Lourdes Parra (Hillsboro) is a Mexicana dressmaker and fruit carver. She sews dresses adorned with images of Catholic icons for religious holidays and special occasions. Parra also creates intricately carved watermelons that serve as centerpieces for baptism and communion celebrations, weddings, and quinceañeras.
Bio
Lourdes Parra, originally from Michoacán, Mexico, keeps Mexican traditions alive in the Portland Metro area through her dressmaking and fruit carving. Using fabric that she brings back from her annual trips to Mexico, Parra sews beautiful dresses that highlight Catholic imagery, especially that of Jesus and La Virgen de Guadalupe. Women in her community where her dresses for special and traditional celebrations, especially the Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe (Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe) on December 12th, Christmas, Día de los Reyes (Three Kings Day or Epiphany) on January 6th, and Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas) on Feb. 2nd. Parra is also a talented fruit carver whose intricate watermelon carvings are the centerpieces of the mesa frutal (fruit table) for traditional rites of passages such as baptism, communion, quinceñeras, and weddings. Parra studied education at Mexico City’s Benemérita Escuela Nacional de Maestros (the National School of Teachers), where she took workshops on the traditional arts of Mexico, learning to sew, embroider, and carve. In Hillsboro, Parra runs a retail booth called Nina’s Boutique at the Mercado Mundial (World Market); there she sells her handmade dresses as well as dresses and suits for baptisms and communions, handmade Mexican crafts, and table arrangements for parties. Parra is proud to share her heritage because it allows her to preserve Mexican traditions in a way that is meaningful to her and her community.
