Artisans We Work With

The Art of Life 

These pieces of textile art represent so much more than the cloth before you ...they represent centuries and generations of tradition, heritage and knowledge that encompasses the entire community of the peoples, the plants and animals that share these Lands, the ecosystem and community that surrounds them! There are many chapters and layers of meaning and teachings, every piece has a story and every story has within hundreds of stories! These textiles are a language and blueprint of their own, they speak to us.  If we choose to listen, how each plant and animal can co-exist nurturing each other, how they heal, feed, respect, and teach us that the community is not just the people but all living things are equally respected and revered ... as equally important components .. true Community! The more we learn and study them the more we learn about ourselves and how important all living things co-existing helps the entire community flourish as one ! No one thing is more important than the community and the community is only as strong as the unity, equality and inclusion of all!  The Art of Life! This is the land where corn began, where seeds are cherished, this is the land of the mighty and advanced Zapotecas, the Mixtecs, the Mixe and many more. This is the land where the stories are heard and will always be!
Curt Ebner

Anabel Lorenzo Mendoza and Salomon Ruiz Sosa

Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca Mexico

Ana and Sol, simply the backbone of Lobos Del Mar. Based out of the legendary Puebla of Teotitlan de Valle, they come from generations of the renowned ancient Zapoteca  "Tepete" hand loomed carpet weavers!  Along with being amazing weavers. artists and designers, they also are our Logistic Company!! Anabel and Sol help order, design, organize and coordinate receiving of arts and good from over 20 families across the state of Oaxaca.  They also pack and shop every week!!! They're patient and  cool under pressure and their professionalism keeps this end of Lobs a smooth running machine that any major logistic's corporation could only hope to be.  They are ours.  Our family, our friends, and huge warm hand, in our circle of hands that make the community of Lobos Del Mar!  We don't exist without them!

Celestino Lorenzo Martinez

Tiotitlan De Valle, Oaxaca Mexico

Celestino is one of the premier rug makers in the small "rug making" town of Teotitlan Devalle which lies on the outskirts of Oaxaca City.   Celestino creates beautiful hand woven, hand dyed rugs or Tepetas out of wool. He still uses natural dyes such as the red cochineal pigments from insects, green pigments from lichen and indigo pigments from flower petals. These rugs represent Zapotec pride, honor and centuries of tradition. We call these beautiful rugs our magic carpets.

 

 

Victoria Martinez Velasco -Vicky Victoria 

San Juan Del Rio, Oaxaca Mexico

Vicky Victoria is responsible for designing and creating beautiful manta cotton men's and women's clothing.  Her work is both elegant and earthy and made by the  Zapotec women in her family run workshop in her beautiful puebala of San Juan Del Rio .  Each piece incorporates the technique of hand crocheting separate panels together.  The result is unique, exquisite and lasting piece of wearable art. Victoria has intricate ties with the artisan community throughout the Oaxaca Valley.  She not only makes beautiful clothes for Lobos Del Mar she also sell and works in several collectivo stores in Oaxaca City.  Vicky also helps to connect us to other indigenous designers throughout the state of Oaxaca.  She an astute business woman, a creative textile designer, a proud and strong Zapotec mother and one of the most loving and grounded women we know.

 

Jesus and Roxana Hernandez

San Martin Tilcajete, Ocotlan, Oaxaca Mexico
Alebrijes (Hand carved animals and creatures)
Alibrijas are brightly painted whimsical wood carving that are a marriage between wood carving traditions and influence of Pedro Linares work from Mexico City.  Jesus Hernandez and his wife are third generation wood artists and they work out of their unique shop in San Martin Tilcajete called Copal Magic. In 2007 , they were invited to participate in a local organization responsible for raising awareness of the craftsmanship to his pueblo. They have won many awards for their work which is sought after by collectors.

Rocio Gomez

Santa Tomas Jalieza, Ocotlan ,Oaxaca Mexico
Embroidery Artists
Rocio Gomez is the designer and embroidery artist that is a master at traditional Oaxacan embroidery.  Rocio and her family work together in their workshop to create hand made clothing.  Rocio learned the art of embroidery from her grandmother and mother.  As a child she loved to sew and as she got older she started making beautiful clothing for her friends and family.  Soon her love for this art form grew into a thriving business.  Her husband draws the patterns on to the cloth and she does the embroidery.  Rocio and her family have dedicated their livelihood to this beautiful art form.
 
 

Inez Ramirez

San Sebastián Rio Honda, Oaxaca Mexico
Corchet
Inez has been making hand spun knit wool hats and ponchos for Lobos Del Mar for many years. She lives with her family in a small ancient town in the lush coastal mountains of Oaxaca close to 9,000 foot elevation. This town in near San Jose Del Pacifico, also know as the land of the hongos or mushrooms. Some of the mushrooms are used in the deep spiritual practices the indigenous people in this area. Inez often incorporates symbols these sacred mushrooms into her work. Ines shears the sheep wool, spins, dyes and knits each piece by hand.

Socorro Loza Chavez

Oaxaca De Juarez, Oaxaca Mexico

Clay Cookware

Loza Chavez and her family are fourth generation potters in the Oaxacan Valley. Their beautiful lead free pots preserve traditional Oaxacan designs.  The organic clay pottery can be used on the stove top and in the oven and the clay holds not only heat but moisture so foods stay moist much longer than with metal pots.  Loza and her family strive to make high quality pots that are safe and environmentally sustainable. They have obtained, for their great work, the National Work Award for the production of unleaded glazed pottery.

Elvira Lopez Hernandez and Favian Pacheco Pacheco

Santa Rosa de Juarez, Oaxaca Mexico
Hoja de Lata - Tin Art
Elvira Lopez and her husband Favian are Artesanias de Hojalata or tin art.  Hojalata is a unique folk art practiced since the 1500's in Oaxaca.  Each piece is hand-hammered and painted into beautiful functional and decorative pieces. Elvira and Favian have a store in Oaxaca city and each year they come up with new beautiful ways to express their ancient art form from Jewelry to creative mirrors and day of the dead skeletons playing different musical instruments.  Their craft is colorful and joyful, just walking in the store puts a smile on your face.

The Navarette Family

Sahuayo, Michoacan Mexico
Huarache Sandals
The Navarette family has been making traditional Huarache Sandals for over 350 years.  After working with Mexican's who wore leather huarache and American's who wore all terrain huaraches in his Baja Eco tour company many years ago Curt went on a quest to combine the two.  He sought after the best sandal makers in Mexico and found the Navarette Family.  Together they discovered a recycled nylon that could be woven into the best of the two sandals.  A unisex all terrain huarache that looks stylish enough to go out to dinner but water proof and durable enough to hike through the mountains in. Curt’s Friends from Mexico say "you gringoized the huarache my friend".  Over time the Navarettes have become part of our family and we are so grateful!

Marina Lopez Antonio and Abigail Mendoza Antonio

Santo Tomás Jalieza, Oaxaca Mexico

Back strap weaving

Back loom weaving is one of the most ancient, beautiful and complex textiles in all of Oaxaca.  The women or men who do this type of weaving sit on the ground on a woven mat with a strap around their back while the other end of their portable loom is attached to a tree, or pole.  They weave using a simple arrangement of sticks. The patterns are intricate and complex and the weave is durable and strong.  Both Marina and Abigail work with their families to create bags, backpacks, table runners belts etc.  Working with these artists truly epitomizes the "ancient future" sentiment that we often use with our designs at Lobos Del Mar. We work with these amazing Zapotec artists to create new types of clothing and bags out of this ancient soulful textile.

An artisan works with cotton and a backstrap loom in the local market.

Gilberto Marcial

Pinotepa De Don Luis, Oaxaca Mexico

Gilberto learned the art of hand carving the shell of fruit from the Jicara tree grown on the Oaxacan coast over 15 years ago from his father.  The carving of the Jicara is a prehispanic art form. Gilberto questioned his grandparents about how they started carving but they say they do not know when it began and that it is an inherited tradition from their ancient ancestors. 

The Jicara is and was used in the past for kitchen utensils and to drink water, atole, mescal and other traditional drinks. Gilberto makes beautiful earrings, bracelets and mescal drinking cups and carvings for display. Each piece is carved with the flora and fauna that is inspired from the coastal rain forest community where he lives.  

Mercedes

San Cristobal del las Casa , Chiapas Mexico
Embroidery and weaving artist.

Huichole Beaded Jewelry

San Luis Potosí, Mexico

Beaded Jewelry and Art

The indigenous Huichole come to Oaxaca City to sell their wares during the holiday season.  This ancient tribe is located deep in the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico where they have lived for at least 15,000 years .Their art forms reflect their religious beliefs which center around Peyote and include embroidery, bead work, sombreros , archery equipment, prayer arrows, and weaving, as well as "cuchuries", woven or embroidered bags.

The Huichol originated in the state of San Luis Potosí. Once yearly, some Huichol journey back to San Luis, their ancestral homeland to perform "Mitote" Peyote ceremonies. Their religion consists of four principal deities: the trinity of Corn, Blue Deer and Peyote, and the Eagle, all descended from their Sun God, "Tao Jreeku". Most Huichols retain the traditional beliefs and are proudly resistant to change.