Jacobo is an award-winning master weaver. His tapestries have been featured in Santa Fe, New Mexico, San Jose, California, Los Angeles, California, San Francisco, California, and San Antonio, Texas. Today it is Jacobo, his wife Maria Luisa Vasquez de Mendoza, and their two children who keep the tradition alive as the fourth generation of weavers in Jacobo’s family.

“I began when I was very little. I learned it by tradition. My father learned from his older brother. My mother learned from living with my father. There are more girls in the house and so as we grew up, we studied, learned, helped, supported and worked on jewelry with our family. Around 15 or […]

Juan Hernandez Arenas began learning the technique of “fibra suave” from his parents at just seven years of age. Using brightly colored strips of plastic and palm fibers, Juan hand-weaves bags, wallets, baskets, fans, and much more.

Crispina’s passion for her work shows beyond the beautiful pieces when speaks about them. When asked if there was anything that made her artwork unique, Crispina stated that beyond the amount of time put in, it took a lot of learning over time to obtain the skill to make unique pieces. Crispina smiled and simply said, “No one […]

Maria Guadalupe Santiago Sánchez and Cecilia, her sister, are from the town of San Antonio Castillo Valance, known for its beautiful, embroidered crafts. Maria and Cecilia sew shirts, dresses, and bags and decorate them with beautiful embroidery.

Maria F. Jimenez Ojeda is an artisan experienced in the traditional Oaxaqueño craft of “los alebrijes,” or intricately-painted wooden animals. Maria carves each piece by hand and then uses her colorful acrylics to paint incredibly delicate designs onto the figures.

Adelina Pedro Martinez is an artist from the town of San Bartolo Coyotopec, a town outside of Oaxaca City whose inhabitants work with a special type of black clay that comes from the mountains. Adelina is one of many artisans from her pueblo who work with this special material. She specializes in figurines decorated in […]

Located just outside the city of Oaxaca, La Mesita is a beautiful nature reserve nestled among the mountains behind San Pablo Etla. Seeing a need to restore the once barren landscape, the local community elected a council of six members to collectively organize the introduction of diverse vegetation and curb erosion.

Gregorio Velasco is a mezcalero in San Luis del Rio. He, like most of the other community residents, commits great pride and work into transforming an agave plant into coveted mezcal. With one swish, a smokey ignition brings tastebuds to life. With one swallow, the belly is encompassed by a gentle warmth. With one bottle, […]

Inside the taller, or workshop, in the small village of Santa Ana Zegache, local artists create unique painted mirrors, wooden figurines, and other traditional items. The taller employs around sixteen artists to create work to be sold in their shop in nearby Oaxaca City. A town that struggles economically, many of Zegache’s residents are forced […]

Achieving sustainability is not an easy task. However, Xaquixe, a Oaxacan glassblowing studio that excels at producing incredible pieces of art, has taken to this community-friendly practice in stride. Cofounded by Salime Harp Cruces and Christian Thornton, experts and promoters of artistic expression through glass, Xaquixe’s contribution to the ecosystem and surrounding indigenous communities has […]

Standing amid stacks of woven textiles bursting with vibrant colors and designs, Faustino Ruiz Lorenzo explains how each color is hand-dyed using natural plants, insects, and minerals. Lorenzo is a thirteenth-generation weaver who is committed to carrying on the tradition of artesanía inspired by his ancestors.

“We put a lot of heart into our music and our dance,” says Bibiana Perez Bautista, a member of the group Raices. Since its beginning in 2001, Raices has been making music and dance in the traditional jarocho style from the region of Veracruz.

Located in the center of Oaxaca de Juárez, Ignacio Carrillo and Lorena Vera live in a small townhouse filled with a mix of traditional African and Mexican instruments. They sing, dance, drum, play, teach – they are beyond musicians. Husband and wife, they are the leaders of Lorena y Los Alebrijes, one of the most […]

The name of this urban art group, “Lapiztola,” explains their mission with a clever play on words: it combines lápiz, Spanish for “pencil,” and pistola, meaning “pistol,” to represent their commitment to using art as a creative weapon to spread political and social messages to the public.

Alejandro Martínez is an artist and professor who teaches at the Universidad Mesoamericana and Blaise Pascale Preparatory School. Among the classes he teaches are graphic design, drawing, and printmaking. He also occupies a studio in downtown Oaxaca, where paintings and large swatches of fabric cover easels and the walls – all sporting the same rich […]