Taste of the Arts District-Wide Art Show

2026 Multi-Level, Cross Curricular Project

During the 16th century, in the Spanish city of Talavera de la Reina, artisans combined Arab pottery methods with Dutch glazing techniques and painting styles to create what is now known as TALAVERA pottery.

A popular theory is that the Spanish brought commissioned skilled workers from Talavera de la Reina to Mexico to teach the local artisans how to make ceramic tiles and other functional products to decorate the churches being built in the new colonial cities. Animal-themed vessels and vibrant, floral-patterned tiles continue to be popular forms of Talavera.

ALEBRIJES are brightly colored Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical creatures, traditionally made from papier-mâché or wood. The art form originated in Mexico City in the 1930s. Common characteristics of Alebrijes include mythical creatures with multiple animal features, designed with intense, vibrant colors and intricate patterns like stripes, dots, and geometric shapes.

Alebrijes are now a significant part of Mexican folk art, blending indigenous traditions with modern artistic expression. They are often associated with Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), though they are not traditionally part of the holiday's customs. 

Holland Patent Multi-Level Art Project

Mrs. Spine’s ceramicists hand-built animal-themed vessels inspired by Talavera pottery. They applied brightly colored glazes in intricate patterns to further exemplify the traditional designs.

Inspired by the high schooler’s clay vessels, Mr. Verri’s third grade Art students designed imaginary creatures in the Alebrijes-style. They used ornate patterns in vibrant colors to decorate their creations. The students wrote brief narratives explaining their       fantastical creatures’ origins and activities.

Mrs. Joseph’s and Mrs. Morgan's Spanish students elaborated on the writings of the younger artists. The stories reflect their creativity and expertise with the Spanish language. 

Students in Mrs. Grower’ s Graphics classes created vividly  colored, symmetrically patterned designs as digital Talavera “tiles”. They made computer-generated versions of the creatures and produced animations depicting the stories originated by the third graders and expounded on by the Spanish students. 

Studio in Digital Art students designed Alebrijes creatures. The 3D printed vessels were painted in intense colors with a combination of geometric and floral motifs.

Eighth grade students in Mrs. Kiehn’s Visual Arts class designed “tiles” as well.  The boldly colored patterns of Talavera surround their chosen animals.