Mario Lopez Torres at work
From the beginning, Mario’s attention was drawn to artistic hobbies including drawing, modeling with clay and engraving. He was the apprentice of his father, a professional photographer for his first job.
At the age thirteen he entered a school of fine arts. Later, when he was twenty years old, he went to Altepeje/Puebla to study weaving techniques and began to experiment with metal frames. His next step was to go to the United States to acquire welding equipment and other special tools.
In 1973 he visited the renowned artists Ana Pellicer and James Metcalf and became a student of the couple for a season in metal handling techniques. With that education in tow, he set up his own craft workshop and began to combine the craft of wire structure art with the traditional work of chuspata weaving, a vegetable fiber that grows abundantly on the banks of the lake.
Little by little the workshop evolved thanks to his colleagues. His innovative and artistic products attracted a lot of attention among international designers.
Today, Mario continues to apply new designs and techniques. He continues to contribute to inspiring a considerable number of artisans and scholars to find and cultivate their own creativity.
