Oxidized Copper Wall Sculpture of a Warrior Skull, "Warrior Skull"

Update (July, 2019)

“We are a married couple that, with the help of NOVICA, has grown in a way that we never imagined. We are enthusiasts of the beautiful copper tradition of Santa Clara del Cobre in the state of Michoacan.

“We are very happy to work with a company that has allowed us to grow and generate a stronger income. But, more than anything, we are thankful for the diffusion of our craft that it allows us to achieve. During this marvelous year, the sales we have had with NOVICA have allowed us to fulfill our dream of working with our birthright with strength and security.

“We are the fifth generation dedicated to working with copper in an artisanal way, which allows us to create pieces for daily use. Copper lets us play with its nature without altering its composition.

“We have worked in a very dedicated way with the help and support of each one of our artisans in a way that feels like a warm family. Each one of us works together to achieve the quality of our pieces.

“Playing with each one of the techniques that copper allows has been a very fun journey. We carry on with our work passionately as we fill our catalog.

“This period has been a constant and very fun effort of trial and error that has taught us much, and this has supported us in creating new pieces and techniques. We are very thankful for NOVICA for being spokespeople for Mexican handicrafts and being a family that promotes tradition, history, and growth.”

Original Artisan Story

"I'm Rosa Ivette Paz and I grew up in a family with the wonderful tradition of copper work. It was all thanks to my grandfather who began this fascinating art of designing and crafting objects in copper. He taught my parents. They taught me and I taught my husband, Daniel Gomez, and this art has become the heart of my extended family. In every family get-together, copper is always a topic of conversation.

"This precious work that implements copper as a metal of common use originated with the arrival of Don Vasco de Quiroga. He gained the affection of the native Purépecha people, thanks to his works and the economic means that he promoted. These benefited the Purépecha. After the conquest, 'Tata' Vasco's kind and affectionate treatment of the Purépecha was noted throughout Colonial Mexico.

"He moved the Bishop's offices from Tzintzuntzan to Pátzcuaro and founded the hospital town of Santa Fe de la Laguna. He also established the Colegio de San Nicolás Obispo, the precursor of the Universidad Nicolaíta that still exists in Mexico's Michoacán state.

"What I love best about copper is its simplicity and how it lets you transform it into whatever you want. I love the color — it's indescribable.

"My main inspiration comes from nature and its many tonalities.

"In each of our copper designs, I want to share the awareness that you're holding a piece of history in your hands. In Colonial Mexico, it was one of the most widely used metals, and we even had copper coins. It is a great transmitter of heat in cookware and is also an excellent conductor of energy. But we have only a few copper mines in Mexico, so we often recycle the metal.

"I love to focus on the design of each piece that we craft, especially the jewelry. Each detail makes the design look very special.

"We want to share our fascination with copper and the meaning it has for us. We want our designs to be known and, in this way, encourage a way for families to share their likes, their passions, their experiences and to learn from the good and bad moments. We want to show a means of inspiration.

"My desire is to transmit my enormous fascination and delight in copper art and the ancestral traditions we are fortunate to have."