Our history with Jose goes back nearly 30 years when Cultural Cloth co-founder, Jody Slocum met and befriended José as a volunteer with Farmer to Farmer, a Wisconsin based non-profit. Jody understood that income earning opportunities within Santiago are scarce- yet her friends were abundantly talented. Jody's long history in Santiago has shaped Cultural Cloth’s commitment to commissioning pieces from talented friends like José.
The Tz’utujil Maya
Santiago is home to the Tz’utujil Maya. Long ago, in their Creation Story, birds helped them win a battle with the neighboring K’iche' (Quiché) people. To express their gratitude, it is said, the Tz’utujil venerated birds by adorning their clothing with embroidered bird imagery. Even today, visitors to Santiago find the traditional clothing mesmerizing. Indeed: we’ve been known to follow a local woman down the street just to get a better look at the artistry displayed on her huipil!
José: Master Machine Embroiderer
When you read “machine embroidered” you might think ‘computer generated.’ But José embroiders on an old Singer sewing machine. Nothing computerized about it. His talent reminds us of the saying “Great mastery is as if unskilled.” He seamlessly switches colors and in the blink of an eye a bird quickly comes to life so vividly you think it’s going to take flight. Need a fresh look to a well-loved room? We’re hard pressed to think of anything that transforms an interior so effortlessly as José’s extraordinary curtains!
Goals of Product Development
When working with Jose, and all of the artists we represent, our goal is to create products that retain identity of the culture, to honor traditions while co-creating products that appeal to our customers in the US. The Santiago Satchel, below, is an example of a perennial favorite at Cultrual Cloth, available in 6 colors, we joke that “we don’t sell the satchel to shy people because if you carry this overnight bag through the airport? People will stop you. They’ll want to talk with you. They’ll inquire: where did you get that bag.
