Genoveva’s main product is this famous doll, which is from Santiago Mexquititlan in the Amealco Municipality, but it is important to note that she is from San Ildefonso Tultepec in the same municipality. This town has its own variety of doll, which Genoveva makes and promotes as well. It is quite distinct.

“Maria Dolls” are those small rag dolls that are ubiquitous in tourist markets in Mexico, These are often-poorly made, and quite possibly not handmade to be sold as cheaply as possible. It is also likely they are not make by the people they originated with. This has made the dolls overlooked as a collectible handcraft.

Genoveva works to change this. Always dressed in traditional Otomi clothing, with ruffles, lace and exquisite embroidery, she was born and raised in Amealco, Queretaro, where the dolls originated. For Genoveva, the dolls are not trinkets, souvenirs or collectibles, they are the gifts lovingly sewn by mothers and grandmothers for their little girls and a part of her own childhood.

Even if you dont speak Spanish or Otomi, Genoveva’s charisma is hard to miss. She genuinely enjoys the promotional aspect of her work, something very valuable to her misunderstood art. This ability has allowed her to represent Otomi “Maria” dolls, as well as Mexico, in countries such as Turkey, Italy, Venezuela and Chile. The dolls themselves have gone all over the world.