Textile Roots: Cochineal & Studio Immersion — Oaxaca, 3 Days
An earthy, hands-on 3-day plan for artists focusing on cochineal-dyed textiles in Teotitlán del Valle and intimate studio/gallery visits in Oaxaca city. Balance of demonstrations, material sourcing, plein air sketching, and time to sketch, dye and reflect.
Highlights
- Deep dive into cochineal dye practice in Teotitlán del Valle
- Museum and studio visits focused on traditional and contemporary textile practice
- Plein air sketching at Santo Domingo and San Agustín valley
- Sourcing natural-dye materials at local markets and artisan stalls
- Hands-on dyeing & small-weaving experiences with local weavers
Itinerary
Day 1
City introduction: contextual grounding in Oaxaca's textile history, visits to small art institutions and markets; evening plein-air and a relaxed group meal.
Museo Textil de Oaxaca — introductory tour on cochineal and regional fibers
Start with a focused visit to understand Zapotec weaving structures, traditional motifs and the historical role of cochineal in Oaxacan textiles. Use this to inform your sketches and sample dye experiments later.
Local tips:
- Bring a small sketchbook and waterbrush — photos are allowed but sketching details of weave structure helps retain technique notes.
- Ask staff about labeled fiber samples (warp/weft counts) — they often let artists handle small swatches for tactile study.
- Museum climate can be cool; layer your clothing and bring a lightweight lap pad to sketch in galleries comfortably.
Mercado de Artesanías — sourcing threads, cochineal souvenirs and small tools
Walk the Mercado de Artesanías to find naturally dyed thread skeins, small wooden spindles, heddles, and dried cochineal packets sold by family vendors. Hunt for lesser-known stalls who sell raw materials instead of finished tourist pieces.
Local tips:
- Ask for sample skeins by color rather than finished rugs — vendors often have loose bundles not on display if you say you’re an artist.
- Carry small resealable bags for dried cochineal and keep them dry; vendors will weigh by gram but negotiate politely on small quantities.
- Bring a small LED magnifier/lupe for checking thread twist and dye penetration at the stall before buying.
Lunch — Casa Oaxaca Restaurante (taste local seasonal food, space for sketching menus)
A relaxed, artist-friendly meal space run with culinary attention to local produce — good for seated sketches, discussing morning learnings, and recharging.
Local tips:
- Ask for a quiet corner table where you can spread a sketchbook without feeling rushed — staff are used to lingering creative types.
- Order small plates to taste local mole and herb combinations that inform color palette ideas for dyeing.
- Carry extra napkins/tissues — helpful if you’re testing small color swatches or removing charcoal smudges after sketching.
Instituto de Artes Gráficas de Oaxaca (IAGO) — artist-run prints & small-studio visit
Visit IAGO for a glimpse of artist workshops, print collections and occasional studio-demonstrations. Great for cross-disciplinary inspiration — consider how prints and textile patterns inform each other.
Local tips:
- Check at reception if any printmaking demonstrations are scheduled — small presses sometimes allow visitors to observe or ask technique questions.
- Sketch pattern fragments from prints rather than whole works — this helps later when designing repeat motifs for weaving.
- Ask about local artist residencies and see if any resident artists are available for a quick studio conversation; early afternoons are best.
Plein air sketching — Exconvento / Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán gardens
Late-afternoon sketch session in the Santo Domingo complex and its historic garden — architectural stone, planted beds and indigenous botanical groupings offer layered compositions for studies.
Local tips:
- Set up on the raised stone benches facing the garden for a steady surface and warm light for color studies around 16:15–17:15.
- Bring a small folding stool and a shallow palette with a tiny vial of cochineal-infused wash to test color notes on the spot.
- Respect guided-tour paths and avoid blocking entrances; ask guards if there’s a preferred sketching spot to avoid crowds.
Dinner — Los Danzantes Oaxaca (dinner and informal gallery vibe)
End the day with a convivial meal at a restaurant known for supporting regional artisans and craftspeople — ideal for discussing pigment swatches and tomorrow’s dye lab.
Local tips:
- Request a table near the courtyard for softer evening light — perfect for quick tonal sketches and color checks under incandescent light.
- Ask staff about any local mezcal producers they work with — tasting can spark ideas about color language tied to landscape.
- Keep business cards for local artisans you met today; staff often help facilitate quick follow-ups for studio visits.
Day 2
Deep fieldwork in Teotitlán del Valle: meet master weavers, observe cochineal processing, and take a hands-on dyeing session. Return to the city with raw samples and new pattern studies.
Transfer to Teotitlán del Valle (colectivo or arranged van)
Drive east to the weaving village; use this time to review sketches and prep questions for weavers about structure and dyeing steps.
Local tips:
- Ask your driver to stop briefly at a roadside viewpoint for wide-format sketches of the valley before descending into the village.
- Bring a small, soft-sided bag for purchases — it fits under seats in a colectivo better than a hard case.
- Carry copies of artist contact cards in Spanish to exchange with weavers; many prefer local-language introductions.
Visit Jacobo & María's weaving workshop — traditional loom demo
Observe (and often sit with) local master weavers demonstrating foot-treadle and backstrap techniques, warp preparation and pattern introduction. Excellent for studying tension, beat and shed.
Local tips:
- Bring a small padded notebook — weavers often invite you to sit and handle a shuttle; a pad keeps your lap clean and comfortable.
- Ask to see full warp preparations (chain, beam, tensioning) — photograph with permission; weave direction often differs from studio assumptions.
- Be mindful of workshop heat; many weaving rooms are sunny and warm — carry a small fan or bandana if you overheat while sketching.
Hands-on cochineal dye demo & mini-lab (local dye studio)
A focused, practical session where you learn how dried cochineal is processed into liquid dyestuff, pH adjustments, mordanting on wool and a chance to dye a small sample you bring or the studio provides.
Local tips:
- Wear natural-fiber clothes you don’t mind staining; cochineal can be persistent on light textiles.
- Bring 1–2 small test skeins or fabric squares (undyed wool or alpaca is best) pre-washed — studios will mordant and dye them for you.
- Take detailed notes on mordants and water source (hardness affects color); ask the dyer to show final drying and sun/air steps for color maturation.
Lunch and market time in the village plaza (sample local comedores)
Eat a simple home-style meal at a village comedor; afterward, walk the plaza to source small woven samples, natural dye pods and barter for spare skeins.
Local tips:
- Ask the comedor for a list of local produce used in dyes (e.g., indigo-growing notes) — the cook often knows what nearby families grow.
- Buy small scrap bundles of unfinished cloth from looms — these are gold for collage, sampling, and color notes.
- If you need to send samples home, ask a vendor to wrap and label them; they often know the best packing and can mark origin and dyer name.
Stroll village ateliers & small purchases
Afternoon walk to visit additional small ateliers and family looms — use this time to compare dye baths, signature motifs and warp setups between households.
Local tips:
- Compare the same shade across 2–3 workshops; differences in mordant, water, and beetle source change tone — bring a white card to hold up against colors.
- Buy labeled samples (ask who dyed/loomed each piece) so you can trace technique back when you return to the studio.
- If you plan a larger purchase, negotiate politely and ask if the weaver can send photos of the piece drying for approval — many will.
Return transfer to Oaxaca city
Head back to the city with freshly dyed samples and notes; use the ride for quiet reflection and to sort samples and ideas.
Local tips:
- Use the return ride to photograph and catalog your samples against natural light — sets made in the van will help when colors shift indoors.
- If you bought liquids or raw cochineal, keep them sealed and upright; ask the driver for a shaded spot in the vehicle.
- Plan a short coffee stop on return to regroup — a quiet cafe helps you inventory materials while they’re still fresh.
Break / Coffee — regroup & photograph samples
Short break back in Oaxaca to photograph dyed swatches in natural light and make quick notes while fresh.
Local tips:
- Choose a café with north-facing window light (soft and consistent) for true color photographs.
- Place swatches on a neutral gray card or plain white paper to avoid color casts in photos.
- Write immediate short notes (mordant, bath temp, dyer’s name) on the photo file or a small index card kept with each sample.
Evening gallery visit — Galerie / local artist space (lighter, exploratory)
Visit an intimate, locally loved gallery for contemporary textile- and fiber-related work to contrast traditional practices with modern approaches.
Local tips:
- Ask gallery staff about artists who intentionally reference cochineal-colors in contemporary work — useful for bridging tradition and contemporary practice.
- Collect business cards of exhibiting artists — many are open to studio visits or collaborative sketch sessions the next morning.
- Note lighting rigs and framing choices used for fiber art to adapt for your own exhibition documentation back home.
Dinner — relaxed city meal to review samples
A final meal to compare notes and plan how to translate field samples into studio experiments tomorrow.
Local tips:
- Spread a cloth or wax sheet on the table for a small tactile session; chefs in Oaxaca are familiar with lingering artists and usually accommodating.
- Order a lighter dinner if you plan late-night sample work back at lodging; heavy food can make late color-mixing sessions slow.
- Share small samples with tablemates for collective observations—color perception varies person to person and is useful to record.
Day 3
Plant-based context and contemporary studio practice: ethnobotanical study, photographic & artist-studio visits, and a final plein-air session in the San Agustín valley.
Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca — plant sources of dyes and composition studies
Study cochineal host plants, local indigo relatives and dye-friendly flora in the ethnobotanical garden. Great for palette-building and plant-form sketches.
Local tips:
- Go early for crisp morning light and cooler temps — essential when doing close botanical sketches or rubbings.
- Collect leaf rubbings in a field notebook (press leaves briefly beneath tracing paper) but ask staff permission before picking or removing anything.
- Note micro-habitats and soil references (dry slope, shaded bed) — artists benefit from matching dye behavior to plant growth contexts.
Centro Fotográfico Manuel Álvarez Bravo — photographic approaches to textiles
Explore how photographers in Oaxaca frame textiles and color; pick up tips on documenting texture, sheen and weave structure for your portfolio.
Local tips:
- Ask curators about controlled-light setups they use for textiles — learning how to avoid glare on high-sheen wools is invaluable.
- Bring a few small swatches to test flat-lay photography on-site under gallery light for instant feedback.
- Discuss with staff whether photographer portfolios of local textile-makers are available for reference or contact.
Lunch — light fare and quick sketching at Boulenc
Quick, delicious lunch and a chance to sketch from food and chat about color notes before the afternoon transfer to San Agustín.
Local tips:
- Grab a pastry to layer into a small still-life composition for texture/color study in 15–20 minutes.
- Sit near natural light and use napkin tones to test warm vs cool neutrals for your dye palette.
- If traveling to San Agustín with purchases, freeze any perishable items or pack them so they don’t crush fragile skeins.
Transfer to Centro de las Artes San Agustín (CASA) — visit & plein-air in the valley
Travel to San Agustín Etla for contemporary arts context, open studios (when available), and expansive valley views ideal for plein-air landscape-to-textile studies.
Local tips:
- Bring a portable plein-air kit (small easel, pochade box) — the wide valley light rewards quick color-block studies for later motif development.
- Check CASA’s program desk on arrival: artist studios sometimes host short talks or allow sketching of works in progress.
- Carry sun protection and water — the valley is exposed and afternoon light can be strong; good hydration keeps color judgment sharp.
Studio time & plein-air sketching at CASA — translate valley colors into pattern studies
Spend the afternoon sketching valley vistas, photographing textures and trying rapid dye-mapping exercises to turn landscape tones into yarn recipes.
Local tips:
- Lay a neutral gray card beside each plein-air study to normalize photos for later color-matching when dyeing in your studio.
- Note horizon-line ratios and repeatable rhythm in fields — these translate directly into warp/weft patterning concepts.
- If possible, ask CASA staff about local artists who work with natural dyes — a short introduction can open a collaborative follow-up.
Return to Oaxaca — quick freshen up
Travel back to the city, organize samples and prepare for a final materials run in local market.
Local tips:
- Use transit time to sort sample bags into categories (dye, thread, woven) and note whom to credit in future work.
- If you bought wet-dyed items, lay them flat when you get back to prevent creasing; ask your lodging for a laundry-type rack.
- Charge batteries and back up photos before the final market session — you'll want reference images when bargaining for supplies.
Mercado 20 de Noviembre — final materials run for small tools and food-dye notes
A last trip to a lively market to buy small tools, bee or plant oils used in finishing, and to compare any remaining color notes under indoor market light.
Local tips:
- Inspect fat/oil samples (for finishing) in small quantities — vendors often have tiny vials for artists if you ask.
- Pick up edible dye-ingredients (annatto seeds, pomegranate skins) for experimental recipes and label them immediately with origin/date.
- Market light shifts quickly; photograph samples next to a reference card before leaving the stall.
Final dinner — Origen Oaxaca (reflect, plan next studio steps)
A well-curated final meal to collate notes, share sample photos and plan how to replicate dye recipes and motifs back home.
Local tips:
- Bring a small portfolio or photo set to run through color decisions with peers — chefs and staff here often enjoy artist conversations.
- Discuss local shipping options with staff if you plan to send larger textile purchases home — they can advise trusted packers.
- Make final lists of local contacts (weavers, dyers) and take clear photos of labels/price tags for later reference.