Handwoven Wool Mandala Tapestry in Brown from Peru, "Inca Mandala"

"My name is Luis León. I was born on April 10, 1976 in a town of textile artisans in the state of Junin. I learned to weave from my parents. At first I was mostly an assistant, handing them the yarns and fleece so that they could weave. Later on I learned how to weave panels and, at the age of eleven, I began to make my first pieces on a floor loom.

"To create my rugs and tapestries I use wool colored with natural dyes extracted from plants. The warp, or vertical threads, are of cotton strung on a handmade wooden loom.

"At the moment I am still single and live at home with my parents and siblings. My father has a workshop in our home where my brothers and I work at weaving along with our parents.

"I desire with all my heart that you appreciate our work, because my family and I weave each piece with much love."