A visit to La Iguana Art Gallery on 蜜柚直播鈥檚 North Fourth Avenue will easily transport you to another place.

There, at 545 N. Fourth Ave., you can find textiles and colorful folk art from Oaxaca; suns and mirrors from Tonal谩, Jalisco; catrinas, crosses and glassware; clay pots from Mata Ort铆z, Chihuahua; and talavera pottery from Guanajuato.

Since opening their doors 15 years ago, on May 25, 2007, husband and wife Imelda and Mario Jim茅nez have seen it all.

鈥淭hat day we sold no more than two pairs of earrings,鈥� recalls Imelda Jim茅nez.

Since then, they have managed to overcome much, including the economic difficulties brought on by COVID-19. Rather than having to close for good, as many shops did, the couple has come out of the pandemic with plans to open a larger store.

Meanwhile, they go back and forth from the United States to Mexico together, visiting artisans and artists in different states south of the border, to sell their wares at La Iguana and at art fairs across 蜜柚直播.

The 鈥榗uriouseros鈥� of Nogales

Mario Jim茅nez says that he inherited the job of 鈥渃uriousero鈥� (the curious one) from his family.

鈥淚 learned all this from my relatives, from my uncles; this is in my blood,鈥� he says.

Mario Jim茅nez says that his father and uncles were born salespeople. They owned very popular stores and liquor stores in Nogales, Sonora, like the famous Mickey Mouse, where they sold Mexican handicrafts and wines, American perfumes, and clothing from popular brands like Levi鈥檚 jeans.

Imelda Jim茅nez explains that the stores were known for being curious and the owners as 鈥渃uriouseros,鈥� 鈥渂ecause supposedly these are 鈥榗uriosities鈥� for Americans.鈥�

A decade later, Imelda and Mario met in Monterrey, Nuevo Le贸n, when they were studying accounting at university. They got married and opened their first store in Nogales, Sonora, focused on Mexican art.

From Nogales to 蜜柚直播

What brought the couple to 蜜柚直播 stems from encounters in their Nogales shop, Mario Jim茅nez said.

鈥淭here were older people who came (from 蜜柚直播) and visited me; they liked to talk with me,鈥� he said. Among them was a lady who insisted that he come to Fourth Avenue, to find a space and set up a store.

Mario Jim茅nez heeded the suggestion and one day he came to 蜜柚直播 with his wife and a few dolls to sell to help pay for the trip. The buyer, who was also the owner of an art store, invited him to sell the dolls at a fair on Fourth Avenue, and he sold almost everything he brought. That prompted Jim茅nez to look for a space of his own.

鈥淚n 2007, more or less, problems arose in Nogales, such as smuggling and the rest,鈥� says Mario Jim茅nez. So they closed the store there and came to 蜜柚直播 full time.

The story behind the art

There is a story behind each of the pieces sold at La Iguana, and Imelda or Mario are happy to take the floor and share how each object got there.

At first, they bought the art from wholesalers, but then they began to source the merchandise themselves for better prices.

While Imelda stayed in Nogales keeping track of the store and taking care of her children, Mario made trips to the interior of Mexico.

鈥淚 went to places I had never been. I didn鈥檛 know anything about the people,鈥� he says. Over time, he got to know firsthand the enormous and diverse Mexican culture. He visited artisans in small towns in Michoac谩n, Puebla, Chihuahua and Jalisco, and he selected the merchandise.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 drive there anymore,鈥� says Mario Jim茅nez. Now they fly to their destinations, choose the products, and the same artists mail them to Nogales.

Each work put up for sale at La Iguana represents not only a geographic area in Mexico, but also an art and a particular style. Each piece takes the time, talent and love of each artist. Everything is handmade, woven or painted by one person.

Among the many items that are sold in La Iguana, you can find many crosses. The store offers a wide variety of crosses from Jalisco, Puebla and Oaxaca. Catrinas imported from Capula, Michoac谩n, are also very popular.

From Oaxaca, they bring Mexican folk art, rugs, table runners, pillowcases and tablecloths, all hand-embroidered. From Guanajuato they bring talavera (high-temperature ceramics). They get blown glass products from Tonal谩, Jalisco.

Mario Jim茅nez says only 15% of his clients are Mexican.

鈥淢ost of them are American. I think they appreciate art more; they read more鈥� about Mexican art.

La Iguana is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. For more information about the store, call 520-882-0222.

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