ST. PETERSBURG — The Werk Gallery will kick off the new year with two exhibitions by Guatemalan artists who call Tampa Bay home. An opening reception for “Inheritance: Mayan Pikb’il Backstrap Weavings by Concepción Poou Coy Tharin” and “Eje Del Mundo: Paintings and Figurines by Carlos Pons Paz” will take place on Friday, Jan. 2, 5 to 9 p.m., at The Werk Gallery, 2210 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg.
The exhibition will run through Feb. 1. Gallery hours are Wednesday, noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, noon to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. For information, visit https://thewerk.gallery/.
In the main gallery, an exhibition of Tarpon Springs artist Concepción Poou Coy Tharin’s delicate, ephemeral pikb’il weavings and wearables will adorn walls and mannequins alike, with several others suspended from the ceiling, creating an immersive textile experience. Also on view will be a video delving into her Mayan heritage and artistic process as well as a mock studio where gallery guests will be able to see her backstrap loom and materials, and where she will lead a workshop for those interested in learning the Pikb’il tradition.
In the Gabinetto Segreto, two mural-sized paintings by Tampa artist Carlos Pons Paz will engulf the small 90-square-foot space, creating an axis mundi for contemplation of the cycles of life and personal transformation. Also on view will be several of his small sculptures made of fabric and clay, suggestive of votive figurines, and two of his newest paintings that “carry the clarity, focus, and intention that come with” his own transformation from emerging artist to working artist.
Poou Coy Tharin is a proud Q’eqchi’ woman and master Mayan backstrap weaver from the village of Samac, near Cobán, Guatemala. Taught by her mother and sister to weave at age 8, she has mastered her local style, an intricate gauze-like weave called pikb’il. Her textiles preserve traditional designs to honor her ancestors. Poou Coy Tharin is one of its few remaining practitioners and is considered one of the great weavers in this tradition, both in Florida and the world. Traditional backstrap weaving is one of the few sources of income for the women of her village, though each blouse takes a month to weave.
By selling her textiles, Poou Coy Tharin was able to fund her own education. With other women in her village, she founded and was selected as the president of the village’s first women’s weaving cooperative. As such she helped start an association of artists and artisans of all kinds from her area. With them, she participated in many festivals and demonstrations in Guatemala in an effort to secure weaving as a sustainable source of income for the women of her village. Now living in Florida, she demonstrates and teaches backstrap weaving, bringing this ancient tradition to life for people in the United States.
Poou Coy Tharin currently resides in Tarpon Springs and teaches classes in Mayan backstrap weaving at the Dunedin Fine Arts Center.
Pons Paz is a Guatemalan born, Tampa-based artist with more than 15 years of experience. His interest in art began in childhood, when drawing and sculpting with fabric and clay became a natural outlet for curiosity and expression.
In 2000 his family moved to the United States, a change that shaped much of his perspective. Before becoming a legal resident, he lived part of his youth as an undocumented immigrant, an experience that brought challenges and uncertainty but also shaped his understanding of identity and belonging. His studio practice often reflects themes of displacement, identity, loss, and spiritual or religious symbolism. His paintings combine dramatic landscapes, bold color choices, and figures that leave space for viewers to reflect on their own experiences.
Outside his studio work Pons Paz is a full-time artist. He founded Paz Art Creations LLC in 2019, offering services such as large-scale mural projects, digital design, and commissioned artworks across different mediums.