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“My name is Luis Fernando Martinez. I was born in 1960 in the beautiful department of Quetzaltenango; here I grew up with my parents and siblings. My father was a merchant and my mother a housewife. I continued my childhood in the capital of Guatemala, where I finished high school and university.<br><br>
“A few years ago I was very inspired by the beauty of African patterned candles and thought the concept would apply beautifully to Mayan textiles. I started just 6 months ago with a small group of artisans dedicated to candle making, who come from handicraft-making families for generations. This is an art that involves processes with a lot of dedication, patience and precision. They have almost 25 years of experience, and together we started working on this beautiful project. I make the designs totally inspired by the beauties of Guatemalan textiles, and they elaborate and shape each of these designs in a wonderful way in wax.<br><br>
“Candles bring magic as they are a manifestation of fire--one of the four elements--that has captivated humanity since primitive times; fire also represents purification. Candles are the most beautiful expression used in ceremonies and rituals, even the simplest ones, like lighting one for a birthday and making a wish before blowing it out. Our candles add the symbolism of the Mayan ancestors and traditions, as they are decorated with some of their most beautiful patterns and fabric designs. Beyond their ethnic dimensions, Mayan textiles contain multiple meanings of a social, economic and political nature, and most importantly, their cosmological symbolism related to the Mayan worldview. Today, without the need for great rituals or ceremonies and in the privacy of our own homes, we can still be mesmerized by fire in the magical light of candles.”
