Toucan Decorative Accent Crafted in Guatemala, "Cute Toucan"

“My name is José Victor, but I really like being called “Chito”. I am originally from La Antigua Guatemala, and I am dedicated to making decorations for the home.

“It is a pleasure to be able to introduce myself to you, and to be able to tell you a little about my life. I grew up in this wonderful city, together with my great family. We are 9 siblings. My parents taught us from a very young age to fight for our dreams and work honestly. They were dedicated to making jeans. All the children learned with them; each of us had our own machine, and we could make pants, skirts, jackets and vests. It was a very enriching part of our lives, since we worked as a family.

“Due to the economic situation, I stopped studying when I was 15 years old and began to work as a helper at a van company. It was a very hard job for a child of that age, but I knew it was to help my family and that is why I dedicated myself to keep my job and demonstrate my responsibility. Unfortunately, at 42 years of age my father became ill. His situation was very complicated because he suffered from heart disease; he died when I was barely 17 years old. The death of my father was something that marked my life completely. At that age I needed someone to guide me, teach me even more things, and be my support; but I had to learn to get ahead. Since his death, each of the children took their own way and became independent. Not everything was rosy; I had to go days without eating because I couldn't get a job. What little work I did get was temporary; they couldn't assure me of something fixed because I was still very young.

“When I was 20 years old, I began to work as a security guard in a jade store in La Antigua Guatemala that was led by foreigners. They had a lot of confidence in me, and I in them. In our daily talks, I related my anecdotes as a child and everything that my parents taught me. At that moment they gave me the idea of being able to make bird decorations. I did not know how to start making them, but little by little I made a sample. It surprised me because it was very beautiful. I started to sell them, and since then everything went very well.

“I met my wife and today we form a beautiful family with three children. This alternate job helped me to be able to support my children financially so that they could finish their studies as I could not. Today it fills me with much satisfaction to say that they are professionals. I love being part of their life, as they are part of mine. Despite the fact that each one is already independent, I always offer my support because it is what I dreamed of having with my father.

“The elaboration of these pieces has marked me a lot. Today I am 38 years in this world, which has given me thousands of opportunities. I thank God very much because he never left me alone; despite the bad times, he always lifted me up and put me in front of people who have supported my art, like you who are buying my pieces. Know that it is a work that I do with a lot of love, because it is not only a decoration--in it there are many years of experience and part of a family legacy. I hope you like them and can have an authentic Guatemalan product in your ho