Circular Chrysocolla Dangle Earrings from Peru, "Eye of the Sun"

“My name is Alder Maqqe Quispe. I was born in 1983 in the small district of Taray, located in the department of Cusco, Peru. I consider myself a very lucky man to have been born in this beautiful land in the Peruvian Andes, surrounded by a lot of history and magic.

“I will try to describe myself in a few words: I am an honest man, integrated in all aspects of life, humble, and a hard worker at 1000%. A job that is done with passion is a job that achieves the desired results. That is what that I always want to achieve with my art in silver.

“I became interested in this art when my older brother (who was the one who taught me) took me to a workshop where he worked. I was really impressed with the silver work and the pieces they brought out, so since then I did not stop practicing. I went through many workshops, but without a doubt my practice and perseverance managed to give me greater ability and skill.

“Then it was time to take the important step and embark on a path on my own. It was difficult at first because of the fear of failure, but little by little I was gaining more experience, never ceasing to learn something new.

“What I like most about my art is being able to design each model in silver and add details like natural stones. I love that it has no limits, and can always be improved. My inspiration comes from art. I am always attentive to the designs and drawings in books, from my land and my town in Cusco. It is a place surrounded by magic and nature that impacts the deepest part of being.

“Like all human beings, I have had to live through some very hard moments, like the one that happened to me 5 years ago. I was working a lot on social networks to try to enhance my business through networks and electronic commerce. I made some decisions that led me to invest large sums of money, and this caused my failure and loss of that money. I trusted myself and did not develop strategies that would help me stay afloat. I thought that I could not recover and that I would stay in the deepest hole, but this experience taught me a lot on a personal and professional level. I am proud to have overcome it, and it taught me so many lessons.

“My plans, hopes and dreams for the future are to continue perfecting my technique in the art of silver jewelry, and to share and show the world the beauty of jewelry in my land. I want to enjoy life with my family and be able to expand my workshop.

“I feel very happy to be part of the NOVICA family in this new challenge for me to share my art with the world.”