We reach the house by catching two bumpy taxi rides from the centre of Oaxaca, then a steep climb by foot up the hill of Teotitlán del Valle, Mexico. Still out of breath, we shake hands with each member of the extended family, who are ready standing in a line. Most chatty is grandmother Angela who is proudly showing us their most detailed craft and pieces, before moving into our favourite part: a workshop on wool carding, weaving and dyeing with natural materials.
Family of weavers, Teotitlán de Valle, Mexico
Artist of the loom
Material: Natural dyed local wool
The family is supported with a microfinance loan. With this loan, they bought several weaving looms. By running their own business, they could stay out of the weaving factories, where they receive minimum wages and are unable to pursue their own artistic expression.
Each family member has its own speciality, from very detailed, fine weaving to the creation of new colour schemes. The artisans enjoy incorporating their appreciation of nature, their emotions, and spirituality into the designs. The oldest family member, Angela, taught her children and daughters in law all about weaving. Despite her 80 years, she still helps with spinning, carding and sorting the wool.
