Armando Lozano Ramírez lives just outside Oaxaca City, Oaxaca in an environment where a rich crafts tradition has been in place for hundreds of years. He first began experimenting with innovative techniques and out of economical necessity used one of the less expensive metals - bronze.

Today, if you enter the gallery of Maestro Lozano, you will be amazed at the diversity and uniqueness of his work in terms of form, function and size.

Captivating best describes the overall impression when viewing his exceptional art: jewelry and sculpture, handcrafted in bronze with acid-induced hews of aquamarine accenting most pieces. The intricacy of each one-of-a-kind design, with not only pre-Hispanic but also African influences is remarkable.

Apart from the foregoing historical and contemporary sources, Maestro Lozano receives his inspiration musing through his daily walks and bicycle rides that characterize his early morning ritual, or otherwise through quiet contemplation and meditation.

Armando is following the same tradition as many folk artisans - he is teaching his craft and tradition to his children. His wife is also an artist and her paintings and etchings grace the walls of the studio. Clients are more often than not pleasantly surprised at the affordability of such tasteful and functional original works of art, whether your interest is in a thought-provoking sculpture to adorn a coffee table or mantle, a necklace, pendant, bracelet or earrings.

The development of bronze technology and its varied uses was important because, suddenly, craftsmen were able to produce a metal that was very hard and could endure over time. Prior to the discovery of bronze, the most widespread metal was copper – a lovely metal that was too soft to hold up to aggressive use and quickly lost its honey-color sheen.

Bronze is an alloy, made from mixing copper, tin and a bit of lead or other metal. Even though the percentage of tin is frequently small (70% to 97% copper to 25% to 3% of tin) the addition changed the way that people, more than 5000 years ago, fought wars and lived their daily lives.

Much of the bronze process has remained unchanged throughout time – certainly, the essential interaction of the alloy, the 2000-degree-plus furnaces, the clamor of metal on metal and the deep emotional connection of artist to bronze endures. Some of the tools have changed - now the whir and whine of air-powered tools competes with ancient echoes of chisels and hammers. But the molten river of fire-red bronze still flows over time and change, and in the eyes of each artist captured in its spell.

If you are interested in more information on Armando Lozano, please contact Marianne Carlson at 01152 376 765 7485 or email mariannecarlson@gmail.com