The Neme siblings were raised in the countryside. Although they were born in Bogotá and spent their childhood there, after losing their father when Zamira, the youngest, was still very little, their mother Patricia would frequently take her four children to their farm in Chocontá. This is where their love for the countryside was born. Zamira has the color of the mountains etched in her memory, along with happy childhood memories; she adored watching her grandmother Inés do cross-stitch and recalls her doing it with great skill. She was also the one who made little dresses for all their dolls. As Zamira approached her 20th birthday, their mother announced she was tired of the grind of working in real estate and would be moving to Villa de Leyva. So, that’s where sisters Sara and Zamira, along with their brother Awad, ended up. Awad, driven by love, went on to take care of a forest reserve in Arcabuco, just 45 minutes from Villa de Leyva—a dream he’s continued to live out for over 40 years.

This is where everything begins to take shape because, although Zamira studied Arts with a focus on textiles at UPTC in Tunja, the philosophy behind everything she has built relates directly to this reserve. Home to an endemic hummingbird, small and black with the beautiful name of Arcabuco’s Prince, Zamira dedicates the design and craft workshop she opened in Villa de Leyva with her sister to this little bird. She named it Winza, which means hummingbird in Muisca, and its colors, textures, delicacy, and beauty have inspired her. Its silkiness and shine might be why, when she found a land of wool weavers in Villa de Leyva, she was not only captivated but also blended it with silk from Cauca, her way of metaphorically representing the royalty named bird.

So, if the Price guided her, it was because delicate care would be her guiding principle. Sara, her sister, was diagnosed with cancer, and while dealing with the illness has been extremely tough, the calm that embroidery provides has been a lifesaver. Just like it benefits her, it benefits everyone who comes to the embroidery drum and loom. They’ve turned their project into a place to share knowledge and affection, learn from other local artisans, and provide a platform for them to showcase their work, alongside their creations made from recycled fabrics and laboriously embroidered designs. They see it as an excuse to connect and celebrate what they proudly call the “embroidery gathering,” a space for weaving beauty.

Zamira and Sara are turning their business into a sustainable and beautiful idea that combines artisanal skills with ecotourism. In addition to offering embroidery and weaving workshops with the master artisans of Villa de Leyva, including María Daniza Sáenz, who has taught them many secrets of dyeing with native plants and regional minerals, they also invite visitors to take a trip to Arcabuco and spend the day or night in the reserve. There, they can immerse themselves in the foliage and branches that shelter 20 species of hummingbirds, along with another 160 bird species and 260 different animals. And of course, they don’t forget to mention that they’re opening a new store near the central square of Villa de Leyva to showcase their products and those of other Boyacá artisans, making their beautiful crafts visible. This is how these sisters are fluttering their hummingbird wings, invoking the memory of their mother, grateful for the vocation that allowed them to sow their dreams.