Puriqwarmi

Artisan Organization: Puriqwarmi

Country: Mexico

Puriqwarmi is the artistic name of Sonia López, born April 17, 1960 in Huanuco. In the Quechua language, Puriqwarmi means "Woman who walks, who moves," and her father used to repeat that to her when she was a little girl.

"My interest in handicrafts comes from our own family traditions," she says. "My father is 91 and he still creates artisan pieces. My mother spins and weaves wool. I am dedicated exclusively to textile arts, something I've done from the time I was quite young.

"I'd describe my work as a need to provide warmth, protection and color. I try to interpret pre-Hispanic design by way of my feelings, and transmit them through contemporary techniques. As a craftswoman, my motivation comes from inside my very being, from my roots and my experiences. These are always present in my designs.""