Eligio Rojas

Silversmith

©Artesanías de Colombia

Ornamental insects

Eligio is an innate jeweller
His pieces are inspired by insects
He has taught his craft

As a young boy Eligio Rojas showed a talent for using his hands and so he was encouraged to study jewellery. He had to make a lot of sacrifices to learn this art; the school was next to the airport, so he had to wake up at three in the morning and cross Pueblo Nuevo, Guataca, Guaymaral, and Mompox to get there in time. It was worth the effort, however, as even though he did not study at the school for a long time, the teachers there noticed he had astonishing skills. His career then took off. Since then, he has taught his craft, learnt new techniques, exchanged ideas with jewellers from other countries, and even travelled on account of his talent. Today, he has mastered the art of making ornamental insects, which include grasshoppers, dragonflies, tarantulas, cockroaches, and flies.

Interview

©Artesanías de Colombia

©Artesanías de Colombia

When and how did you actually start?: When I was a child, I had a teacher who taught me. Then, in ninth grade, I was offered the chance to enroll at Tomasa Najera School for goldsmithing. Although nobody had a background in craft at home, my father was a farmer and my mother died when I was 14, I decided to give it a try.
What is a special moment from your career?: I dreamt of entering Escuela Taller as an apprentice jeweller, but it was difficult. I arrived at my admission exam late and soaking wet. When the results came out, my name was not on the list. Suddenly, someone came up to me and asked if I was Eligio Rojas. I had attained the best score among my fellow applicants.
Do you master any specific techniques?: I master the art of making ornamental insects. Thanks to my assembly master, Armando Acuña, I learned the jewellery making techniques. From that moment on, both movement and volume have come to be my trademarks. Crabs and scorpions are my latest experiments.
How has your career evolved?: My career has never stopped growing. I have been able to teach my craft and exchange ideas with jewelers from other countries. In Spain, I was able to deepen my knowledge of gemology. On this journey, I discovered Madrid, Galicia, Salamanca, Toledo, Santiago and Portugal.

Eligio Rojas is a master artisan: he began his career in 2003 and he started teaching in 2010