Dyeing and Weaving in the Zapotec Tradition with Jacobo & Maria

Jacobo and Maria are master weavers and dyers in the Zapotec tradition. At the young age of eight, Jacobo learned the art of weaving and making vegetable dyes from his father, Don Emiliano, an extraordinary weaver of wool rugs. He experimented with the dyeing processes to develop vivid and intense colors and used different fibers of wool and silk to achieve finer pieces considered tapestries or "finos." His style was not only influenced by the previous generation of weavers, but also the work of various great painters of Oaxaca such as Santiago Nieto, Francisco Toledo, Rodolfo Morales and Rufino Tamayo.

Using fine threads made of local creole sheep wool, merino wool, alpaca wool, and even silk, gold, and sliver threads, Jacobo creates elaborate, complex designs with a very peculiar and unique texture. What really sets him apart is his tapestry technique. While other craftsmen use 5 threads per inch in the warp of their pieces, Jacobo uses 20, 30 or even 45 threads per inch. Essential to his work is the dyeing of different wools, where he uses everything from flowers to insects to obtain a wide range of colors that gives life to his work. To know Jacobo is to know and appreciate the work of an artist who has worked all his life to generate ecological sustainability and to appreciate his expertise in the many fine pieces he produces.

Jacobo's works have been exhibited in Santa Fe, New Mexico and he often participated with other teachers around the world. His travels inspire extraordinary new works that reflect his culture and his dreams. Although he loves to travel, Jacobo’s knowledge of Teotitlán del Valle, home of his ancestors, and the surrounding areas is unparalleled. Ask him where to get the best mole and he might just point you to one of his sisters!