May 13 2025 - May 13 2025

July in the Gallery – Mayan Backstrap Loom Weaving Exhibit

Date

  • May 13 2025 - May 13 2025

Location

The Mayan Backstrap Loom: Textiles and Technology From The Western Highlands
by Sari Monroy-Solis
Opening Saturday, July 5, 2025
View the gallery exhibit from Saturday, July 5, – July 26, 2025
during regular gallery hours: Fridays & Saturdays & by appointment

This collection from the highlands of Guatemala presents work by Mayan weavers keeping the tradition of the Backstrap loom alive. These contemporary and traditional pieces represent cultural areas, includingSan Antonio Aguas Calientes, San Juan la Laguna, and Comalapa, as well as diasporic Mayan living in the States. Every piece is woven on the Backstrap loom and features incredible traditional brocade and/or natural dye work. 

 
These textiles demonstrate the artist’s commitment to preserving a tradition that spans thousands of years, from the cultivation of ancestral native cotton 10,000 years ago in Ixim Ulew (now known as Guatemala) to today. Since the Backstrap loom’s invention at the time of cotton cultivation, this technology profoundly influenced other native cultures and clothing as it spread northward, southward, and across the Pacific Ocean. 
 
Beyond the beauty of the textiles, there are many layers of relationships Mayan people have with these textiles. Among these is the relationship to the land where cotton is grown.There is also a relationship to the loom, part of the Mayan cosmo vision. Another is the patterns, often representative of cultural stories, the land, agricultural practices, and everyday life. Today, the Backstrap loom is more than a historical tool; it also represents a connection to home and homeland for Mayan weavers living in Ixim Ulew and the diaspora.

Bio

Mari is teaching a backstrap loom weaving class here on July 12-13th.
READ MORE and register for her class here

Sari Monroy Solís is a Mayan fiber artist and backstrap loom weaver living in Northern California in the Bay Area (Ohlone Lands). The backstrap loom called to Sari ever since she was a child and saw the loom her father brought with him when he migrated from Guatemala. Sari first learned to weave from elders in her home community in Guatemala many years ago when she went home to visit her grandparents’ burial site. Working with the loom inspired Sari to begin a journey of researching ancestral Indigenous fibers, dyes, and weaving techniques throughout Mexico, Guatemala, and the Andes. She teaches fiber arts and paint making with the blessing of her teachers and elders.

Sari is a weaver, embroiderer, natural dyers, and ink maker using ancestral Indigenous processes and techniques. She enjoys restoring old güipiles and documenting their stories and intricate motifs. When she is not in the States, she spends her time in community in Mexico or Guatemala with her elders. In addition to her fiber arts, Sari studies plants and their medicine. You can follow her as she continues to document ancestral traditions on IG: @theblueweaver

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Tuesday 1-4pm
Wednesday 10:30am-noon
Thursday 1-4pm
Saturday: 11am-1pm
& by appointment
707-409-6811

450 Alger St. Fort Bragg CA 95437 707-409-6811