The earth smiles

$ 8,500.00

The earth smiles

Size: 80x150cm 2.6x5ft

Master weaver: Luis Martínez

Price: $4,500 MXN pesos.

Materials and methods: criollo sheep wool hand dyed using Ikat technique using colorfast aniline dyes in an exhaustive bath. Handwoven on a Zapotec style loom of the 16th century adapted from European styles. Woven using a 7 threads per inch reed and wool rayon blend for warp.

Desing, patterns and symbols:

The Ikat technique was brought to Mexico by the Filipinos during the colonial times as they acompanied the Spanish in their trades; this technique was quickly adopted by the natives cultures in Mexico, so much so, that the many of the traditional rebozos used today are dyed and woven using this technique. In this rug, the Ikat technique is used to make the smile pattern, as the color fades away in the two central columns of undyed yarn revealing the original sheeps wool color in the center.

The smile pattern is the teeth like pattern formed by the light and the dark color, it reminds us that smiling and laughing is the inner source of healing, the medicine that we carry within and that we can share with each other freely. We know know through science that smiling releases neuropeptides that work towards reducing stress. The feel-good neurotransmites (dophamine, endorphines and serotonin) are released when we smile and that can reduce hearth rate and blood pressure while relaxing our body and son on and so forth, the virtuos cycle of healing rolls on.