The Workshop in Mexico
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In the middle of Mexico, in a semi-arid landscape dotted with cacti, our workshop is in full swing. For a decade, a small group of sculptor artisans has been shaping obsidian here. Their skilled hands tame the raw stone, both hard and sharp, to create objects that are homogeneous with a perfectly smooth surface. Each of their creations is unique.
How many evenings have we spent with them discussing stones and their passion for the craft!
How many times have we stood in awe before a piece of high craftsmanship! We are happy to be able to help these men earn a decent living from their art.
Obsidian is a volcanic rock, rich in silica, formed by the vitrification of magma. Working with such a material is a real challenge and requires a know-how that the Mexicans master like no other people. The technique and its secrets have been passed down from generation to generation, century after century.
In the pre-Columbian era, the Aztecs used sculpted obsidian, both in daily life and for the accomplishment of religious rituals.
Even today, it retains a sacred dimension in Mexican culture. In lithotherapy, obsidian, a stone of grounding and spiritual awakening, is considered one of the most powerful energy protections.
Throughout the decade of existence of the workshop, we have strived to improve in order to offer an ever-improving quality in the European market.
However, the stone is capricious. And in the mines of Mexico, high-quality raw obsidian is becoming increasingly rare.
Invisible at first, the defects appear as the sculptor grinds the stone or during the polishing stage. These are inclusions of ash, stains, or crystalline irregularities.
The losses are therefore considerable. For example, three kilos of well-selected raw stone are needed to produce a polished sphere weighing about one kilo.
The artisans often say that if they have bad thoughts while carving the stone, a defect will inevitably appear.