Huesitos (Little Bones) Quilts Series

The Pochote tree is a native a species to Mexico and is particularly sacred within the Mayan culture. Souls of the deceased ascend to the heavens because the tree is at once connected to the underworld, heaven and earth. Annually, the large tree produces pods full of a silky fiber which is an undervalued natural resource in the region. This quilt is the result of a long exploration of the Pochote tree, its cultural and historical relevance and its potential economic usefulness for cottage industry production and to local communities as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fibers.

These quilts are made with hand cut shapes which take the form of bones, joined together and express death as only one part of an eternal cycle of transformation in the cosmos. They are filled with hand procured and processed Pochote fiber and when these quilts cover us, they simultaneously allow us to be one with the underworld, heaven and earth, the universe.

These unique one-of-a-kind soft sculptures, can be laid on a bed or chair, hung up to divide a room or displayed against a wall.

Huesitos 1

2021

Size: 290 x 270 x 4 cm

White linen, hand cut and hand sewn, filled with pochote fiber procured in Oaxaca, Mexico.

There are five shapes, and twenty cut outs of each shape, one hundred huesito pillows in total, joined together.

A collection of white fabric shapes resembling intestines spread out on a dark surface.
A bed with a white, petal-shaped quilt cover and matching pillows. An abstract painting of a woman is leaning against the wall behind the bed.
A pile of white dumplings or similar pastry items with a smooth texture and rounded shapes, overlapping each other.

Huesitos 2

2024

Size:

Black vintage silk organza textile, hand cut and hand sewn, stuffed with pochote fiber procured in Oaxaca, Mexico.

A group of irregularly shaped gray stones arranged on a concrete floor.
Painted metal sculpture of a snake coiled in front of a wooden bench against a plain white wall.
Close-up of a textured surface resembling pebbles or stones with black outlines, possibly made of clay or cement.

Huesitos 3

2025

Size:

Vintage printed cotton textile and sheer silk organza textile, hand cut and hand sewn, stuffed with pochote fiber procured in Oaxaca, Mexico.

A three-dimensional artwork of a snake, made from fabric with a floral pattern, laid on a dark concrete floor.
Close-up of hand-painted floral stones featuring pink, blue, and green colors with various flower patterns.
A wooden chair with floral fabric and stuffed floral fabric snakes draped over and around it, against a plain white wall and concrete floor.
Cut-out letters spelling 'LOVE' made from textured materials, placed on a dark surface.