Commonwealth Club of California to Host Chavez Santiago Family Weavers on May 10
San Francisco and Bay Area textile and fiber artists, hand-weavers and spinners are invited to attend a presentation at the Commonwealth Club of California at 12:00 noon on May 10. The Future of Tradition: Weavers of Oaxaca, Mexico Connect Their Future with Their Past. Eric Chavez Santiago, director of education at the Museo Textil de […]
Oaxaca Portrait Photography Session with Weaver Federico Chavez Sosa and Family
It’s Good Friday and our fifth portrait photography workshop day. Between the “on the fly” street photography of village life and religious processions, we visited the home and studio workshop of master weaver Federico Chavez Sosa in Teotitlan del Valle. If you have ever sat for a family portrait in a photographer’s studio, you know […]
Video: Mexican Rug Designs from Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca
In the spirit of my own continuing education, I went to the Apple Store last night for a tutorial about how to make an iMovie using my photographs. My computer is storing over 6,000 photos — many of which are published on this site. I learned the basics and am now experimenting, so hopefully, over […]
Film Review: Woven Lives—Contemporary Textiles from Ancient Oaxacan Traditions
This documentary film is a visual feast for the senses that takes us on a sensory journey across Oaxaca, Mexico. Here we meet the exemplars – the outstanding artists, artisans, and curators who are keeping the weaving traditions alive. This film captures sense of place, history, culture, and diversity. It creates a vital thread from […]
Dos Perros, Durham, NC, Mexican Restaurant Oaxaca Rug Decor
Durham, NC is the destination for dining, named among the top 10 locales in the U.S. for great restaurants and urban redesign. The downtown is renewed, gentrified and electrified. It is more than charming. It is full of spunk and sizzle. Turn the corner, discover another great dining room and bar with kick-A ambience. One of […]
Woven Lives/Vidas Entretejidas Movie Trailer — Public Premiere Coming April 23, 2011
Carolyn Kallenborn wrote to me today about the progress she is making to distribute the final cut of her film about Oaxaca weavers, “Woven Lives/Vidas Entretejidos.” I want to share her update with you and provide the link to the movie trailer on YouTube. The film features six weavers, one of whom is our dear […]
Shopping Oaxaca: Galeria Lola y Fe
Around the corner from the Santo Domingo Church on Ave. Cinco de May #408 is the new gallery shop opened by my friends Federico Chavez Sosa and his wife Dolores Santiago Arrellanas. Her nickname is Lola and his is Fe! They weave the most spectacular tapetes (rugs) that I have talked about and featured on […]
El Dio del Maize: Corn God of Mexico–Rug Weaving
This afternoon Federico Chavez Sosa completed this extraordinary handwoven 100% wool rug created with natural dyes and cut it from his loom. It is a complex design that requires special skill to execute the curves and circles to perfection. The piece measures 32″ x 57″ and is $500 USD. Dyes are from the cochineal bug, […]
Weaving a Curve: A Documentary Short Film
Eric Chavez Sosa and I made this six minute short documentary film during the January 31-February 6 workshop held by Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC in Teotitlan del Valle. It was our first film making collaboration and we were definitely novices! Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UHCPpaap3E “Weaving a Curve” featuring master weaver Federico Chavez Sosa. He talks […]
Feliz Compleanos y Prospero Ano Nuevo: New Year’s Eve Part Two
Celebrations for the new year begin at sundown on New Year’s Eve with the sound of firecrackers and bands playing throughout the village. Small groups of young men gather at street corners waiting for something to happen. Water is sprinkled on courtyards and stairways by women with brooms in hand to sweep up any dust […]
Blue-Indigo-Anil: Natural Dyes of Oaxaca
These traditional Zapotec Mexican rug designs capture the beauty of the landscape, replicate the stone carvings on the archeological ruins of the Oaxaca Valley, and convey the artistry of the culture. The first rug on the left, Zapotec Eye of God, uses the natural dyes of indigo blue, the cochineal bug, and pomegranates. All the […]
Weaving With Feathers!
I can’t wait to get back to Oaxaca! Just a few more weeks until we arrive on June 25. I want to see our casita construction progress AND I want to see the new textile museum. Eric reports that this Saturday there will be a “by invitation only” workshop about weaving fibers with feathers for […]
Just Added! Oaxaca Weaving & Natural Dyeing Workshop — July 7-10, 2008
We’ve just added a new workshop to the calendar. This will be a 4-day workshop that will combine weaving and natural dyeing techniques to be held at the home of Federico Chavez Sosa in Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca. The workshop starts on Monday and ends on Thursday. This will give you time, while you’re in […]
Names
Federico Chavez Sosa: People here have at least two family names. The first last name is the father’s name followed by the mother’s name. Federico’s father was Jose Chavez Ruiz and his wife is Soledad Sosa XXX. Federico’s wife is Dolores Santiago Arellanas. Their children are Eric Chavez Santiago, Janet Chavez Santiago and Omar Chavez […]