The works in this exhibition are inspired by piteado, a traditional Mexican embroidery technique used to decorate leather with intricate geometric, floral, and animal motifs. I am a descendant of a piteado artisan—my paternal grandfather specialized in embroidering riding saddles. During his time working as an artisan, he lived in Quebrantadero, a small town in the state of Morelos in central Mexico. 

Drawing from the piteado process as documented through oral histories published by El Fueste, Quebrantadero’s community museum, as well as from my own family’s stories, I combine traditional and alternative printmaking techniques, natural pigments, embroidery, and hole-punch work to reinterpret the visual language of the craft. Through these materials and methods, I reclaim this legacy while exploring broader themes of migration, gender, and cultural memory.

Quebrantadero: Lugar donde se quebranta la quijada del caballo para el freno.

Quebrantadero: The place where the horse’s jaw is broken for the bridle. 

The exhibition’s title, To Break and Mend the Horse’s Jaw, is inspired by Quebrantadero’s motto and founding history. The town was originally established by quebrantaderos—horse trainers who “break” horses to ride. This body of work carries forward tradition, while also mending and reweaving familial ties.

Photo documentation for this exhibition is made possible in part by a Get Ready Grant through The Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+), which serves craft artists across the United States and territories by providing education programs, advocacy, network building, and emergency relief. www.cerfplus.org