Handwoven Black and White Wool Poncho from Mexico, "White Stars at Midnight"

"In the world of our ancestral traditions, it is common to talk about the legends of the pioneers in these techniques.

"I was born in the state of Tlaxcala, known for wool textiles. I grew up surrounded by the tradition of dyeing and weaving wool, which has allowed me to reacquaint myself with my past. I consider myself to be a curious person committed to the preservation of textile culture.

"There is a beautiful legend that my father tells me about where our last name came from, According to my grandparents and my father, we are descended from Netzahualcoyotl, and we can see this in the registers of the Historic Archive. When Netzahualcoyotl had to flee from Texcoco, he spent time in exile in Tlaxcala. Being a well-known noble, the locals flattered him with the favors of seven women. I come from one of those families. In the town of Contla, there are two others with the same last name, but without any apparent relation.

"In the 1990s, the industrial production of serapes became very popular. This presented a very difficult obstacle for our work. It challenged me to preserve and revive this historic and beautiful art.

"Using natural dyes is my passion. I work with Brazil wood, indigo, cochineal, pericon, and walnut, among other things. I especially adore the color blue, which is why I work so much with indigo. Here in Tlaxcala, we traditionally use cochineal, which was produced here in colonial times. But, we only use it for special orders because it is scarce, expensive, and yields little dye. On the other hand, indigo, even though there is very little in this region, yields a lot more.

"I am uniquely inspired by nature, the environment that surrounds me, the people I love, and the people that get by on their own. This makes me conscious of the enormous commitment that I have in my hands. My desire is to share a piece of our history, showing the beautiful identity that my work transmits. I want to connect each person with this essence, the richness of our beautiful country, and continue being the protagonist of my own history.

"Although I'm young, I have received a number of awards. I feel it is a great honor and a great responsibility carrying onward, sharing my passion and my life."