Commission Piece for Mezcal Rambha

My husband, Randall, and I live in Oaxaca, Mexico, where he is a mezcal guide. A couple of years ago, I noticed that Rosario Angeles, one of our favorite mezcal makers, the owner and maestra mezcalera of Mezcal Rambha, was growing a field of marigolds (cempasuchiles) prior to Dia de los Muertos. She planted them because she liked them, not because she had any real use for them (ie they weren't for sale, they just make her palenque pretty), so I asked her if I could have them when the season was over to use as dye, and she happily agreed, sending me bushelsful in early November of that year. I carefully dried the flowers on sheets on the floor of my studio, turning them over daily to prevent mold and to encourage even drying, then, I used them to make a dye for baskets, and because she liked the yellow dye the flowers make, I also dyed her a silk scarf as a thank you gift.

In May 2025, Rosario asked if I would make a mirror for her cottage, and I immediately knew it needed to be a cempasuchil.  How to do that, remained in question, but I knew I'd figure it out! First, I had to dye some more cane.

Cempasuchiles growing at the Mezcal Rambha palenque.

First, Kalika helps me weigh the flowers.

Then, we strain out the solids.

Then, we add water and heat to almost boiling.

First, and most intense batch.

Quality control audit.

I asked our carpenter friend, Noe, to build a frame for the mirror out of pine, and I plotted out where the petals would go.. I foresaw probably 4 tiers of overlapping petals in varying shades of cempasuchil: I ended up with a good range from bright vibrant yellows and oranges, to more muted greens and mustardy yellows.  

First row almost complete.

Starting the second row.

Second row complete.

Starting the third row.

Almost done...

And finished..

Finished, on black background

Detail.

Once I finished the mirror, we took it out to the palenque and Rosario had it mounted on the wall of the cabin. I really love how the piece looks out there. The mirror reflects the area around the cabin which are agaves all year round, but also sunflowers in the spring and summer, and marigolds and flor de gallo in the fall.  Her palenque is so beautiful and I am honored and proud that she wanted this piece in her life.

Bonus! Outtakes with my kitty "helpers":

And some extra pictures from the palenque.