Corazón de Volcán is a Guatemalan project which creates designer handicrafts combining tradition and innovation nourished by Guatemalan roots and ZKLFK� UHÁHFWV� WKH� FXOWXUDO� GLYHUVLW\� RI� WKH� FRXQWU\·V�inhabitants.

At Corazón de Volcán, each piece is an object in itself, an object made for daily use; and at the same time, an object that attempts to connect with the volcano heart of the owner of each piece with those people that he runs across.

Inspiring messages, positive images and bright colors transform each piece into a valuable object, full of HQHUJ\�ZKLFK�LQÁXHQFHV�WKHPRRG�RI�WKH�SHUVRQ�XVLQJ�it.

Guatemalan artist Lucía Morán Giracca is the creator of this project. She has always been inspired by the visual riches of her country, as well as by the cultural diversity and intense history of Guatemala. Lucía loves objects made by hand. She admires the skill of Guatemalan women embroiderers and weavers, the secrets hidden behind each stich woven into every Guatemalan “huipil” (blouse) worn by native women throughout the country, dressing themselves in history and meaning, dazzling those who watch them go by.

Photo by Axel Dettoni

How did Corazón de Volcán begin?

Lucía, its creator, has loved embroidery since her childhood. To her, the mere idea of being able to create D�ÀJXUH��D�GUDZLQJ��D�SKUDVH�RU�D�FRORUIXO�ELUG�VWLWFK�E\�stitch is marvelous. And even more marvelous is the fact that these Guatemalan women have been repeating this ULWXDO�DQG�FUHDWLQJ�HQFKDQWLQJ�ÀJXUHV�LQKHULWHG�WKURXJK�generations, gradually modifying them through the years and the changes in fashion.

The basic concept of Corazón de Volcán is to bring together the skills and ancestral knowledge of Guatemalan weavers with new and fresh designs. To XQLI\�VWUHQJWKV��/XFtD·V�LPDJLQDWLRQ�DV�DQ�DUWLVW�RQ�RQH�hand and on the other hand the astonishing technique of Guatemalan weavers. A perfect combination!

The great variety of available material in the local markets of Guatemala, including lace, embroideries, fabrics, drawings, prints and many more, is a source ofendless inspiration for Lucía.

Besides embroideries, she loves the possibility of experimenting with appliqués, lace, serigraphy and all WKRVH�PDQXDO�WHFKQLTXHV�WKDW�ÀOO�HDFK�SLHFH�RI�Corazón de Volcán with energy.

How do we work?

Lucía designs the pieces, chooses the colors and draws the designs on each piece that later on will be embroidered by Guatemalan embroiderers.

In Corazón de Volcán we are associated with talented weavers who work from home. Such practice allows them to perform their daily activities, raise their children and work according to their own schedule. We also work with women weavers who make the pompons and other elements we use in our pieces.

Recycling and responsible use of materials.

In Corazón de Volcán we recycle traditional fabrics and use them to make our pieces putting them together with WKH�HPEURLGHU\�DQG�GHVLJQV�PDGH�VSHFLÀFDOO\�IRU�HDFK�piece. In this way, we are bringing back to life those used objects and changing their destiny.

We carefully choose each piece of fabric so that it may retain its meaning and become part of a new piece. In Co th

www.corazondevolcan.cominfo@corazondevolcan.com

Photo by Axel Dettoni

Tradition and Innovation

In Corazón de Volcán we admire tradition, respect cultural heritage and guard ancestral knowledge. We DUH� DOVR� ÀUP� EHOLHYHUV� LQ� LQQRYDWLRQ�� LQ� FRPELQLQJ�materials and in the value that comes from including new elements while respecting the traditional ones. We love transformation that results from risky experiments.

What Inspires Us?

*XDWHPDOD�KDV�VSRLOHG�XV�ZLWK�DQ�RYHUÁRZ�RI�FRQVWDQW�inspiration. Some of the many gifts that inspire us include colors on the front of houses, adobe villages, smiles of friends, the always present volcanoes on the horizon, colorful cemeteries, traditional festivities, giant kites, ancestral forces, the sky with its diversity of shades of blue throughout the whole year, the mixture of our Mayan ancestors and the grandparents that arrived later RQ�� HDFK� ÁRZHU�� HDFK� ELUG� LQ� WKH� KXLSLOHV�� WKH� QDWXUDO�diversity Guatemala, friends, parties, love, love and love for everything which surrounds us.

In Guatemala, the great variety and shades of colors DUH� DGMXVWHG� LQ� DQ\RQH·V� H\HV��PRGLÀHG�� WUDQVIRUPHG���We can appreciate here a unique combination of colors unlike any ever seen before.

There are 34 volcanos in our country. In a piece of land as small as ours, we have volcanoes that are in direct contact with the heart of the earth. In Guatemala it trembles, the land changes constantly. Our land is alive and breathes constantly and that is our our largest inspiration.

CUSHION COVERS

FC003 Hearts that share (40 x 40 cm.)

FC001 Hands and animals transforming (40 x 40 cm.) FC002 Flower with hummingbirds and lace (40 x 40 cm.)

FC005 Cushion cover with drops (40 x 40 cm.) FC006 Tree cushion cover made with hüipil pieces (40 x 40 cm.)

CUSHION COVERS

FC010 Hearts that share with lace (40 x 40 cm.)

FC007 Nahualá bird with hüipil pieces (40 x 40 cm.) FC008 Laces (40 x 40 cm.)

FC009 Laces (40 x 40 cm.)

FC011 Hands and animals transforming (40 x 40 cm.)

PILOW CASES

FA002 Seagulls ( 50 X 70 cm.)FA003 In my dreams, I find you (man and woman) (50 X 70 cm.)

A. FA005 In my dreams I find you (man and man)

B. FA006 En mis sueños te encuentro (mujer y mujer)

C. FC007 En mis sueños te encuentro (mujer y mujer)

D. FA008 Dreaming with a better world (in spanish)

A. B.

C. D.FC000 Back case, any option ( 50 X 70 cm.)

www.corazondevolcan.com

B001 “In the clouds” bag, with turquoise canvas (25 X 30 cm.)

BAGS

B002 “In the clouds” bag, with white canvas and lace (25 X 30 cm.)

B003 “In the clouds” bag with strip(25 X 30 cm.)

B004 “Seagulls” bag without pompom( 30 X 35 cm.)

B005 “My labyrinth” purse, with pompom(25 X 30 cm.)

www.corazondevolcan.comBAGS

B007 “Seagulls” purse with pompom( 30 X 35 cm.)

B008 “My labyrinth” purse, with wavy pattern(25 X 30 cm.)

B009 “I believe in miracles” shopping bag( 45 X 50 cm.)

B010 “I believe in miracles” shopping bagwith drops on the back (45 X 50 cm.)

B012 Purse with split face, medium size ( 12 heigth x 19 length x 10 width )

B013 Purse with split face, small size ( 8 heigth x 13 lenght x 6 width )

B011 Small round purse with pompom ( 20 cm. diameter x 5 cm. width )

BAGS

B014 Small purse “i believe in miracles” with birds( 12 height x 19 length x 10 width ) B015 “Awaken” purse (35 x 35 cm.)

B016 “Trunk” purse with complex flower ( 20 height x 40 length x 15 width )

B017 Tree bag with hüipil pieces ( 30 X 35 cm.)

B018 “I believe imiracles” bag with zipper( 40 X 45 cm.)

www.corazondevolcan.comCHANGE PURSES & ETUIS

M001 Blue etui with pompom ( 21 X 12 cm.)

M002 Etui of three overlapping laces ( 17 X 12 cm.)

M003 Etui with wavy pattern in citrus( 15 X 12 cm.)

M004 Vanity case with lace and wavy pattern, with pompom

(12 X 13 cm.)

M005 Change purse of lace and red wavy pattern ( 13 X 8 cm.)

M006 Change purse with colorful wavy pattern and pompom (12 X 8 cm.)

M007 Vanity case with lace heart and pompom ( 17 X 15.5 cm.)

M008 Vanity case with lace hearts and zippers ( 18 X 15 cm.)

M009 Yellow etui with pompom and zippers ( 21 X 14 cm.)

M010 Etui with colorful wavy pattern and pompom( 20 X 10 cm.)

CHANGE PURSES & ETUIS

M011 Etui “brasil”, with lace, colorful wavy pattern and pompom ( 22 X 16 cm.)

M013 Pencil etui with lace and wavy pattern( 20 X 6.5 cm.)

M012 Pencil etui with pompom and lace( 20 X 6.5 cm.)

M014 Change purse with pompom( 12 X 13.3 cm.)

M015 Change purse with polka dots and little virgin( 14 X 10 cm.)

M016 Vanity case with half moon and wavy pattern( 17 X 14 cm.)

www.corazondevolcan.comVANITY CASES

COMPUTER CASES

NC001 Vanity case with flower on white linen( 25 X 16 cm.)

NC002 Vanity case with flower on turquoise linen ( 25 X 16 cm.)

NC003 Vanity case with flower on turquoise linen ( 10 X 8 cm.)

NC004 Vanity case “awaken” ( 17 X 12 cm.)

NC004 Vanity case “instinct”( 17 X 12 cm.)

FO001 My personal labyrinth laptop sleeve( 14 X 10 cm.)

FO002 Laptop sleeve “in the clouds” with blue border( 28 X 32 cm.) FO003 Laptop sleeve “in the clouds” with turquoise canvas

( 28 X 32 cm.)

FO004 Laptop sleeve with lace and bird from nahualá( 37 X 28 cm.)

FO005 Traditional fabric laptop sleeve with lace ( 37 X 28 cm.) FO006 Laptop sleeve with wavy pattern in raibow

colors, with fabric from xela ( 37 X 28 cm.)

FO007 Laptop sleeve with pointed pattern and lace t-shape, with fabric from xela ( 37 X 28 cm.) FO007 Laptop sleeve with pointed pattern and lace

t-shape, with fabric from xela ( 37 X 28 cm.)

COMPUTER CASES

www.corazondevolcan.comPENDANTS

EARRINGS

CL001 Vibrant volcano( 8 X 5.5 cm.)

CL002 Trhobbing heart (brown) ( 6.5 X 5 cm.)

CL002 Trhobbing heart (black) ( 6.5 X 5 cm.)

CL003 Star( 5.5 X 5 cm.)

CL004 Tree with roots ( 6.5 X 5.5 cm.)

CL005 Fabric diamond shape( 7.5 X 7 cm.)

AR001 Blinking eyes earrings( 5 X 5 cm.)

AR001 Eyes earrings( 5 X 5 cm.)

AR001 Diamond shape earrings( 5 X 5 cm.)

LUCÍA MORÁN GIRACCAWho am I?

I am a Guatemalan woman, a creative person, a defender and lover of our cultural heritage. I am an archaeologist by vocation and a visual artist since birth. I am an insistent traveler.

My passion for color, for contrasts, for positive energy and for the power that is within objects made with love has driven me to work in different projects throughout my life and filled my path with research and encounters.

Why do I design handicrafts?

I love the idea of taking my art to different places besides the canvas or the walls and spaces of exhibition and transforming it into an object of every-day use.

The intimate relationship that can develop with a cushion, a purse or a pillow cover is an artistic expression in itself. And if on top of it all, this work of art is made by the hands of artisan women and contributes to improving their quality of life through their own work, we can say that the value of such a piece is multiplied.

The relationship that a human being has with an every-day object goes beyond simple necessity. To explore this world of possibilities while putting together the objects of Corazón de Volcán is a path I cannot resist.

You can view my work on my website www.luciaenazul.com or in FB as Lucía Morán Giracca.

Photo by Axel Dettoni