Raised in a peasant family, Paula Nicho’s mother taught her weaving, the only artistic activity permitted to Mayan women, but her family encouraged her interest in art and, under the guidance of her future husband Salvador Cúmez, she dedicated herself to painting, immediately displaying a unique style. Her vibrant paintings are imbued with magical realism and combine scenes from the daily lives of Mayan women with fanciful elements germinated in the artist’s own dreams. Founder of the Kaqchikel Surrealist Painters group, Nicho celebrates Mayan culture through her internationally respected art.