Hand-Painted Floral Heart-Themed Recycled Metal Wall Mirror 'Heart of the Andes' Item ID: 2671400261

"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.

"I had to be patient, curious, observant, tenacious, and persistent in everything I did. I always thought that, if I could make any piece or design, I would not be limited by my disability. I was helped greatly by talking with others, and also by training sessions, forums, congresses, fairs, and interacting with people.

"When I made the decision to do this work on my own, I determined I would succeed, no matter the cost. So I persevered under any condition. When I started my workshop in 1974, all of my tools were stolen, leaving me with nothing. Later, in 1983, I was robbed again! I experienced two robberies, but I made it through, thanks to the advice of good people who have crossed my path.

"I remember Dario Gomez, a friend who was present during one of the robberies and reported it to the police. Dario gave me good advice and told me, 'Teofilo, you are young. Don't be sad or go on pushing yourself to make decisions. Don't go looking for another job, either. Instead, start over with what you have, and borrow or rent tools from your friends in order to continue.' These words were the strength I needed to carry on. I found it so profound that I worked very hard in order to get ahead and achieve my goals.

"I encountered more difficulties in the 1990s due to the arrival of industrial plastics and aluminum from China. People didn't buy my designs because plastic and aluminum were cheap. I was on the verge of losing everything but I survived by adapting to the needs of my clients and reinventing my own line of work .