Melvin Gonzalez Rojas, Borucan Artist
masks

Melvin Gonzalez Rojas, Borucan Artist

As an accomplished and recognized Borucan artist, Melvin likes to challenge himself. Over the past few years he has transitioned to painting more often on canvas than on balsa wood.
Modern Masks
masks

Modern Masks

For Borucans, these masks symbolize protective nature spirits. Masks have a special place in their hearts because they saved the very existence of their ancestors and culture.
Rudy Gomez, Borucan Artist
masks

Rudy Gomez, Borucan Artist

Rudy is one of the youngest fine-carving artists. He eagerly learns new carving tricks. Most often, a mask artist will bring him a balsa wood log with a design drawn on it for him to carve. In re...
Sugey Jimenez Acosta, Borucan Artist
masks

Sugey Jimenez Acosta, Borucan Artist

Sugey started playing with paint brushes at a young age inspired by her godmother. After marrying Marcos in 2005, she easily picked up new techniques from him while falling in love with mask painti...
Women and Boruca Masks
masks

Women and Boruca Masks

Traditionally, and for generations, mask making has been a male dominated activity. Only very recently, some women in Boruca have become interested in painting masks but it is still rare to see one...
Ismael González Rojas, Borucan Artist
masks

Ismael González Rojas, Borucan Artist

Ismael started carving at a young age and is one of the few artists in Boruca still working with cedar wood.
Loly, Maria De Los Santos, Borucan Artist
masks

Loly, Maria De Los Santos, Borucan Artist

Loly dries and boils the jicara fruit for hours to cure and clean it. Then she envisions her animal, carving the legs, head and tail in balsa wood. Her grandson works alongside her, adding the color.
Meet New Ceramic Artist Bernardino
ceramics

Meet New Ceramic Artist Bernardino

Bernardino Arce comes from a family of ceramic artists. He runs his own workshop where he creates our new water birds. He enjoys creating colorful marble patterns on them using engobe and natural p...
Healing our World Through the Beauty of Fair Trade
fairtrade

Healing our World Through the Beauty of Fair Trade

Fair Trade gifts have a magical power to open our hearts by creating meaningful connections between us conscious consumers and crafters far away. They help us get in touch with our own humanity by ...