Mexicans celebrate special occasions through self-expression and art. Most major celebrations have a way of exploding with color and forms, calling for creatives to make art to go along with whatever important holiday or party we celebrate. In turn, these masters of their craft usually make work that displays the beauty and profundity of these festivities in ways that we could never do. These are our living muses, inspirations for these occasions that inspire us in a video series.
Driven by passion, creatives Willy Chavarria, Runsy, and El Creativo have come together to share how they celebrate beloved holidays for Mexican gente alongside Don Julio 70. In time for the launch of the limited Tequila Don Julio 70 Cristalino Artist Edition bottle, we’re highlighting what makes these creatives’ Mexican culture a driving force for them to create Por Amor, specifically work in connection with holidays as Mexican Independence Day and Día de Los Muertos. All three create something unique using their roots and heritage and share it with the world.
In the first installment, we visited celebrated fashion designer Willy Chavarria in his natural habitat: his studio in Brooklyn. There, he explains how he spends his time creating with his team. Chavarria prides himself on integrating Mexican motifs into his work, seen here in exquisite detail on the special edition Tequila Don Julio 70 Añejo Cristalino bottle and a new, breathtaking linen collection. Both these works use Día De Los Muertos imagery like skulls and flowers, respecting the culture while giving it a spin. The results are an amazing demonstration of Chavarria’s craftsmanship.
The second installment focused on Esperanza Rosas, better known as Runsy. A Mexican-American artist based in Chicago who makes extraordinarily vivid art with pencils, we attended her “minimalist” studio—a feature for her to work and encourage her to create something that’s not there—and saw her design a trajinera displayed within Tequila Don Julio’s immersive experience at El Grito Chicago. She drew inspiration from her “core memories” of visiting Mexico and dahlias (Mexico’s official flower) to make her art come to life, using color to give it a more lively appearance—something she usually shies away from, as she mentions in the video.
In the last installment, we met Juan Rentería, known professionally as El Creativo. Born in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and now living in Los Angeles, El Creativo seized his direct connection with Mexico to build his work of art, in this case, an Ofrenda dedicated to Don Julio González himself. Working in his studio, he takes cempasuchil flowers as his primary material. He works it into the Ofrenda, part of a bigger piece displayed in Venice Beach from October 26 through November 2. Rentería emphasizes how his heart always informs his work and mentions how it’s known that the color and scent of the cempasuchil flower help lead the spirits in the right direction.
Muses in Mexican culture are everywhere if we know where to look. Seeing what these artists can do inspires us to enrich our daily lives. As the Don Julio founder has done with the creation and tradition behind their tequila, these creatives follow their passion and bring more beauty into the world.
Honor the legend. DON JULIO Tequila. 40% Alc/Vol. Imported by Diageo Americas, New York, NY. Sip responsibly. Don’t share w/ under 21.
