Cilau
Valadez

Cilau Valadez is the son of living legend Wixarika / Huichol yarn painter Mariano Valadez and anthropologist Susana Valadez 2019 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee . Coming from Nayarit in Central west of Mexico, Cilau a fifth generation Master Yarn Painting artist, has been surrounded by master Huichol artists since childhood. He has done over 100 exhibits in North America, over 30 exhibits in Europe, and 5 in Asia. Since the age of 9 his father started him in the path of traditional Wixarika medicine, apprenticing from Don Julio a traditional Marakame, that took him to sacred places to provide offerings, learn how to pray, connect with Nature, Spirit, and the higher Universe. He has been part of many ceremonies that are celebrated by his family in Kueta Jalisco. Again at the age of 9 he also did his first yarn painting. Part of Don Julio's teachings have given him the experience, understanding prayers and manifesting them into colorful Yarn Paintings, each one created as a power object, Nierikas, portals that take you to different mystical realms. Cilau travels the world exhibiting, lecturing, and demonstrating the Wixarika / Huichol art of yarn painting, his tradition and symbols. Since he has lived exposed to 3 cultures (Wixarika, Mexican, American) inspires him to create yarn paintings out of his own imagination stories that are not necessarily related to his Wixarika tradition. He was the Artist of the year 2015, at Hollywood forever the biggest Day of the Dead event in the United States. His work has been featured at the United Nations, at the Museum of International Folk Art, and at events sponsored by National Geographic, Mexico, Riviera Nayarit, Don Julio, and universities like KSU and Harvard.