She was born with the trade in her blood, as so many craftspeople have before her. Ever since she was seven, Blanca watched how certain people worked her father’s fique crops. She used to help them out carrying two or three stalks at a time. She also liked to experiment with the fique fibers and often ended up tangling them. Because of this, her mother reprimanded her. Her father, however, defended her, since, in his own words, she was only learning.

Sadly, Don Adolfo and Doña Sara died young. At the age of 15, Blanca was left completely alone in the world. Nevertheless, another craftswoman, María Patrocinio Pimiento, took her in as her pupil and taught her everything she needed to know. She was Blanca’s guardian angel for more than a decade until, as every good teacher does, she let her fly on her own. And fly she did.

She set up a workshop together with her husband, Rolando. He became an expert in crafting burl rugs, and she started coming up with all kinds of prototypes. They assembled a team of women weavers to manufacture handbags, and wares both crocheted and embroidered: all of which are displayed in venues such as Modaviva. They receive sizeable orders of hundreds of rugs, many of which are sent to Europe. This is why they have a staff of 12 employees, in addition to the craftspeople who provide complementary services. Blanca dreams of her children, Robinson and Marisol, taking on the craft she and Rolando have cultivated since they were young. For the time being, her dream is on the right path.