The shelves are empty for now.Every piece Ortiz Family makes is one of a kind, and they've all found homes. Follow to be first to see the next collection. Follow Ortiz Family.

Ortiz Family

Handmade: A Global Artisan Marketplace PE
When you express your deepest feelings through the art you love, the hands that create each detail are blessed and transform each design into works of art. This is true of Perus Ortiz Family.
When they least expected it, where they never imagined it, life brought Betsy and Arturo together. As artisans, the two complement each others abilities and skills, and they formed a beautiful family.
Arturo shares his story. I was born in Islay, on the coast of Arequipa, the fifth of six children. Ill never forget the good times we spent playing on the beach and in the countryside, in the fields where we enjoyed the freedom of being children. How we enjoyed playing soccer, dinners with a large and loving family! This was my life until I was 11. Then my parents separated and it was so hard. I couldnt accept the fact that what I believed to be a beautiful relationship was over. In a way, it also meant the separation from my brothers, as some of them decided to move to Lima while others stayed in the village. Shortly afterward, my father met someone else and formed a family with her.
I went to Lima with my sister. I had to finish junior high and it was important to continue our schooling. We stayed with relatives on my fathers side. Soon after, we moved into a small house we rented and our mother came to live with us.
I enrolled in school and thats where I met Betsy. We hit it off immediately and became inseparable friends. I fell in love with her - she was 12 and I was 14.
Betsy was always attracted to art and loved drawing and painting. Her grandfather was very good at art and worked in reverse painted glass.
This technique was brought to Peru in the 15th century in the form of Spanish mirrors and ornamental frames used in churches, convents and colonial mansions. Little by little, the art spread and took on a Peruvian style. Betsy and her family worked in this technique to create unique and beautiful designs. She always had art in her blood and, when I met her, she seemed to shine with a light all her own.
When I finished school, Betsy suggested I work in her fathers carpentry shop. I made some tips, which gave me spending money, and I was able to help with some of the processes. I never thought Id end up working in reverse painted glass. It wasnt my main occupation. I studied public administration and had a government job where I worked full time for 11 years.
During that time, I proposed to Betsy and we were married when I was 21 and she was 19. We made a lovely family. Were allies, accomplices and best friends.
After working in the local government for 11 years, there was a personnel cut and I lost my job. Without a doubt, this is the best thing that could have happened. I returned to the workshop and perfected my technique so I could support my family and work together with Betsy because union is the source of strength.
Ever since I married, my life has been filled with learning and adventures. I never dreamed of finding love at school and even less that shed become my teacher in this art form. We work together and this has become our style of life.
Thereve been some tough times. For example, in 2002, we met a foreign friend interested in our art. He visited our family workshop and became a partner. We taught him much about the art but it turned out that his intentions were neither friendly nor loyal. We trusted him and we lost much of our market as well as some of our carpenters. This hit us very hard. We had put a lot of effort into filling a large order and we felt cheated. We decided wed learn from that sad experience and be more cautious in the future. It took a lot of strength to turn things around, but we did it.
Ours isnt only a family art and doesnt represent only the Ortiz family. Behind each design and every process are the stories of young artisans who came knocking at our door. They were willing to learn and give their best effort, and working with us let them pay for their college studies. We always give them the opportunity to grow and follow their dreams because this is also one of our goals.
There is more to life than making money. Its important to help one another to achieve a promising future and this is what were teaching our daughter and our grandchildren.
The shelves are empty for now.Every piece Ortiz Family makes is one of a kind, and they've all found homes. Follow to be first to see the next collection. Follow Ortiz Family.
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About Ortiz Family

Meet Handmade: A Global Artisan Marketplace
When you express your deepest feelings through the art you love, the hands that create each detail are blessed and transform each design into works of art. This is true of Perus Ortiz Family.
When they least expected it, where they never imagined it, life brought Betsy and Arturo together. As artisans, the two complement each others abilities and skills, and they formed a beautiful family.
Arturo shares his story. I was born in Islay, on the coast of Arequipa, the fifth of six children. Ill never forget the good times we spent playing on the beach and in the countryside, in the fields where we enjoyed the freedom of being children. How we enjoyed playing soccer, dinners with a large and loving family! This was my life until I was 11. Then my parents separated and it was so hard. I couldnt accept the fact that what I believed to be a beautiful relationship was over. In a way, it also meant the separation from my brothers, as some of them decided to move to Lima while others stayed in the village. Shortly afterward, my father met someone else and formed a family with her.
I went to Lima with my sister. I had to finish junior high and it was important to continue our schooling. We stayed with relatives on my fathers side. Soon after, we moved into a small house we rented and our mother came to live with us.
I enrolled in school and thats where I met Betsy. We hit it off immediately and became inseparable friends. I fell in love with her - she was 12 and I was 14.
Betsy was always attracted to art and loved drawing and painting. Her grandfather was very good at art and worked in reverse painted glass.
This technique was brought to Peru in the 15th century in the form of Spanish mirrors and ornamental frames used in churches, convents and colonial mansions. Little by little, the art spread and took on a Peruvian style. Betsy and her family worked in this technique to create unique and beautiful designs. She always had art in her blood and, when I met her, she seemed to shine with a light all her own.
When I finished school, Betsy suggested I work in her fathers carpentry shop. I made some tips, which gave me spending money, and I was able to help with some of the processes. I never thought Id end up working in reverse painted glass. It wasnt my main occupation. I studied public administration and had a government job where I worked full time for 11 years.
During that time, I proposed to Betsy and we were married when I was 21 and she was 19. We made a lovely family. Were allies, accomplices and best friends.
After working in the local government for 11 years, there was a personnel cut and I lost my job. Without a doubt, this is the best thing that could have happened. I returned to the workshop and perfected my technique so I could support my family and work together with Betsy because union is the source of strength.
Ever since I married, my life has been filled with learning and adventures. I never dreamed of finding love at school and even less that shed become my teacher in this art form. We work together and this has become our style of life.
Thereve been some tough times. For example, in 2002, we met a foreign friend interested in our art. He visited our family workshop and became a partner. We taught him much about the art but it turned out that his intentions were neither friendly nor loyal. We trusted him and we lost much of our market as well as some of our carpenters. This hit us very hard. We had put a lot of effort into filling a large order and we felt cheated. We decided wed learn from that sad experience and be more cautious in the future. It took a lot of strength to turn things around, but we did it.
Ours isnt only a family art and doesnt represent only the Ortiz family. Behind each design and every process are the stories of young artisans who came knocking at our door. They were willing to learn and give their best effort, and working with us let them pay for their college studies. We always give them the opportunity to grow and follow their dreams because this is also one of our goals.
There is more to life than making money. Its important to help one another to achieve a promising future and this is what were teaching our daughter and our grandchildren.