Red Agate Earrings - Crimson Cascade

Artisan Organization: Maria del Carmen Vargas

Country: Andes

"Inspiration is all around me. I express ideas of life and nature in all their forms.

"I was born in 1968 in the province of Piura. I consider myself a proactive, honest and loyal woman.

"One of the worst moments in my life was when I found out my father had cancer. That was the hardest blow life has given me. The stages of this terrible disease and the processes in fighting it are exhausting. Finally, when I thought nothing more could be done, my father's health began to improve. He recovered, thanks to God's help and my family's prayers.

"I've liked jewelry since I was a little girl, and one of my aunts taught me the art. Little by little I learned more and I was absolutely fascinated. I loved seeing how you can manipulate a beautiful metal like our Andean silver.

"When my husband and I moved to Cajamarca for his job, I decided to study jewelry crafts. I didn't miss a single opportunity to learn and was eager to study whatever was necessary. I love this art that lets me create jewelry fashions in my own style.

"After completing my course in Cajamarca, I sought out specialized courses when we returned to Lima.

"What I like best is creating designs of my own. The greatest challenge is achieving a perfect result. Soldering is the most difficult part of the process because the quality of a piece of jewelry depends on it. Smaller items require greater care and meticulous work.

"One of my dreams is to make an impact on fashion trends with my jewelry designs, or for them to be recognized, not just locally but internationally.""