BENITA MARTINEZ IS A TEXTILE ARTIST FROM TEOTITLAN DEL VALLE, OAXACA; AND RESIDES IN MOORPARK, CA. SHE IS PROUD TO BE A ZAPOTEC INDIGENOUS AND TODAY REPRESENTS WOVEN MEMORIES, HER COMPANY. MEMORIAS TEJIDAS IS THEIR WAY OF LEAVING A LEGACY TO THE WORLD TO PRESERVE ITS TRADITIONAL ZAPOTEC CULTURE ABROAD. HER “TELAR DE PEDAL” HAS A HISTORY OF MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO, IT BELONGS TO YOUR ANCESTORS; THANKS TO THEM, SHE LEARNED TO WEAVE ON THEIR PEDAL LOOM (TELAR DE PEDAL), WHICH IS WHAT IT IS CALLED. HER “TELAR DE PEDAL” WAS EXHIBITED AT THE MUSEUM OF SAN DIEGO, CA FOR MORE THAN A DECADE UNTIL IT WAS RETURNED TO HIS FAMILY, AND NOW IT IS HER, THE ONE WHO PROUDLY CONTINUES TO HONOR HIM TO PRESERVE THE CREATION OF ORIGINAL TEXTILES. SOME PARTS OF THIS PEDAL LOOM HAVE BEEN REPLACED DUE TO USE, BUT IT MAINTAINS 90% OF ITS ORIGINALITY. MEMORIAS TEJIDAS SHARES WITH YOU A TRIP TO THE PAST AND PRESENTS HOW THE THREADS, COLORS, IDEAS, DESIGNS, FEELINGS, THE TEXTURES OF THE LAMB’S WOOL, THE DYES, AND THEIR DIFFERENT ANCESTRAL TECHNIQUES ARE INTERTWINED TO OBTAIN NATURAL COLORS SUCH AS THE USE OF COCHINEL, AN INSECT THAT IS BORN FROM THE NOPAL.