Fourth generation wood carver, Arturo Aj Canil, finds artistic inspiration in his children.
Five of them. All girls.
"I'm the father of five beautiful daughters and I'm totally in love with them," Arturo says. "They are the ones who keep me going every day."
It's easy to picture his workshop in Chichicastenango, Guatemala, awash in color, masks lining the walls, the presence of his family in every hand-carved piece he creates. His masks take the shapes of animals — jaguars, roosters, lions — or warriors and skulls to honor the dead. His work is the stuff of legends and folklore, fantastical and full of life.
For Arturo, experimentation is inherent to the work of carving. He is a perfectionist by nature, so it’s not unusual for him to spend many months on a single mask. "My masks have always been the result of trial and error and, when I don't like something about them, I paint them again and again until I achieve something I really like."
He recalls entering a competition and struggling to get the piece right. Over and over, he painted and re-painted, but the image never matched the one in his mind. Finally, on the evening before the competition, inspiration came to him. In a single night, he created his masterpiece. The next day, he took first prize.
Throughout the creative process, family is never far from his mind. Not only his own family, whose needs and wants are paramount, but also the families of his customers who will look upon his art, hanging on their walls.
"I love to create images that reflect our customs and traditions. It's exciting to work with dedication because my designs are going to decorate your homes."
As we look to inspiring father figures across the world, Arturo Aj Canil captures our attention and holds it tight. Today, we celebrate him, and all those like him, who infuse family and love into their daily lives. |
