Just four years before retiring, Ximena’s father, Arturo Albornoz, decided to chart a new course for his life and, consequently, for his family’s. Despite his wife’s opposition, he persisted, driven by a vision—to dedicate himself to the local crafts of his region, starting with the tamo veneer and Pasto varnish, two quintessential techniques of his homeland. They say it was as if a hidden talent had awakened within him. Such must have been his passion to make such a decision and execute it as he did, establishing an artisan workshop, collaborating with other masters, and making their debut at Expoartesanías for the first time in ’93. His leap into the unknown was undoubtedly worthwhile; the proof lies in Artes Chelita, the company he began building in the ’80s, still thriving today under the stewardship of his daughter Ximena, who continues to showcase their products at the fair her father visited so long ago.

Ximena describes herself as a devout woman who seeks advice and peace for her heart from God. She also asks for new ideas to pursue the dreams that have surrounded her since childhood, when she initially wanted to study design but stayed in her city at her father’s request. Not leaving wasn’t a problem because she inherited the passion and skill of her father to uphold the diverse production of Artes Chelita. Their repertoire is extensive: from cabinets to chests, masks, vases, Virgin’s statues, bags, and even heels—all adorned with Pasto varnish or tamo veneer, and sometimes, a combination of both. To manage such a broad production, Ximena has built a dedicated team. Her husband, Mauricio Arellano, supports her in coordination and management. He, like her family, left his former career in systems engineering to immerse himself in the world of crafts. In Ximena’s absence, she entrusts operations to her brother Germán. And in the workshop, a skilled team brings each piece of Artes Chelita to life with craftsmanship and dedication.

They operate out of two workshop-houses where they oversee every stage, starting with crafting the base pieces from cedar and pine. Oscar Erazo and Roberto Tulcán handle the turning of larger pieces, while Alexander Andrade focuses on smaller details. Carlos Alberto Córdoba, an expert cabinetmaker, constructs the furniture, and Cristian Morales and Hernando Pabón carve and assemble the intricate details of each piece. Each of these craftsmen inherited their skills from their own parents. Likewise, Delio Ortega, specializing in traditional Kamentsá and Inga masks, learned his craft as a legacy from Sibundoy, Putumayo, and has been supplying raw masks to the Albornoz workshop for 35 years. Jorge Narváez and Álvaro Bolaños oversee the finishing touches on furniture, with Narváez focusing on the base and Bolaños on painting. They also have a dedicated team of sanders: Marlene Obando, Jesús Pantoja, and Alexander Andrade, who doubles as a sander.

For the delicate millennia-old technique of Pasto varnish, Ximena partnered with artisans who meet her exacting standards: Carlos Moncayo, a lifelong varnisher, and Wilmer and Marlon Castrillón, sons of a renowned varnish artisan family. And for tamo veneer, complemented with tetera and totora straw threads, they’ve enlisted a group of women whom they personally train. Ximena’s own brother, Raúl Albornoz, and expert veneerer Jenny Medina teach this technique to nearly forty women who, as heads of households, have sought employment at the workshop—some of them mothers caring for children with cognitive disabilities, who require constant attention. For them, these crafts have provided an opportunity to balance caregiving with work, supported by the impressive framework of Artes Chelita.