Alexandra Carmona-Arellano: Artist + Cultivator + Curator + Educator + Entrepreneur: Hailing from the Deep South, by way of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. Alexandra is a Tejana with familial roots stemming predominantly from Texas, Mexico and Spain. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and Journalism with a minor in Anthropology from the University of Southern Mississippi, along with TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certifications for teaching business, advanced, and children. She taught English throughout the Central Valley of Costa Rica for a couple of years before landing in Maine to pursue new career opportunities that led her into the realms of multimedia fine arts, organic farming and cannabis/hemp. She has lived, studied and worked around the world and the USA for over a decade. Her specializations are in the disciplines of cultivation, product creation and development, photography/print/media and events. Working within these realms has opened pathways to allow her foci to shift to also encompass wild harvesting, closed-loop and regenerative farming practices and natural dyeing. These experiences inspired her to build La Maleta Antigua™ and create MiKa: Cosmic Glitter™. Alexandra grew up within the sphere of Yoga (Her maternal Grandmother taught around the world and Austin, and the surrounding areas of Texas throughout her life.). She received a full scholarship in New Orleans, LA to complete her RYT 200 in Vinyasa Yoga. This background naturally prepared the grounds for her to become a self-taught visual and performing artist - specializing in hula-hoops. Throughout the years, this has become her preferred movement practice and has afforded her opportunities to work and perform all around the country and in various parts of the world. La Maleta Antigua™ (LMA) – A Wandering Pop-Up Shop and Trunk Show: LMA is the brainchild of Alexandra Carmona-Arellano, which began taking root in 2014 in the streets of New Orleans, LA and Portland, ME. It was birthed from a single, vintage suitcase – thus, becoming the namesake of this passion project and company. LMA has been slowly growing and evolving on the road, in numerous cities and streets around the country. It has been built out of found, foraged, and repurposed materials – all by hand. Materials and stock are sustainably and ethically procured from around the world, adding to the rarity and beauty of each pop-up and trunk show. LMA merchandise is sustainably harvested, cleaned, and restored by hand. An array of handmade mixed-media artwork, apothecary goods, heirloom vintage clothing, accessories, and housewares will be set up and for sale throughout the weekend. —----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Snapshot History of Weaving: This overview is in no way meant to cover all the different layers or expanse - or be a complete history - by any means. For the sake of brevity, this will only cover a few of weaving’s highlights. Weaving is one of the oldest surviving crafts of humanity. It can be dated back to the Neolithic period (c. 9000-4000 BCE), but because of fibers’ fragility, it is near impossible to truly pin weaving’s actual beginnings. Many believe that its origins go back much further. The earliest thread/fibers were from plants, and humans began weaving everyday items and necessities - such as; baskets and shelter, before learning to weave textiles/clothing. During this period, weaving became an indispensable skill set necessary for day-to-day life. It became so common that it would be a familial activity for many millennia. As weaving evolved and the demand grew, it shifted from a necessary household task to a commercial endeavor. Thus, gradually moving into the workspace. While the vast majority of woven items are now only produced on a commercial scale. There are still people and cultures around the world that maintain weaving by hand. Before the invention of the printing press - weaving served as a widespread way to depict messages, and each culture imparted its unique imprint on the practice. The oldest archaeological weaving fragments to survive were uncovered in Egypt and Peru. Archaeologists and historians believe the Chinese were trailblazers in weaving - specifically in silk and looms. Weaving has been created and recreated, over and over, throughout cultures around the world. As long as humans have been weaving, it has served as a timeless vehicle to connect people, nature, and communities. Weavers’ Wonders - A Communal Ceremony: This communal ceremony will seek to allow participants to weave materials(s) from their lives into a wall tapestry that can be worked by whoever wishes to throughout the weekend. Participants are encouraged to bring something they want to weave into the tapestry that will stay behind. These items can be an array of things: from your favorite yarn, fabric, and ribbon to plants, feathers, or jewelry. It will become a facet of this gathering's woven story. The slow nature of weaving helps to bring the weaver into connection, not only with the self but also with one's surrounding environment and community. The rhythm of the loom - creates connection - and this connection can allow us to tap into the whispers of our ancestors. There will be an area set up to weave on the farm. An array of ethically procured vintage materials, yarns, and hand-dyed fibers will be available to add to the tapestry. A Snapshot History of Natural Dyes: This overview is in no way meant to cover all the different layers - or be a complete history - by any means. For the sake of brevity, this will only cover a few highlights of natural dyeing. Dyeing was a process that only had natural origins and options until very recently, in the scope of time and humanity. The region in which one lived vastly dictated which colors were available for dye. The only way humans extracted colors stemmed directly from plants, insects, lichens, or fungi. The international world of color opened up drastically when the Silk Road opened -- dyes being some of the most desirable goods traded throughout these travels. Royals and nobility lusted after them, and this desire led to the creation of Tyrian purple -- commonly known as royal purple or imperial purple (Harvesting vast amounts of a particular mollusk in the Mediterranean ancient city of Tyre was the only way to obtain Tyrian purple.). Hence, purple became synonymous with only being worn by royalty, nobility, and priests. They were the only ones able to afford the exorbitant costs required to achieve this color on clothing and textiles. Since the creation of synthetic dyes - in the later half of the 19th century - the textile industry has shifted to predominantly using synthetic dyes at rates that continue to rise. This industry is one of the world’s leading pollution contributors. The chemicals and byproducts associated with synthetic dyes are highly toxic to those handling them and the environment - especially our waterways. Over the years, these toxins have been dumped into the environment around the world at alarming rates. These actions have not come without detrimental costs to those who come in contact with these toxins. These chemicals may still be present in textiles/clothing upon being worn/used by consumers. These toxins are connected to a heap of health conditions, ranging from skin issues and respiratory illnesses to tumor growth – along with the hazardous effects that coincide with them finding their way into the environment The vast expanse of colors' legacy are rooted in indigenous cultures throughout the world. Although synthetic dye use vastly outnumbers the percentage of practitioners utilizing natural dyes – there has been a recent uptick in people desiring to shift back to sustainable dye practices. More people and communities are starting to realize the detrimental and costly effects of synthetic dyes and fast fashion. A Dyer’s Delight - A Dip into Dyeing and Walk into Color: This ceremony will be in tune with the season and will seek to explore our connection to the natural world and color. We will walk around the land to learn about the flora that yields color and is in season. For this workshop, attendees should bring a small item they would like to dye. Whatever goes into the dye pot -- must be of 100% natural origin (ie wool, cotton, hemp, silk, wood, bamboo, etc.). If it is not natural - it will not absorb the dye and can potentially negate the color in the dye pot. This session will also cover proper dye setups, safety protocols, tools, techniques, resources, preparation, processing, and more. Upon completion, participants will return home with a renewed piece/peace and a deeper understanding of some of Mother Nature’s colorful offerings we can tap into when we understand how to commune with her. Attendees should wear appropriate clothing that is conducive to hiking around the land and working with pigments/amendments that have the potential to stain/discolor clothing. Items like aprons, gloves, and masks are great additions to have access to when working with natural dyeing. Attendees are encouraged to bring these additional items to use - if desired. There will be no extras of these items. website: https://linktr.ee/la_maleta_antigua Instagram: @la.maleta.antigua || @mika.cosmic.glitter photography by Alexandra Arellano and Rebecca Seger - https://linktr.ee/creativeconsciouslife @rebeccasegerphotography All rights reserved