Zapotec Weaving in the Pacific Northwest | Francisco Bautista

September 8 – October 29, 2023 | CAMAS GALLERY

RECEPTION: FRIDAY SEPTEMBER, 8 FROM 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

I first began to weave on my foot-pedal loom called “EL AVENTURERO”, where I was taught by master weavers- my father and grandfather. I remember sitting under my father’s loom as he wove. At first, I began working on the fringes of his weavings, tying the threads one at a time. Then as my passion for weaving grew, he would sit with me at his loom and show me the rhythm and beauty that came from creating.

So, when my wife, Laura, and I moved to Sandy, Oregon in 2003 from our Zapotec village in Teotitlán del Valle(Oaxaca, Mexico) we brought my precious loom with us. Even being so far from our roots, we still yearned for infinite possibilities of crossing threads and creating unique pieces. As such, we planted those seeds of inspiration in our new home. This has helped us continue the tradition of weaving which has been in our families for many generations.

To maintain our long-held tradition, we continue to make our weavings on our foot pedal looms. Additionally, we only use hand-spun, hand dyed wool. The vibrant colors seen in our weavings come from our own natural and aniline dyes. Together, we work to ensure that the quality achieved by the Master Weavers of old will continue to live on in each piece we weave. And, most importantly, I still carry with me the passion for weaving I had as a boy and I incorporate it into every piece I make.

So, too, my son and daughter have grown up sitting beneath my loom and just like me at that age, they are both eager to learn all that my wife and I can teach them about the art of weaving.

As they continue to grow, I know that one day Cinthya and David will be even more skillful than their mother and father.

We are proud of the tradition that we uphold together, and thankful for the
opportunity to honor and add to that tradition with our work.

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Laura y Francisco Bautista nacimos en un pueblo zapoteco llamado Teotitlan Del Valle, Oaxaca-Mexico A muy temprana edad mirando y escuchando los sonidos del telar despertaron esa inquietud de entrelazar los hilos. Mi padre y abuelo me empezaron a ensañar los primeros pasos en mi primer telar de pedal llamado “El Aventurero”. Aprendiendo a hacer canillas, madejas y punta de los textiles que mi padre terminaba. Viendo mi padre tejer hicieron crecer en mi esa pasión de tejer y crear diseños con mis manos.

En el 2003 mi esposa Laura y yo decidimos emigrar para Sandy, Oregon desde nuestro pueblo Zapoteco trayendo con nosotros mi preciado telar. Lejos de nuestras raíces, aún seguimos anhelando las posibilidades de crear piezas únicas. Estamos muy orgullosos de plantar unas semillas de inspiración en esta hermosa nación. Ayudando así a seguir conservando nuestras raíces e
impactando en las futuras generaciones. Seguimos haciendo nuestros tejidos en telares de pedal, combinando la riqueza que podemos encontrar el
Noroeste Pacifico.

Estamos muy contentos y orgullosos de mantener nuestra tradición textil y poder incorporar esa tradición en nuestro trabajo y nuevo hogar(Sandy)

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