About

As a self-taught Chicana (Mexican-American) textile artist and printmaker, I use several mediums from hand embroidery, plant-based dying, and block prints to craft a variety of textiles with sustainable and organic textiles and fibers. I love the nature of the processes involved in crafting each piece because it means that no two are ever exactly alike! My goal is to craft simple, useful things that encourage zero-waste living while celebrating nature, food, and my cultural background.

Hi! I’m Mari, the force behind Hija de la Tierra Studio. I split my time between raising two spirited little humans, finishing my PhD, and pouring some energy into making colorful things. A California native, I am currently based in the Midwest, though my heart and my head are usually much farther south in the coasts, rainforests, and mountains of Mexico and Latin America that I am profoundly indebted to (a lot of what you will see here will reflect that!). I think quetzal birds, monarch butterflies, and sea turtles are the most magical creatures.

Establishing Hija de La Tierra Studio has been an opportunity to nurture my creative side. It’s an experimental journey of using different textile techniques like embroidery, natural dying, and block printing to create useful textiles that can replace single-use plastics and paper. In doing so, I hope to celebrate the peoples and landscapes that have brought me so much joy and growth, and share my fierce hope that we can find better solutions to engage with the Earth in more sustainable, beautiful way.