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Asunta Pelaez Ramos

"I have been dedicated to this art form since I was 17 years old. I originally started learning through the influence of my husband's family. In time we united our skills and labor. Little by little, I learned to design and paint. I realized that the more I practiced, the more this craft won me over, offering me tremendous gratification. Now I consider it a way of life, dedicating myself full-time.

"I now create many kinds of beautiful mirrors, coasters, boxes and trays. My tools consist of simple brushes, hammers, nails and glue. For the designs and illustrations, I use India ink to produce the finer details and outlines. Finally for colors I use tempera paints and purpurina, a dye extracted from the madder root.

"I follow a careful process, carefully shaping the wood to give it a pleasing form. Later, for my mirrors, I cut the glass and outline my intended design on the surface with India ink. Next, I fill the outline with beautiful Cajamarcan patterns using paints and purpurina. To finish, I glue the glass to the wood and apply a rich golden paint to the borders of the frame. This whole process demands incredible patience and attention to detail.

"My designs are taken from nature, and typical scenes from my town and region. I feel very proud of the works that I create, and I look forward to sharing them with more and more people around the world."