Project Description
Alejandrina
THE VASE DESIGNER AND HOW SHE FOUND HER WAY TO EXPRESS HERSELF THROUGH THE COLORS.
My story
Alejandrina was born in 1959 in Andahuaylas, a charming city located in the Central part of the Peruvian Andes at 3,000 m a.s.l. She is married and is mother of three children Maria del Pilar, Rocio and Christian.
Alejandrina learnt her artwork almost by chance and because she needed to do something to work. At the beginning, she practiced a lot to become a master with the brush and used to buy the vases from a supplier. Later when she had more orders she was able to start doing the vases at her own place.
Alejandrina, Can you share something with us? “I’ve been working with vases for the last 20 years. This is my passion; I love to design and paint. I transmit this to my family and my teamwork. For me Fair Trade is a way of living, not only in business but also in the way you treat your family, your neighbors, people at the street etc. I don’t want people to buy my creations because of charity; this is why we take care of each detail. If you see the vases you will love them, they are perfect.”
My art and technique
All her vases are handmade with terracota by Mardonio, the “young in spirit man” of 70 years old she works with, and who doesn’t want to retire ever. After the molding of the vase, it is dried to sun and later burnt at 1,000 C°. When the vase is ready Alejandrina uses thin brushes, paintings and a manual wheel to create lines, shapes or plain designs over each piece. At the end a protection is added to the outside and inside of each vase to make it waterproof.
Alejandrina teaches and works at her own place with other women: Lourdes, Yovana, Elizabeth and Zaida. She likes to work with women because women are delicate and pay attention to the details and for Alejandrina is very important to offer a beautiful very high quality product. She can spend many hours mixing colors and formulas until she gets the exact color she wants to use in a vase. From all the colors she has produced and used during these 20 years, she loves the bright colors because these colors transmit happiness and joy.
Please enjoy pictures of Alejandrina and her team working and some of their products:
Meet the artisans
Let us share pictures, products, stories, smiles and the background of the artisans that are part of the
PERULAND ALL NATURAL family.
