Oscar Pastor "…my work… excites me. It fulfills me. And so each day I renew and perfect my designs…." Oscar José Pastor Yauris, was born July 11, 1972. His father died when the boy was ten and, without the head of the family to work and support them, young Pastor was forced to work at different jobs such as bill collecting and as a gardener. When he was 12, a friend told Pastor about a carpentry shop that needed personnel, and he didn't think twice about it. He needed a job. As time went by, Pastor realized he enjoyed working with wood and leather but, since he had little experience, they had assigned him to the finishing touches on a piece. Disappointed because it didn't turn out well, he resolved to master the craft. And he did so on his own, learning each step and improving every detail. He went back to the shop with a piece he had crafted himself, and his employers were amazed by its beauty and refined technique. Thus his vocation was born. Pastor has had his own workshop since 1998, and this makes him very happy. He began in a corner of the house but struggled day after day to make it grow. His greatest challenge has been to help his family get ahead all by himself. Now married with two daughters he adores, he finds the strength to continue. Pastor sees his work as an art form, not just something to be sold, and his work fills his life in a way he cannot explain. Eventually, he was able to build a home through the fruits of his labor. To the clients of Novica, Pastor says, "Although my work is what sustains my family, it excites me. It fulfills me. And so each day I renew and perfect my designs so that, through them, I will be recognized as an artisan."

	Customer Reviews
		Wow! I just received the table I bought and it is so beautiful - a truly unique and beautiful piece. I was hesitant to order from a website, but the pictures on this website look exactly like what I bought - that's reassuring! Thank you for the design, artistry and care you put into the table - it makes my living room special. - R A, New York Just received two cedar and leather Royal Throne chairs.These chairs are beautiful. - Gerald S, Campell CA I ordered a tooled leather on cedar trunk, crafted by Oscar, to occupy a specific, empty, but very visible corner of my dining room. After searching for years for "just the right" trunk, I had no doubts that I had finally found it once I laid eyes on this one that Oscar had made. It came just a couple of days before I hosted a get together at my house. I have never unpacked anything that was so well-protected and once out of the box, and seeing this work of art up-close and personal, I was absolutely blown away as were my guests a couple of nights later. Good golly, WOW. Oscar, put more stuff out there. Please. My guests now know about Novica and they FORCED me to send them the link to the site. I'm sure they will be watching for your work as well. Thank you so much. - A H Thank you for your beautiful work! It means a lot to me to learn about you and to thank you for the beautiful wood and leather work you do. You magazine rack holds a few books I use every day and keep within easy reach because I am disabled. I wish you health and all many years doing what you love to do. NatGeo and Novica made it possible for me to purchase your colorful and artistic carving. Thank you. Pauline - Pauline, Westbrook, Maine, USA Thank you Oscar! My jewelry box arrived the other day. It is absolutely gorgeous! While it is a Christmas present, I ordered it this summer as it is so popular that it often is not available. I had selected three that I liked and let my husband pick out the one he liked best. Lucky me! - he picked the most expensive. The workmanship is top notch and the leather tooling is beautiful and given just a hint of color. Just PERFECT! The tiny drawer pulls were a nice surprise as those don't show up well in the photograph. They are nice little dangles. When the package arrived, it was husband who was most excited to get it open and take a look. I had to make him wait until after I got dinner ready (smile). We carefully removed the paper so I could re-wrap it for Christmas. It will be so much fun organizing my jewelry treasures into all of the little drawers. Judy in Lima, OH - Judy, Lima, Ohio, USA Stunning and impeccably crafted jewelry box. it was a gift for my wife and she absolutely loved it. The gift wrapping was a great touch. I would highly recommend the work of this artisan. - Davor, Ottawa, Canada