ARDIS at the CIDAP / Cuenca Ecuador
CIDAP – (Centro Interamericano de Artesanias y Arte)
Feria de Comercio/ Craft Fair
12-14 – April 2019
10:00 20:00 in the Gardens of CIDAP
Hermano Miguel 3 – 23 y Paseo Tres de Noviembre
Cuenca – phone: 072840919
Cuenca Ecuador – Many times I learn about events when the newspapers showcase the highlights – and the event is already over. This conference, with participants from Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Cuba and Ecuador, opens on Monday, April 08 (2019) and offers much more than the ordinary ‘Crafts’ fair! Mindo’s Diego Patino will speak about sustainable carpentry at 9:45 on Wednesday.
The schedule of events for April 08 – 10 (and location) can be found HERE: Conferencia 08 – 10 Abril/entrada gratuita.

Mindo Carpentry prepares for Cuenca ARDIS event
With profound respect for our forests, the Patiño family salvages driftwood from rivers, find beauty in old tree roots and discarded limbs. They create beautiful bowls, cutting boards – even earrings from the smallest items that many people might toss in the trash.
Diego, who is also the president of the Nature Guides of Mindo, graciously allowed me access to their workshop as they prepared the final items for the show.
The best treat, however, was seeing finished pieces displayed in their showroom!
If you plan to be in the Cuenca area, I hope you can attend the conference and-or the fair and say “Hi” to my Mindo friends!
For more information: Ardis/CIDAP
If you’re in Mindo, drop by their showroom!
The Patiño-family’s website: Mindo Carpentry telephone: 0981534809
With hit-and-miss internet, all mistakes are mine. Lisa
I love when people take what might be discarded or disregarded and make things of beauty from them. It’s the ultimate recycling. These are beautiful, Lisa. Thanks for sharing them.
janet
Thank you, Janet. They can make many unique items from the ‘carcass’ of one tree. I wish I could be in Cuenca to hear their presentation. Hopefully they will inspire others.
The detail in those earrings is impressive – so small, yet made with time-consuming attention to detail.
Looks good!
1:55 am Dublin airport Flight to London at 8 Then to Calgary Long night 😘
Sent from my iPhone
>
Long night of travel and more ahead. Buen viaje! Thanks for the thumbs up!
The smiles on their faces tell so much.
Yes, you are right, and it’s a joy to watch them work. Everyone busy with their tasks, but unhurried and putting heart and soul into each piece. Thanks, Don!
Such beautiful work. So much heart!
Alison
Thank you; yes, they work with smiles on their faces and in their hearts. The joy is reflected in their work!
Beautiful work. Keep up the excellent work.
Thank you so much; they will be thrilled to see the positive feedback!
Thank you for sharing this lovely work! I, like you, often find out too late about things that are of interest in the area. Like you, even when I learn of them in time, travel can be too far, too time-consuming or too expensive to attend. How nice to be able to see the artists at work, though, through your post. Thank you, Lisa!
It as my good fortune to have stopped by about ‘birding trivia/friendship’ and see their new showroom and learn about this event! Thank you Cindy!
This is how it should be: Taking from nature what it gifts us with but not exploiting it.
Well stated, amiga! Thank you, and they will appreciate your words when they have time to view the post! (they are in transit to cuenca and preparing for the week ahead.)
Such diligent and humble people one with the environment. Wonderful to be around such people, Lisa!
For someone who loves working with his hands it gives me a thrill to see a craftsman
at work producing such fine bowls, cutting boards, etc. What an incredible shop!
Any man would be happy to have this place with such a great variety of tools!
Your post and great photos do a great job presenting it all
Thank you Eddie. It’s always wonderful when we can admire work of others – especially when they produce such stunning yet practical items. The well-organized workshop was a delight – I could loiter there for days and watch, and admire the trocitos of wood, and bask in the calming energy of that family!
Oh Lisa, these found wood pieces are magnificent. And you’ve highlighted them so beautifully with the photos. I’m a real sucker for wood. If I were there, I’d surely buy! BTW, I love the knife/holder that appears in the top folder. The play of positive/negative space is stunning. I wish great sales for each of the artisans displaying at ARDIS.
Yes, they have done a lovely job of displaying the items, and many are true art! Thank you, and they will love your feedback!
Look at that wood! Look at those tools! I have a set of cutting boards made from felled trees on my friend’s hill country property: ash, black cherry, walnut, pecan all cut and fitted together. It’s wonderful to have the trees still with me, although I confess I can’t bear to use them as cutting boards. The differently colored woods are gorgeous, and the turned pieces of mesquite I have are irreplaceable. This looks like a wonderful event — wish I could be there.
I said the same thing, that it wold be difficult to use such works of art in the kitchen, but ‘why not’ if that’s where you spend joyful time preparing food!
Your joy leaps from Texas to Ecuador! If you were here, I’d say, “Vamos!” and we’d be Cuenca bound.
I am presently 7 hours from home, and I have no idea how long it would take to get to Cuenca from Poza Honda! It’s best to fit that well-dressed lady into a planned itinerary road trip. Thanks Linda!
Truly remarkable work, Lisa. Innovative use of tools to create exquisite artwork. Those lathes are impressive. WOW!!
Thank you – I hope that their work is appreciated in this upcoming show…. I predict success!
My husband and I watched the video several times this afternoon. Their work is beyond exciting. The way they made their tools was genius.
I hope that they’re able to read your comment while at the fair. Wow, thank you so much – they will be so pleased that you enjoyed the video!
I think you don’t get my posts on your site…as you always reply to others but I never hear back from you on your site…it is ok…but I do send you notes and love your blogs pictures and writing…admiration continues to grow.
Hola Gwen and thank you again for your kind words of support – over the years! Si, sometimes with limited time it’s difficult to reply to comments,but if I reply to one I try to reply to all.. Lo siento.
(Ps – I sent you an email)
I just thought of another possibility; sometimes I reply, hit send and assume it goes through, but perhaps it does not did not…
So good to see these hand crafts and designs.. So many skilled craftsmen and women whose talent often goes unnoticed.. Many thanks for sharing their gifts here Lisa.. ❤
Beautiful work! And I love that it’s also sustainable.
Thanks emilie!
Beautiful work! And I love that the wood is sustainably harvested! Lisa, I’m having trouble posting comments. I write them and they disappear. I’ve looked back at other posts, and comments there are gone also. Hopefully you see this. I’m reading!!
hey… si, it’s here and i see another in moderation… thanks – diego will be busy tomorrow on global big day for birds.. will you be birding?
I will be having a yard sale!
Well, I hope you have lots of egg money now!!!