Artisan - Maria Vazquez Perez
Zinacantan, Mexico

When I was a little girl, I could not work on a backstrap loom because they had to adapt it to fit the user so my mother allowed me to help her by joining the garments, making the bangs and things that detailed the pieces. After that, I was making napkins and tortilla holders until I could make large garments for daily use that began with the canvas woven on a backstrap loom and embroidered by hand to sell in nearby communities. It was not always about making money as many people exchanged my garments for things like chickens, coffee, corn, which always are useful. After many years I was trained to use an embroidery machine which is the one I currently use to help me a little.