FREE SHIPPING WITHIN THE USA ONLY, I WILL SHIP WORLDWIDE AT BUYERS EXPENSE HERE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS AN UNIQUE, ORIGINAL, SIGNED, HANDMADE HAND PAINTED ART CREATED BY HIGHLY ACCLAIMED ECUADORIAN TIGUA ARTIST "INES TOAQUIZA" The Descendants of the Condor "Pachamama and Pachakamak gathered the forces of the universe together to create the Sacred Messenger. Father Sun, Mother Moon, the rivers, trees, the winds, the stars, all lent their energies to the task. Taita Cotopaxi and Mama Tungurahua filled the sky with lava and Ash. Wise men performed ceremonies with fire and music. Amidst rain and lightning an egg appeared, and out came the child they had hoped for. He was a bird, a condor. The condor was to keep the people and the gods connected" INES TOAQUIZA Tigua art is extremely colorful and traditionally rather flat. This is why it is called “naf” art. However in the last decade, it has begun to integrate perspective, shading, and other more Western standards of what is recognized as “art.” The themes depicted recreate traditional life, with bucolic scenery, quaint adobe houses, sheep, llamas, and snow-caped mountains photo THIS IS AN EXTREMELY EXCLUSIVE PIECE BY INES TOAQUIZA. THE COLORS IMAGES ARE SO VIVID WITH RAW DETAIL WHICH CAPTURE THE STORY WITHIN THE PAINTING. THE HIDE SHEEPSKIN, AND FRAME IS HANDCRAFTED BY THE ARTIST. ADD THIS BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ECUADORIAN ART TO YOUR CURRENT COLLECTION. THIS PIECE IS HAND SIGNED BY THE ARTIST ARTWORK MEASURES APPROX 6" BY 4 3/4" INCHES Life in this cold Andean highlands isn't easy. People have wind-chapped red cheeks working the steep land most days a week and if rain is scarce, crops will die and force many to immigrate into the cities. Until the 1950’s these descendants of the Incas were not allowed to wear shoes, speak in Spanish or look at their masters in the eye. They have undergone tremendous oppression. Therefore, their art doesn’t only illustrate quaint country scenes; in more recent years Tigua artists have also began to illustrate these hardships of daily life. They paint the abuses of their master, women being raped by the military, and even political strikes reach the city of Quito! Therefore, these artists use their art as a voice to communicate not only the good, but also the bad about their every day lives in this remote region. A New Generation Julio Toaquiza legacy still continues as he has passed down his art to almost all of his seven children, including his daughter and nephew. This younger generation is very interested in reviving traditional Quechua values. They often illustrate Pachamama (mother earth) and Pachakamak (masculine spirit of creation) as well as sacred mountains such as Cotopaxi or the Illinizas. They often draw sacred animals such as owls, humming birds and condors. Some of these artists have even published books. One artist expresses his hope that his own people, as well as others, learn and value the Quichua cosmology. In the Southern Highlands is found one of Ecuador’s most striking Andean scenery: the Zumbahua and Tigua region. When slowly venturing up the road from Pujili Village, one finds a beautiful patchwork quilt with hues of green, yellow, and brown. These fields create a sharp contrast with the fuchsia and turquoise clothing of the native farmers of the region. A llama or a donkey, leisurely meandering down the road also adds quaintness to the area. Soon, the landscape becomes more dry and infertile. Then unexpectedly, at 3610 meters above sea level, stands the mouth of an ancient crater filled with bright turquoise water, in the midst of this desolate scenery. It is the sacred Quilotoa Lake, home of Quechua peoples for centuries. It is no wonder this beautiful and strange scenery has been inspiring Tigua artists to create wonderful paintings over the last thirty years! Tigua artists believe their art is a powerful instrument to transmit Quichua beliefs, traditions and daily life.