La Mujer Maya / Maya Woman: The Helen Moran Collection promotes the dignity and human rights of indigenous and Latina women by presenting contemporary Maya art that brings world attention to their lives.

The vibrant Maya culture of Guatemala has withstood 500 years of oppression. Millions of indigenous women and men living today have survived 36 years of genocidal violence, and continue to suffer from extreme poverty, natural disaster, and the violence of the drug cartels. Contemporary indigenous artists, steeped in ancient traditions of wood and stone carving as well as brilliant textile arts, are expressing their identity in art. Through them, the nearly invisible lives of Maya women are coming into focus at last.

The Helen Moran Collection brings together the vision of many indigenous artists to reveal the role, the beauty, and the struggles of Maya women today. We hope to inspire others to come to their defense.

represented in this collection are indigenous Maya painters from the highlands of Guatemala: San Juan Comalapa, a Kaqchikel speaking town; and three Tz'utuhil speaking towns on the south side of Lake Atitlán—Santiago Atitlán, San Pedro la Laguna, and San Juan la Laguna. Biographies are available on the Arte Maya Tz'utuhil web site.

was the daughter of desperately poor Irish immigrants. The collection La Mujer Maya / Maya Woman was established in her honor. 
A devoted mother of ten children, Helen always told them,
“Never forget where you came from!”  The valiant resistance of indigenous Maya women and men recalls the struggle of the Irish peasants, who likewise fought their oppression for centuries.   Read more about Helen's life.

has been assisting the indigenous artists, their families and communities for more than twenty years. This web site is a primary source of their original works for sale. Around 70% of its income goes back to the artists, either in the form of money or in the form of art supplies. See more paintings at ArteMaya.com.

This collection was made possible by the work of Joseph Johnston, curator of Arte Maya Tz’utuhil.  By creating a marketplace for their work, he has enabled many of these subsistence farmers in a remote area of the world to spend some of their time creating art.  In so doing he has made their unique vision accessible to an international audience.