Multicolores Textile Arts by Guatemalan women

What a joy to meet Reyna Pretzantzin Chipix, creative director of the Multicolores cooperative! Reyna, in her gorgeous huipil and handwoven ikat skirt, eyes sparkling, personifies the vision, tenacity, creativity, and humanism of this successful grassroots art organization. 

Please visit the Amy Koslow Gallery in Bethesda before October 1, 2023, to see these exuberant and beautifully crafted wall rugs.

Each wall hanging is a mastery of traditional rug hooking, anchoring cut strips of cloth through a foundation cloth. But these are created with cast-off recycled t-shirt fabrics, readily available and affordable in the marketplaces of rural mountainous Guatemala, in the Kiche, Kaqchiquel, and Tzutujil communities. Born of the sustainability and economy of materials, what emerges in each textile is the vision of an individual artist, based on the patterns, iconography, and legends of her Mayan ancestors and present daily life, and the visual language of the traditional blouses and other weavings. 

The results are tight designs (and tight, durable weavings!) in a mastery of jewel tones that reflect a Guatemalan aesthetic and identity. This little project, founded in 2014, is now global, and several of the Multicolores textiles are prominently displayed in the US Embassy in Guatemala City. Incidentally, three years ago, Caring for Textiles prepared the Embassy pieces for display. 

Magic Exists Between Nature and Art & Self Portrait now in the US Embassy Guatemala.

Our purchases support this network of artists who have endured extraordinary hardships. The cooperative shares materials, an end market, and provides a mobile healthcare van. Funds are used for children’s school supplies and uniforms, better food, running water, etc…The Multicolores artists elevate their standing, self-respect, and income in the community through their weaving.