From China to Mexico: A Journey of Decorative Arts with Brenda Brandt

Mexico (New Spain) in the 17th and 18^th centuries was an area that enjoyed enormous economic prosperity. Each year, galleon ships crossed the Pacific and brought porcelain, silks, ivory, spices and a myriad ofother goods from China to Mexico. The stylistic features and design of many of these trade items influenced the artists and designers working in Mexico. Mexican talavera pottery displayed the impact of galleon trade most vividly, while Manila silk shawls, featuring Chinese motifs and decorative techniques, inspired the decoration of Mexican textiles.

Brenda Brandt holds a Ph.D. from Florida State University. She is a published author who has held faculty positions at the University of Arizona and Colorado State University as a researcher and educator. Past museum experience includes curatorial and education responsibilities in history and cultural museums in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Her study of the social relationships that people have with material culture, as well as her study of the design, meanings and significance of objects worldwide, led her to open BMB Artifact SERVICES, a consulting business based in Phoenix.