Sonia's Huayruro and Silver Bracelet
Just as one can identify which artist created any given painting, one can look at fine Peruvian jewelry and find that each piece represents and is identifiable with a given region and sometimes a particular artist. Since I am the one who travels the most extensively in Peru and has done much of the buying over the last three years, I am probably the most familiar with the different artisans that we work with at Tikanchay. When the different pieces are laid out on a table, I can quickly pick out which Peruvian jewelry was handcrafted by Sonia and her family, outside of Lima and which necklace is clearly from Danilo in Catacaos. Each piece is soldered and molded according the artist’s personal artistic sensibilities and though there may be multiple pieces of a particular design, they don’t all look the same. There is character and creativity in each one because the pieces usually feature a native material, such as a spondylus necklace made with thorny oyster shell or some native stone, of which there are never two that are identical. Infused with the personalities of the artists, the stone or shell is placed “just so” to showcase it’s particular feature. The designs themselves are often inspired by personal experiences and the environment that the artists live in. Some are vibrant and colorful, while others are stayed and elegant. Not only is this handcrafted art design intensive, it’s labor intensive, requiring at times weeks to finish a piece. Our lives here at Tikanchay are immersed in the lives of the artisans, the areas where they live and the materials that they use. We came to this venture with a love of beautiful jewelry and an appreciation for Peru and its talented artisans. Every day we learn more about the rich history of handcrafted jewelry and the incredible influence that each artisan’s background, surroundings and history has on the silver bracelets, necklaces earrings and pendants that they create.
Danilo's Handcrafted Silver Necklace
