My close relationships with artisans in Mexico and Guatemala have given me the chance to collaborate with amazing Mayan belt-loom weavers. After spending time in Chiapas and creating a few pieces, I decided to move to a lake surrounded by volcanoes in Guatemala. Here I developed a close relationship with a family as they taught me more about the craft. Together we created a limited collection of hand-woven goods including belts, hatbands, scarves, and ponchos.
![Poncho and hatband designed by Xhico](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/7fc9f3eb-804f-418d-911d-bba0741aad90_rw_1920.jpg?h=51997993181eb866529e0816a15ad447)
Poncho and hatband designed by Xhico
![Chusita preparing wash of masa for threads](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/777b2e24-29e4-4e84-9f18-4eaa8d11400c_rw_1920.jpg?h=430278c4b3637da6e161b12d2fa56fd7)
Chusita preparing wash of masa for threads
![Poncho weaving in progress](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf2.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/da18b81b-e59c-497b-81b2-cbc7a3b99e54_rw_1920.jpg?h=57484a2ea32ce54bc3df680a85313ad5)
Poncho weaving in progress
![Chusita arranging threads for weaving](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf4.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/f61c6246-698a-4108-83a9-64d8bfa59136_rw_1920.jpg?h=2aa48cae5648ad5fef1cd7418283b486)
Chusita arranging threads for weaving
![Mama Elena sharing her wisdom aligning the threads perfectly](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf2.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/dfc6820c-ef7d-4acd-bcd0-6a16c016888f_rw_1920.jpg?h=41d42cd2ed9d41f829a6a0d96213585d)
Mama Elena sharing her wisdom aligning the threads perfectly
![Susana weaving the poncho design](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf2.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/3c5b7178-767f-4b31-b08a-40adedc0818e_rw_1920.jpg?h=d1a25e41cb6b44116329b94294db9896)
Susana weaving the poncho design
![Detail of Poncho](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/0ff671d6-a998-41b9-a170-a412266f1caa_rw_1920.jpg?h=daf87e9eadae3a9654625de431c92417)
Detail of Poncho
![Mama Elena wearing my belt design](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/2549b68b-4375-4d4f-afe7-1a42d03a1f9f_rw_1920.jpg?h=712182653e2c8b8b15a39341cd6bc3a0)
Mama Elena wearing my belt design
![Sketch of colors and thread count for Poncho](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf2.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/37622a76-b7ac-433b-b210-ff1f8550f522_rw_1920.jpg?h=8a49f08a88a7a68953ede674edb22b4c)
Sketch of colors and thread count for Poncho
![Final handwoven belts](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/94ff3a5b-b737-4a69-a1f7-69ddfe69e2b1_rw_1920.jpg?h=97008a9953a8f7ff9aa7aef0a7c1eed0)
Final handwoven belts
![Chusita at work on the belt-loom](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf4.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/585c2de5-07ca-454a-a913-a31458c2ff4a_rw_1920.jpg?h=1027c898df0fc4d514fd76ba2db4830d)
Chusita at work on the belt-loom
![Chusita at work on the belt-loom](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf2.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/d2f07795-d735-48de-8e09-9be5d2086db5_rw_1920.jpg?h=20d710a08a881182912bb58b50b3c19a)
Chusita at work on the belt-loom
![Final handwoven belts made with metallic thread](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/082e7b71-3c1b-48b2-98f9-9f760fb57616_rw_1920.jpg?h=efd10439c0d797444f88e7231a3751cb)
Final handwoven belts made with metallic thread
![Susana counting threads for rainbow belt](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/7bb67ac0-2306-4b05-9550-ff2a1191ca07_rw_1920.jpg?h=985c649636103c75d3029d0d113c0d0c)
Susana counting threads for rainbow belt
![Susana arranging threads for rainbow belt](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/a61e21cd-7e48-4953-b523-e0954b219e76_rw_1920.jpg?h=0f38fbc9d257df9637272710051d8eb5)
Susana arranging threads for rainbow belt
![Tools for weaving](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/15c70c93-6167-4ae1-986a-7528f5ba9aed_rw_1920.jpg?h=2ec9a3efa895d3ac3f36157730df7617)
Tools for weaving
![A small stick keeps measure of the belt](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/22d00637-124b-439d-97a7-00b7596a2c78_rw_1920.jpg?h=a645c88d18bac6f1ab67b6bdcc96f708)
A small stick keeps measure of the belt
![Posing with Chusita and our final products](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/ae1b1546-a0ba-4a2a-9b31-9dc7c5a39f88_rw_1920.jpg?h=afeabb893efd717f50e8d0ef237f2761)
Posing with Chusita and our final products
![Shopping for thread with Rosa](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/017d0c77-0391-48a2-8ea8-48b783e7631b_rw_1920.jpg?h=5448af9c1475736f2b957ba9a96e6bd4)
Shopping for thread with Rosa
![Hands of Señora Pina](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/17c2cb91-1aee-4b78-a684-0e7194d8f965_rw_1920.jpg?h=de71242ced95849c7a20c4931e4e4789)
Hands of Señora Pina
![Señora Pina teaching me about thread](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/8930d332-96f9-407d-9306-7ae09bad2a67_rw_1920.jpg?h=b0433ceed0259f388c6f25fbc03ff2dd)
Señora Pina teaching me about thread
![Mama Elena looks at a drawing I did of her daughter, Chusita](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/cd11ea7d-c49c-41d1-8eb3-420d815d90ab_rw_1920.jpg?h=bba986cc22e37278d200f1a8a8184499)
Mama Elena looks at a drawing I did of her daughter, Chusita
![Belt design being woven](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf2.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/d7a3759e-c7eb-4a4f-8e29-20af13ad05bd_rw_1920.jpg?h=6ef61ff602abb8b0bce32ce91ebf312d)
Belt design being woven
![Sketching belt designs in watercolor by the lake](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/a51b018f-b268-4084-9758-2f6bf371d413_rw_1920.jpg?h=200b38a399aa896e620b7ff9409908f8)
Sketching belt designs in watercolor by the lake
![Belt drying on the roof top](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/2106d5a9-9506-4d79-bdc0-a7535800cb31_rw_1920.jpg?h=1378dd6a5247fd5ba30a165be79460e8)
Belt drying on the roof top
![Proudly showing off my designs](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/e7a9cc6c0e9cbcd32c62a04e33729105/1739e2e1-d934-4e30-8874-a5cba7194e77_rw_1920.jpg?h=b11b737de965efc402955f04c76256b6)