Domitila Dominguez (Domi) was born in 1948 in the indigenous Mazatecan village of San Pedro Ixcatlan in northern Oaxaca. During her childhood, the Mexican government’s construction of a huge dam flooded her village, displacing her entire community. They were forced to live as nomads, migrating to find work opportunities, eventually moving to the state of Veracruz. Due to her family’s difficult economic situation, Domi spent her childhood growing corn, beans, squash, tomato and chile. At a young age, she learned embroidery and weaving traditional huipiles from her aunts.
During her teenage years she met artist Antonio Ramirez when he came to teach literacy classes in her hometown. They married and moved to Mexico City, Antonio’s home, and had four children, Camilo, Natalia, Jacobo and Nasro. Domi came to know life in the city, love, motherhood, color, form. Originally she captured her art in beautiful embroidery.
When she was 20 years old, she began painting a brown skinned woman on her living room wall. By the time she was done, she had covered the walls with vivid figures. In 1985 the family moved to Jalisco and built a home and studio in Tlaquepaque. A self-taught artist with a uniquely personal, post-modern style, Domi is inspired by the vivid wit, wisdom and folklore of her Mazatecan culture. For over forty years her paintings and sculpture have had over 20 exhibitions in Mexico, the United States, and Paris, France.
In addition to paintings and sculpture, Domi has illustrated numerous award-winning children’s books, including three by Guatemalan human rights activist Rigoberta Manchú; Señora Regañona by Susan Sanromán; The Night the Moon Fell and The Race of Toad and Deer by Pat Mora; La Historia de Colores and Questions and Swords by Subcomandante Marcos; and Napi by Antonio Ramírez. She received the distinguished invitation to be included in three editions of the International Edition of Illustrations for Children based in Rome, Italy. Domi currently lives in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, Mexico with Antonio Ramírez, their four children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.