Geovana Vilca

Artisan Organization: Geovana Vilca

Country: Andes

"I was born in Lima in 1991. I consider myself a hard-working, trustworthy woman who strives to overcome problems and difficulties.

"I've always loved jewelry, but I couldn't find designs that reflected my style. The jewelry in the market was too clumsy, the gold too bright and I didn't like it, but I had to settle for what was available. I was always interested in making my own unique jewelry with a lot of personality.

"My source of inspiration has been and continues to be my mother — who also creates jewelry. Seeing her commitment and how hard she works while doing what she loves has been a great life lesson for me. She has shown me that it's a wonderful job, and I listen to her, observe her and learn from her.

"Working on my own has been very difficult, but not impossible because I'm pursuing something I enjoy and am passionate about. There aren't any doubts that I'll do it right. Everyone learns from their mistakes because if you didn't make them, how would you learn? As time has passed, I've improved and am achieving my goals.

"I use silver in my jewelry because it's more delicate and subtle. I use lots of gems like amazonite, sodalite, obsidian, turquoise, rhodonite and many others. I find inspiration in everyday moments — not only my own, but also those of the people from whom I learn every day.

"I love Peru's arts and crafts, and our cultural diversity, and I want to share this through my designs. Innovating and creating unique designs that can be recognized for their style as well as a form of expression is a challenge.

"It's exciting to think that my jewelry can reveal part of my country's culture and it's why I'm so happy to be able to show my jewelry to people around the world.""