Photo Cred: Erik Gould
This body of work is inspired by artisanal processes that stand the test of time and reflect a harmonious relationship between humanity and environment. The process looks to history to understand pre-industrial materials and re-thinks application and technique. This work promotes the use of natural materials by bridging the gap between traditional techniques and contemporary object making.
These objects are made with natural and recycled fibers and use the ancient Amate paper making technology native to Mesoamerica. unlike Eastern and European paper making traditions, where fiber is slurried and pulled through a screen, Amate fibers are woven into a grid pattern and carefully pounded into a sheet with a stone.
Photo Cred: Travis Lemire
Photo Cred: Erik Gould
My collaborator is Tony Torres, a Chicano artist who integrates the Amate technique into his work to illuminate Mesoamerican history. We first met during a paper making course at Rhode Island School of Design, where I was inspired to explore 3D objects rooted in traditional paper making. Together we merge contemporary object design with historical practices, resulting in symbolic objects representative of our shared Mexican heritage, our interest in Mesoamerican history, and it's role in contemporary craft.
The Ribbed Lamp and Chair use fiber from the Mulberry bush and a technique Tony and I developed called "Amate Ribbons" in which we pound individual strands of fiber rather than weaving and pounding into sheets.
Photo Cred: Tony Torres
Photo Cred: Erik Gould
This collaged lamp uses sheets of Amate paper sourced from the San Pablito, a village in the northern mountains of Puebla, Mexico. Today, San Pablito is the only region in the world to produce Amate Paper using traditional techniques on a commercial scale. The Otomi are the people whom have generationally invested in the Amate tradition and have leveraged their community and the Amate craft for economic security and political advocacy in the region.