Studio Oaxaca is a rug-making studio in the colonial city of Oaxaca, Mexico started by myself,

Lisa Cicotte. A painter originally from the United States, in 2006 I began working with weavers from

the renowned weaving village of Teotitlan del Valle.  I admired their craftsmanship and was curious

to see what a collaboration would produce.  Our work is a collaboration of two cultures: a dialogue between the flat-weave tradition of Mexico and my modern sensibility of design and color.

Oaxaca has a long history of weaving and textiles. Drawing on that tradition we use hand spun

wool from the nearby village of San Baltazar de Chichicapam. For centuries Chichicapam has been a supplier of wool to the weaving village of Teotitlan.  It is a very durable wool that when dyed produces a rich variety of tones within a color.  In addition we use a blended mohair and wool yarn, machine spun in small batches by Graham Johnson at the Lanera de Ocotlan. It is a long fiber yarn with a lustrous sheen that when combined with the Chichicapam wool gives a textural counterpoint to the design. We attempt to combine the best of the traditional with the new: hand and machine spun wool; custom colors and designs; hand made.  Each of our rugs is unique. 

The traditional designs of Oaxaca are geometric and the flat-weave process lends itself to this.

Designs with curved lines are difficult to weave, especially to weave well.  Add to that the technique of

knotting to produce pile or shag and you have stepped outside the comfort zone of most local weavers.  The weavers I work with are highly skilled with many years of experience, but more important I think is their desire to experiment with new ideas and techniques. They have spent their lives as part of a community of weavers in Teotitlan and I as a painter in the United States.  The rugs are the result

of our dialogue. I hope you like them.