Novica Handmade Soul Of The Andes Recycled Metal Wall Mirror

Product Features: 

• Dimension: 9.75" H x 9" W x 0.4" D
• Weight: 0.42
• Color: Multi
• Material: Recycled metal, glass
• Made in Peru

Story Behind the art:
Metalwork art is my passion — it is my life. All my life, I've practiced this beautiful art. For this reason, I consider myself one of the greatest promoters of artistic metalwork, as well as one of the last people to work in polychrome.

I'm Teofilo Araujo Choque. I was born in 1941 in Vilcanchos, located in Ayacucho. I lived in the country with my parents, who worked as farmers and kept livestock.

I became interested in metalwork at the young age of 12, when an accident crippled me. I fell into a pit and a sharp object cut my knee. In those days, there were no clinics in my community, and they could only heal me with herbs. I could no longer bend my knee, and my right knee has remained immobilized for my whole life. My family and I lived in the country. But with my injured knee, I couldn't walk.

Back then, broken tools and utensils were repaired, not thrown away like they are today. So any jar, pot, milk can, or pitcher that broke could be repaired. Merchants and tradesmen would go from house to house, repairing things. During one of these visits, I observed how they fixed things. I was curious and wanted to do this, because my injured leg kept me from working in the fields or herding livestock.

One day, my uncle Tomas Choque brought me to his house to take care of it. It happened that he had also learned to repair things by observing these workmen from out of town.

When he needed something, my uncle would go to the city of Huamanga to get pliers, scissors, and other things that he used to repair porcelain, tin, and zinc alloys. I found it fascinating and asked him to teach me. I asked him to bring me the basic tools, even though I didn't know what they were. This is how I began doing the same work my uncle did. I mimicked him when he sealed the bases of porcelain jugs, and I learned how to mend holes in ceramic jars and pots.

One day, the chapel authorities came to request a cross. They told me, 'Young man, you are an amateur and there are no metal workshops here. Can you make us a cross to put in the church?' I accepted, and I did the work without even knowing how to weld. It was crafted completely by hand, and I made it with recycled tin alcohol containers. The authorities were happy with the cross, and this is how I became excited about this art.

My uncle was the person who first taught me, and then I continued learning on the job when I moved to Huamanga, because it was there that I could find all my materials and tools. Huamanga gave me the opportunity to perform a service for the community, and I felt good when my clients were happy and thanked me for the crosses that I made. I loved it even more when my neighbors began making requests for crosses to put in their own homes.

The handmade touch of artisan skill creates variations in color, size and design. If buying two of the same item, slight differences should be expected. Note: Color discrepancies may occur between this product and your computer screen.

Imported