This week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we welcomed Maida Branch, founder and director of MAIDA, a collective that supports the growth of Indigenous artists and preservation of their homelands through sustainable business practices.
Watch the recording below.
Maida Branch was born and raised in New Mexico and is of Pueblo, Ute, Genízara descent (Dilia & Mora, New Mexico) – her family has been living on Pueblo Territory since time immemorial. Inspired by her family and the land from which they came, she founded MAIDA in 2017 – a collective of Indigenous and Indo-hispano artists.
Artists stories are told by Maida Branch via thoughtfully, collaboratively curated products/objects, photography, and short films about community, place, and re-matriation. Storytelling is also shared and told with / shed project, run by her partner Johnny Ortiz – together they have a farm in Northern New Mexico, where they live in a 200 yr-old adobe home and raise Criollo cattle, and Churro sheep.
Shop & Support:
MARTINEZ BLANKETS / SHED MERCADO
About Maida:
Maida Branch was born and raised in New Mexico and is of Pueblo, Ute, Genízara descent (Dilia & Mora, New Mexico) – her family has been living on Pueblo Territory since time immemorial. Inspired by her family and the land from which they came, she founded MAIDA in 2017 – a collective of Indigenous and Indo-hispano artists.
Artists stories are told by Maida Branch via thoughtfully, collaboratively curated products/objects, photography, and short films about community, place, and re-matriation. Storytelling is also shared and told with / shed project, run by her partner Johnny Ortiz – together they have a farm in Northern New Mexico, where they live in a 200 yr-old adobe home and raise Criollo cattle, and Churro sheep.
Maida has an MFA in Acting from the New School for Drama. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Architectural Digest, Form & Concept Gallery, Elle Decor, Santa Fe Arts Institute, and RISD Nature Lab ‘Regeneration Series.’
FEEDBACK FRIDAY
If you are not familiar with FEEDBACK FRIDAY, every week we speak with dyers, artists, scientists and scholars about our favorite topic, natural dyeing and color. Curated by Amy DuFault, Botanical Colors’ Sustainability and Social Media Director and presented by Botanical Colors’ Founder Kathy Hattori.
We even have our own theme song thanks to musician Jimmie Snider (click here to hear more of his music)!