Place it on your kitchen counter, dresser, or side table for a jolt of rich texture and color. Lacquerware refers to decorated objects made out of wood or often dried gourds. This folk art form incorporates elements of pre-Hispanic, European and Chinese traditions which came together in colonial Mexico and continue to develop today. First the wood or gourd surface is coated with a mixture of chĚ_a seed oil, made from the seeds of the Salvia plant, and aje, a waxy fat from an insect. Then a layer of earth is placed on top to absorb the oil. This ‰ŰĎearth varnish‰Űť or lacquer is smoothed out and polished with a stone and the heel of the hand. This process may be repeated a number of times. Pigments can be added to create the background color. Recently, artists have begun to mix the background color in with the oil and have applied it with a brush. After it is dried, which may take several days, the decoration is applied.