A visit to the studio of Porfirio Gutierrez in Oaxaca

 

Porfirio Gutierrez is a Oaxacan textile artist who also lives in Ventura, CA.  He is a weaver and promotes the use of natural dyes and indigenous crafting techniques.  His studio in Oaxaca is open for visits.  To me, the most interesting natural dye is from the cochineal insect used to make reds, pinks and purples.  This tiny insect feeds off the paddles of the prickly pear cactus.  The insects are farmed, dried and then crushed to make the pigment.  It is a fascinating process.  The insects are tiny and gray.  When crushed, they turn of pomegranate red.  

                                                        The gray on the cactus are a protective "web" the insects make

The metates below are colored from grinding the source materials.  The blue is from indigo and the red is from cochineal.

                                                        

We had the opportunity to dye with indigo.  This plant dye is harvested from the indigo plant.  It is a cool water process.  The initial color is green and then it turns blue when exposed to the air.

                                                        

The studio is an interesting visit.  There is a gallery of his woven rugs that are stunning.  He uses many indigenous motifs in his work.  In addition to dyeing, you can see the operation of looms.  The studio is a family business.  The women are most knowledgeable about dyeing (wool and cotton) and the men focus on weaving.