Tlaxiaco, Mexico, 2006
During the month of May 2006, I traveled with a group of SIUE textile and ceramics students. I was given a unique experiential learning opportunity to study weaving in Mexico with indigenous craftspeople. It was an amazing participatory process including gathering raw materials, the construction of objects, and arranging an exhibition of our work for the local community in the small town of Tlaxiaco in rural Oaxaca state. This contact with Trique weavers from nearby San Andres Chicahuaxtla allowed us to learn from their expertise first-hand and also offered us a glimpse of their lives and culture.
This ever-evolving ancient civilization with its vibrant blend of sensory stimulations influenced me in many ways. After returning, our group presented the interpretations of our experiences in an exhibition at SIUE. I headed the catalog committee in creating a catalog to accompany the exhibition.