-03-2009, 02:43 AM

Pete - I'd love go - Judy's work sure impresses me and I've only heard good things from the folks who have attended her classes. Maybe a special treat for next year...

jlyn069 · 11-03-2009, 08:14 AM

Jim,
Those are really beautiful. I have never seen any segmentation or intarsia items hanging in public places. I know I would spend so much time admiring one, if I did. I work at Red Lobster and they have a bunch of carved fish hanging around and I always admired them and never even thought about where they came from or that someone hand carved them. I just thought they were machine made. Now I wonder...
Jackie

Pete Ricci · 11-03-2009, 08:42 AM

Jim
Let me know if you do register for one of Judy's classes and if I can I'll see if I can go down there and help her in that class.
Pete

Ramjet · 11-03-2009, 03:44 PM

Jim.
Pretty impressive work .

Now here is the perfect opportunity to teach a class in Fret work , intarsia and some of the other talents you have .

Or maybe the inmates have a few tricks they can teach you ?

Not everyday you can have a captive audience .

Cheers .Roger

jim_mex · 11-03-2009, 03:51 PM

Morning Pete -
I'll start praying for an upturn in overseas work to see if i can foot the bill, otherwise I can see myself wading across the Rio Grande at night! It would be great to meet up with you.

Hi Rog
nice to see you are still kicking round the board pal

Quote:

Now here is the perfect opportunity to teach a class in Fret work , intarsia and some of the other talents you have .

You must have been polishing your crystal balls - I mean ball! - during Halloween cos exactly the same thought went through my mind!

wood-n-things · 11-03-2009, 04:21 PM

Being a retired correctional officer I was always amazed at the artistic talent the inmates had. Such a waste of talent.

11-03-2009, 12:04 AM	#1
jim_mex 'Senior' member - no way! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Pachuca, Mexico Posts: 1,788	Jailhouse segmentation - take a look! I've commented many times that searching for scrollsaw artists in my locality is rather like looking for rocking horse excrement - pretty elusive! Well today I had a surprise. A local restaurant about 4 blocks from where I live has been revamped in traditional Mexican style and since I know they produce good food I decided to go there to eat today and also check out the new surroundings. Walking in, the first thing to catch my eye was a couple of typical Diego Rivera arum lily studies hanging on the walls - pretty much in keeping with just about every 'traditional' Mexican restaurant around the world. But these were different. They were very well crafted segmentation projects finished with acrylic paints! I asked the owner if I could take photos of one of them - in my opinion not the best example of the two, but as a crowd of Mexicans were partying in front of the other I couldn't get near to get a good shot of it. The owner then surprised me by telling me she'd bought these two very nice pieces at the local prison! Apparently the long term inmates are encouraged to learn handicrafts to bide away their time and also make a little money from the sales. A while back someone had introduced a couple of them to a scroll saw and hand carving techniques and I was looking at the end result. I thought it interesting to post this experience to show what can be done with segmentation and acrylics, especially when you have plenty of time on your hands! Seriously though, this was quite an exciting find and I reckon I'm going to follow this up and see what more info and treasures I can uncover Enjoy the photos! __________________ Jim in Mexico “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” -Albert Einstein Last edited by jim_mex; 11-03-2009 at 12:08 AM.

11-03-2009, 01:02 AM	#3
jim_mex 'Senior' member - no way! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Pachuca, Mexico Posts: 1,788	Hi Pete - I also lived in Guadalajara for almost 5 years around 15 years back and moved around the city a few times living in both Tonala - you spelt it correctly! - and Tlaquepaque. A fascinating experience in view of the wide variety of arts and crafts to be seen. Tonala was more of a folksy place and very much ceramic orientated whereas Tlaquepaque was more upmarket and varied and home to some now famous artist/sculptors like for example Sergio Bustamente. There was certainly a lot of decorative wood carving to be seen but most of it was fairly rough carved product catering to decorating Mexican/Santa Fe style properties. What really impressed me about these two pieces I saw today is that they were really well executed and much finer than most of the stuff I see in the usual tourist outlets. So now it has me thinking 'where did these prisoners learn this skill from' and what other secrets might they have in store? Just hope I don't have to rob a bank or move cocaine to get in to see them!! LOL! __________________ Jim in Mexico “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” -Albert Einstein

11-03-2009, 02:43 AM	#5
jim_mex 'Senior' member - no way! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Pachuca, Mexico Posts: 1,788	Pete - I'd love go - Judy's work sure impresses me and I've only heard good things from the folks who have attended her classes. Maybe a special treat for next year... __________________ Jim in Mexico “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” -Albert Einstein

11-03-2009, 04:21 PM	#10
wood-n-things Behave Yourself..I can't. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Right here ---silly Posts: 4,471 Blog Entries: 1	Being a retired correctional officer I was always amazed at the artistic talent the inmates had. Such a waste of talent. __________________ The Mike One of them anyway. Don't be so open-minded. Your brains will fall out!

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11-03-2009, 12:38 AM	#2
Pete Ricci Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 192	Jim That is absolutely fantastic. I lived in MExico , Guadalajara, for 31/2 years and I do remember many colorful painted wood works and carvings. Your pictures brought back some of my fondest memories of MExico. I remember going to a local artisan spot called tonala bad spelling and now at times I have seen this work around the US. Pete

11-03-2009, 01:19 AM	#4
Pete Ricci Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 192	Jim You should try to make time to go to a Judy Gale Roberts course in Tennessee it would be well worth your while. I would think you would really enjoy it. Pete

11-03-2009, 08:14 AM	#6
jlyn069 Jackie Join Date: May 2009 Location: Michigan Posts: 202	Jim, Those are really beautiful. I have never seen any segmentation or intarsia items hanging in public places. I know I would spend so much time admiring one, if I did. I work at Red Lobster and they have a bunch of carved fish hanging around and I always admired them and never even thought about where they came from or that someone hand carved them. I just thought they were machine made. Now I wonder... Jackie

11-03-2009, 08:42 AM	#7
Pete Ricci Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 192	Jim Let me know if you do register for one of Judy's classes and if I can I'll see if I can go down there and help her in that class. Pete

11-03-2009, 03:44 PM	#8
Ramjet Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Saltspring Island B.C. Canada Posts: 1,096	Jim. Pretty impressive work . Now here is the perfect opportunity to teach a class in Fret work , intarsia and some of the other talents you have . Or maybe the inmates have a few tricks they can teach you ? Not everyday you can have a captive audience . Cheers .Roger