The Árbol de la Vida tells a layered story. Once used by Spanish missionaries for religious teaching, it later became a traditional gift for newlyweds—symbolising fertility, continuity, and shared beginnings.
Design
This piece, crafted and hand-painted by artisan Joaquín Balbuena in Izúcar de Matamoros, Puebla, is a contemporary expression of that legacy. Using the intricate pastillaje technique, small clay additions are sculpted and layered into vibrant forms—each one unique, each one alive with meaning.
