Roberto Castro Hernandez

Mexico

Year(s) attended: 2009, 2010

La Casa de las Artesanias

Hammered Copper

It takes Roberto and his workshop of six men hundreds of thousands of hammer blows to complete one large copper vessel. The process of heating and hammering raw copper, shaping it and applying a hammered finish requires strength, endurance and tremendous skill.  At age nine, Roberto began learning the craft from his maternal grandfather by first tending to the fire. Roberto’s vases, bowls and candlesticks are made entirely from recycled copper and some pieces require continuous labor for days on end to be completed.

The indigenous people of Michoacán have been making hammered copperware since long before the arrival of the Spanish. In the town of Santa Clara del Cobre, copper artisans are still the center of the community’s economic and cultural life. Roberto is a celebrated and award-winning copper artisan.