Guatemala, Multicolores, “Woven With Joy” Large Rug

Product name: “Woven With Joy” Large Rug by Tomasa Ventura Cúmez

Type of product: Hand-hooked Large Rug

Description (story of the item):  This hand-hooked rug was designed and crafted by Tomasa Ventura Cúmez. Tomasa lives in Quiejel, Chichicastenango, a rural K’iché Maya community in the highlands of Guatemala. The artists of Multicolores began learning the rug-hooking technique in 2011. Rug-hooking is a traditional folk art not native to Guatemala. In their design process, artists blend ancestral motifs drawn from backstrap weavings, inspiration from the natural world, and their own imagination. The resulting textile artworks evoke both their Maya heritage and their contemporary, individual creative voice. This piece is unique and the design is entirely the result of the artist's creative vision. This piece took approximately a month to make. 

Tomasa described her inspiration for this rug: 

“My rug is inspired by traditional Maya handwoven garments. The design featured here is called co’t, and it’s often found in woven sutes, the all-purpose cloth used to wrap goods and carry a baby on one’s back. Our grandmothers created these designs, weaving them into their sutes: the rooster singing each morning to greet the day, and the birds that express joy in their songs and their flight.” 

Materials: This rug is made from recycled secondhand clothing, known in Guatemala as 'paca,' on hand-woven cotton base cloth, with a hand-stitched binding. This rug was made using 40-45 recycled garments, which are washed and cut into strips before being incorporated in the design. Material is not dyed during the making process. Recycled materials retain their original color. 

Measurements / size: 61 cm x 122 cm