The Teotitlan del Valle community museum held a competition recently and invited talented young weavers who showed promise to submit their work to a jury of village leaders who are master weavers. Many applied and only a few were selected to exhibit their work at the famed archeological site of Monte Alban where the museum there is featuring them in a special gallery.
Here are a few of my favorites, with the names and addresses where you can contact the artists directly to go and see their work. Congratulate them, support them, and mention that you heard about them from this blog.
All these pieces were created using the natural color of sheep wool handspun from Chichicapam or handspun wool that is dyed with natural materials: cochineal, indigo, pericone, pecan leaves and shells, moss, pomegrantes, etc. If you go and visit, encourage their use of natural dyes by purchasing only those rugs where the wool is dyed with “tintas naturales.” The village leaders are encouraging young people to retain their cultural and weaving heritage, and also to promote the use of natural dyes in the weaving process. This is important because chemical dyes cause lung health problems that often leads to cancer.
These are some of the young stars…
Antonio Ruiz Gonzalez, Av. Juarez #107, Teotitlan del Valle, rg_antonio@yahoo.com.mx, (951) 16 661 61
Zeferino Clemente Mendoza Bautista, Fiallo #34, Teotitlan del Valle, exlibrisanahuac@hotmail.com, (951) 52 441 41
Taurino Santiago Ruiz, Av. 2 de Abril #23, Teotitlan del Valle, (951) 52 442 32
Manuel Luis Sosa, Av. Hidalgo #80, Teotitlan del Valle, (951) 21 659 10
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