From her Tierra Mariposa workshop in Papalutla, in the Central Valleys Region of Oaxaca, Martha Alicia Jiménez Sánchez captures her expressions by connecting with ancestral practices of healing and resistance. In her craft with local clay, she builds safe spaces for herself, her son, her mother, and her community. Her works speak of motherhood, ancient wisdom and the struggle to heal piece by piece. A movement element is part of each piece; a unique activation to open portals that link her to her ancestors and develops the piece's memory. “While I mold our clay with my hands, I can hear the earth speaking to me and I listen carefully to create” – she declares. In her intimate connection to the ancestral lands, rooted in her sensibilities, her pieces and her works, she comes to life as mujer barro.