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Viviana Velez

"Hi, I'm Viviana Vélez Bendezu. I was born in Lima on April 3, 1972. I became involved in the world of handicrafts through a friend. One day we were talking and he told me he was crafting items with bull horn. At the time, I needed something to do, so I began selling his designs.

"My mother was looking at his pieces one day and said, 'Listen, Viviana, what if you added silver and began to create your own designs?' I thought about it and realized she was right. I could create my own pieces, something different, and that's how I began in 2004. I discovered that my jewelry was well accepted.

"I'd describe this art as a process of expansion and being able to make this Peruvian art better known. It's really gratifying to see what can be done with this material and that people look good wearing different items.

"I'm motivated to achieve new handcrafted designs, and give people the opportunity to become acquainted with them. I enjoy transmitting the genius and creativity of Peruvian crafts, which are always present in each piece of my jewelry.

"For me, life is a constant challenge. What's important is how we focus our experiences and, overall, our attitude when facing them. Each challenge generates a new experience.

Thank you, Novica, for giving us the opportunity to show our art to the world, so that people can see and investigate the rich cultural beauty of so many regions. And also, that they can get to know the artisans behind each product."