Author Sheri Brautigam shares her purpose for writing Textile Fiestas of Mexico.
Luckily, several years ago, I had a job training Mexican English teachers in Mexico, in both the State of Mexico and in Oaxaca. For four years, I was able to travel around the country easily during vacations and breaks, and I got completely hooked on the traditional cultures and on collecting samples of beautiful textiles.
Then I started a blog, Living Textiles of Mexico where I posted short excerpts and photographs about my travels, impressions of places and people, and also textile shopping hints. Taking photographs is my way of “collecting” traditional culture to review and to enjoy over and over again. It’s also a reminder of all the color and alegria, or happiness, I experience throughout Mexico. After a while, I realized that I had more than enough information to write a book. I wanted to give something back to all the artisans who had befriended me and who’d invited me into their culture.
Textile Fiestas of Mexico–A Traveler’s Guide to Celebrations, Markets, and Smart Shopping is a compilation of my adventures and exploration of Mexico’s traditional festivals and markets over the last ten years. Many of the events I write about in my guide are well-known in Mexico and were recommended by other textile aficionados. I also include some more remote festivals, like the Coffee and Huipil Fair in Cuetzalan, Puebla. I have visited there several times now, as it is such a unique and traditionally authentic Mexican event.
My hope is that this guide will help support the artisans so they can continue to create their beautiful traditional textiles. Luckily, Thrums Books, is on the same page. This guide is not only to educate textile buyers about where to go and what to buy, it is also to honor the talented artisans working to preserve the traditions and cultures of Mexico.
Viva el mundo textil de Mexico!
—Sheri Brautigam
Textile Fiestas of Mexico is available at Amazon, ClothRoads, and your favorite bookshop.
This looks like a great book and a must read! Will you be donating a proceed of the sales to the artists?
Sheri, Congratulations on your book and thank you for including Mexican Dreamweavers! The Mixtec weavers and dyers of the Tixinda Cooperatives are so grateful to you, as am I. You have made an important contribution to preserving their millenial textile traditions. Here’s wishing you great success!
Sheri, as a fellow huipilista and textilista, I look forward to this book. I’m hoping to pick it up at Patrice’s store… I think she said it’s already in. I look forward to sharing ideas with you as I continue to work on my own book about my huipil series. Felicidades on all this gorgeous work you’ve compiled.
Thank you Sheri for this informative and beautiful book. I cannot think of a better way of demonstrating to people how important it is to keep these time honored traditions going. Love this book and cannot wait to visit in 2017.
Thanks Gail! Glad you like it and happy you will return to Mexico in 2017.
The political situation is looking much better and the teachers have returned to school this week in Oaxaca. It should be a good time to visit in 2017 – I’m going too!