Oaxacan Hand Loomed Wool Area Rug (4x6.5), "Oaxacan Mood"

"I was born in a Oaxaca town rich in tradition with an impressive legacy handed down from our ancestors. My art is a family heritage. Generation after generation, our parents have taught us to weave in wool. I learned from my parents and grandparents, and today I continue this beautiful tradition together with my husband. We are just beginning to show our designs to the world.

"For our weavings, we use sheep wool, dyed with natural colors derived from fruits and flowers we gather in the mountains ourselves. We also rely on other colorants such as cochineal and indigo. This art needs a lot of patience, and the process requires much dedication, from shearing the sheep, washing, carding and spinning the wool, and dying it. We do it all in order to weave our rugs.

"At the beginning, it was complicated to become independent weavers, but we've always held onto our patience and our desire to get ahead. We haven't let adversity stop us. My first weavings came out funny. I did one depicting a landscape with dolphins but they ended up looking like fish and my cousins laughed. Over time, we've learned to perfect our work, our designs and colors, and we're proud to share it with you.

"Our designs are inspired by nature and by the traditions of our ancestors. I believe this is their most valuable legacy. Our dream is to one day have a large and successful workshop where we can offer jobs to the community, so our neighbors won't have to emigrate and renounce their roots. We dream of creating the best designs in the world, with the best quality. In this way, we pay tribute to our traditions and customs."