Heart-Shaped Hummingbird Wood Relief Panel from Costa Rica, "Natural Love"

"I'm Christian Vasquez from a small town in Costa Rica. It's far from the country's big cities and is set in the lush and beautiful tropical countryside.

"My career as an artisan began in 1989 when I was just 16 years old. I got a job in a furniture workshop. When my colleagues would take their coffee breaks, I'd ask them to lend me their chisels. Without any formal instruction, I began teaching myself to carve wood. I also figured out how to design templates.

"I first became interested in this art out of curiosity but I learned to love woodworking.

"From the very beginning, it's been difficult to get the proper tools and tools of good quality for carving because this technique isn't widely known in this country.

"However, when I finally obtained them, they became my allies in this lovely art form and they've let me get ahead each day.

"From the design to the final finishing, whether in natural wood or in color, everything I create is crafted by hand and I do it all myself."