Escuela de Rebocería of Santa María del Río, San Luis Potosí was established in 1953 by the Federal and State governments. Many of the weavers of Santa María have learned the art of back-strap loom weaving rebozos using complex ikat or jaspe designs on rayon-silk (artisela) and silk (seda) at this school and workshop.

This is the only community in Mexico where the use of silk has survived. Coordinated by Carmina Dosal, a civil servant from the Secretariat of Economic Development of San Luis Potosí, she has guided the school since 1974, making sure the best raw-materials are found — not an easy task — as the silk is imported from China and as rayon-silk factories closed in Mexico it is now also imported.

The photo above left is a caramelo silk rebozo and was provided by Marta Turok.

Carmina also works with about 120 fringe makers who live in the outlying communities and on an annual basis she negotiates with the Labor Secretariat for the scholarships that are given to students to learn. (The two photos to the left were provided by Stephanie Schneiderman of Tia Stephanie Tours.)

When the Franz Mayer Museum bought the Everts collection and published the catalog with Artes de Mexico, Carmina set herself the goal of having these 19th century treasures reproduced. Since then, the 30 weavers from the Escuela have also begun innovating rebozo designs.

In the early 1990s, a Mexican non-profit organization AMACUP, sent Ana Roquero, an expert Spanish dyer, for a one-month course to re-introduce the use of natural dyes. Members have won National and State awards over the years. Forty weavers and fringe knotters who had won important contests were collectively awarded the National Arts and Science Award in 1997.

The photo to the right is a solid silk palomo rebozo. (We wish to thank Marta Turok for this photo and the Escuela's biography.

A very interesting article written about the school "SHOPPER'S WORLD; A Mexican Village Preserves the Rebozo's Flair" by Barbara Belejack gives further information about this productive school.

Contact information:
Please contact the cooperative directly if you wish to speak with them or purchase their art.
Jardín Colón #23
Centro Histórico y Av. Venustiano Carranza #540
Centro Histórico
San Luis Potosí, S.L.P.
444 814-8990, 444 814-6999 or 444 812-6816
www.elrebozo.com.mx

If you are having problems contacting the artist, you can contact Marianne Carlson at 376 765 7485 or email mariannecarlson@gmail.com, however, Marianne does NOT sell the artist's work.

(We wish to thank Stephanie Schneiderman of Tia Stephanie Tours for the use of the above photos.)