MAESTRO Studio | Porfirio Gutierrez

Natural Ways and Innovative Ideas

MAESTRO Studio was founded by multidisciplinary Zapotec textile artist Porfirio Gutierrez out of a deep necessity to preserve ancestral knowledge while reimagining craft traditions through ancestral practice. The studio is grounded in cultural continuity and the reintroduction of Zapotec ancestral philosophies of making—guided by the principles of nature’s life cycles and the availability of materials.

The studio brings together maestros of craft traditions and farmers to create timeless utilitarian objects that speak to luxury through intention, care, and restraint. These objects carry an urgency of slowness—inviting a return to processes that honor time, labor, and origin.

At the core of MAESTRO Studio is the life cycle of materials and processes. Harvesting occurs up to three times a year, depending on the material and climate conditions. These natural rhythms determine how much material is available, which objects can be made, and in what quantities. This ancestral approach allows nature to regenerate and supports a healthy ecosystem.

By working within these principles, the studio encourages a rethinking of value—one that recognizes the interdependence between makers, consumers, and the environment, and honors craft as a living practice.