Hand-Carved Canoe-Shaped Cedarwood Catchall in Red 'These Lovely Rivers' Item ID: 2671768921

“My name is Braulio Masis Solano, and I am a creative, intelligent and kind person. I was born to a large family in San José, Costa Rica in 1967. We were 8 siblings and we lived through difficult times due to the economic situation, but my parents gave us all an education.

“Since I was little, I lived in a wooden house with others on a ranch in a small town. It was a very mountainous place without electricity and dirt streets. I lived with my parents, and due to our economic situation they sent me to study in the capital at a vocational school. From there I began to like wood and everything that can be made with it. As a child, I played with pieces of wood, and over time I learned to make figures and toys out of wood. I remember that the first thing I made was a tractor with a piece of wood and the wheels were bottle caps. I gave the first work to my mother. Then, as a teenager, I learned to make furniture until I perfected the gift.

“I've been in my own business for 30 years. I like wood, its texture and its smell. I was trained in art from a very young age and took workshops to perfect the techniques. I use recycled wood, as a way to help the environment. I also use chisels, gouges, blades, sanding discs, saws, etc. I classify the wood by size and color, and then I mark the piece that I am going to cut. I rough out the excess, and then with sandpaper and gouges I shape the piece. Then I fine-tune to give the final finish on each of the different types of pieces that I make.

“I am inspired by Costa Rica; my products are related to my beautiful country, and I like that by acquiring them you can have a little bit of Costa Rica in each one of them.”