In the early days before coffee, George threw himself into exhibiting and curating their work in California. His goal was to promote the expressive vitality and original spatial mastery of certain Wixarika artists. His hope was that this would lift them out of the unfortunate appellation “folk artists,” which reinforced their anonymity and belittled their pre-Columbian religion.

However, by 1974, George and his wife Laurie had two children with another on the way. Exhibiting art hardly paid the rent. They left their hometown of Berkeley, CA in search of some undefined opportunity in Boston. The following year, The Coffee Connection opened their doors with Wixarika art on their walls. In the years to follow, his 23 additional cafes would also adorn this artwork.

This continued effort to collect, share, and support the Wixarika artists helped contribute to their finally being an exhibition of the art in Mexico City’s Museum of Modern Art in 1986. Later, in 2000, George donated a spectacular 4’ x 8’ yarn painting by the celebrated Huichol artist Jose Benitez Sanchez to Mexico City’s Museum of Anthropology, where it can be seen today.

Today, George Howell Coffee's cafes and roastery also display Wixarika art. Before coffee, there was art. George continues to collect, restore, and recognize the incredible artwork of the nativa Wixarika people.