A Golden Tradition
By Ayush Deshpande Sep. 23, 2026
Gold outlines curl around the bird as a child carefully applies gold leaf to the collection of art. Inside the workshop on Mexican lacquer art led by artist Arely Cárdenas, middle school students connect traditional designs to their cultural identities, families and memories. The artwork, recently featured at the Noble Gallery in downtown San Jose, relies on maque and laca perfilada—centuries-old lacquerware methods rooted in Michoacan, Mexico.
Cárdenas, a first-generation Mexican American artist born and raised in San Jose, centers her artistic practice on Mexican culture, nature and women. Her journey began in childhood, tracing Chicano-style artwork found on 50-cent stickers from vending machines. She later took AP Art in high school, where she gained access to new art supplies and eventually switched to drawing new subjects like objects and buildings, then to painting.
“My style has completely changed because my access has changed. Now I’m referencing real women that I interact with and parts of my culture, whether that comes from the internet, traveling to Mexico or photographs I bring back from my travels,” Cárdenas said.
Her Latina Empowerment series explores her Mexican Culture and the experiences of women and queer individuals. Her painting, “Zia Mia,” features the Zia sun symbol in the background and draws on her time in New Mexico. Seeking to make her art accessible beyond traditional gallery settings, Cárdenas expanded into public portraits and murals. Among these works is “Transcendent Intimacy,” a public mural at Miel Beauté in San Jose depicting a Mexican woman and a Chinese woman, engaging in a shared gesture of cultural respect.
Cárdenas also integrates traditional Mexican art techniques in her recent collections. She uses the technique “maque y la laca perfilada”, a traditional Mexican lacquer art form featuring gold designs. Maque involves repeated application through rubbing and drying of natural oils, pigments and mineral powder onto a polished surface to apply a base of color. Then, la laca perfilada requires applying an adhesive layer, with the artist then carefully adding gold leaf using a calligraphy pen to create the design.
Beyond its cultural roots, maque stands out for its sustainability compared to modern synthetic media. Modern art forms typically use petrochemical plastics, toxic heavy metals, and chemical solvents, all of which can increase global emissions, as per The Guardian. Maque art, by contrast, uses natural pigments, organic binders and renewable bases made from wood. The lack of industrial production and longevity of handcrafted pieces make the medium far more environmentally friendly.
Like most traditional art forms, maque’s survival depends on passing skills down through generations. For Cárdenas, this connection became personal when she returned to her hometown, Michoacán, Mexico, where she sought out elder artisans practicing traditional lacquerware. She eventually connected with Hector Zarco Vargas, one of the few remaining local artisans actively teaching the technique, in Uruapan, per the San Jose Spotlight. He taught local children for free to pass on the tradition, later encouraging Cárdenas to do the same.
“Learning directly from someone who is an expert in their field is more effective than learning the information online. You can learn the intangible little details that you might not get over the internet,” Sophomore Alejandro Loftus said.
Cárdenas transformed these lessons into a workshop for middle school children to help pass on this technique to the new generation. Held from June 16-25 through the Local Color art studio’s Color Me Rad program, the workshop hosted 10 students aged 11-13 who learned the history, design characteristics and hands-on methods of Mexican lacquerware. Modeling her instruction after Vargas, Cárdenas provided individualized feedback and encouraged students to learn through trial and error.
The students' artwork culminated in an exhibition at the Noble Gallery, where each participating student received a $100 stipend. For many participants, the experience offered a direct link to their ancestry; for example, 13-year-old Autumn Medina was able to reconnect with her Mexican heritage and, with inspiration from her grandmother, create a lacquerware hummingbird.
Preserving rare and declining traditions like maque safeguards centuries of heritage and specialized knowledge. Because these traditions require intensive study and personal commitment to survive, passing the knowledge down through mentorship ensures they remain active living practices.
“Younger artists should be able to adapt traditions while still keeping their key characteristics and meanings. Adapting them can help traditions remain relevant, ensuring that they continue to be practiced by future generations,” Senior Aden Tsang said.
By teaching younger generations, artists like Cárdenas ensure that centuries of cultural knowledge can be passed on to future generations. Ultimately, traditions like maque endure when each generation chooses to both learn and pass them on.
About the Contributers
Ayush Deshpande
Page Editor
Ayush Deshpande a senior at Leland High School and the Feature US and Science and Tech page editor. In his free time he likes to watch F1, play strategy video games, and hang out with friends.
Alice Gu
Artist
Alice Gu is a sophomore at Leland High School and an artist in Journalism. She likes watching anime and spending time with her friends. She likes listening to Ariana Grande and reading mangas.
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