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Las Piedras.- Known as the “The Town of the Artisans,” Las Piedras is undoubtedly one of the most prolific educational centers for visual artists dedicated to fostering culture and folklore through creative elaborations.

The Market Square is the gathering place for dozens of artists who, every Saturday, seek to hone their skills and participate in the Crafts Program of Las Piedras, driven by the municipality.

“On Saturdays, we have around 138 people here at the Market Square taking classes. The overall enrollment is about 300 per year. We graduate between 300 to 500 artisans annually. In July, each group from various art disciplines that participated in workshops from August to May come together for the ceremony,” explained Daniel Rosa Arturet, a native of Las Piedras and president of the Puerto Rico Artisan Federation, which is free for participants.

With 25 years of experience in the art world, Daniel Rosa Arturet, also a Master Artisan of the municipality and owner of the business Artuleather, is dedicated to crafting and selling handbags while also offering private courses for those interested in developing their techniques in the art of leatherworking.

“I’ve been involved with the crafts school for 14 years (Crafts Program of Las Piedras), where around 38 craft courses are offered, including hammock making, pottery, woodworking, leatherworking, metal embossing, mosaics, candles, and soap making. There’s ample opportunities,” remarked Rosa Arturet.

Marybel Rivera Pérez, another artisan involved in the program, specializes in clay art. She shared her experience since joining the initiative four years ago.

“I started taking the classes just for fun, but later on, I decided to create art and offer art courses... There are about 30 artisans from the Crafts Program who teach classes at the Las Piedras Market Plaza,” she emphasized.

“I am an English teacher; I teach kindergarten through third grade at Pedro Rivera Molina School in Juncos. When I was not working and during the summer, I took classes in painting, pottery, mosaics, and other disciplines at the Crafts Program of Las Piedras,” Rivera Pérez explained.

The artist, who teaches her courses on Saturdays from 9 to 11 in the morning per semester, mentioned that the participants typically include children aged 10 and older, adults, and retirees.

At the end of each semester, the group is required to present a final piece to show their progress. Then, if they want to pursue this art, they continue refining their work to evolve and create more elaborate pieces, such as Don Quixotes, oxidized nativity scenes, paintings, acrylics, and enamels. All of this is developed in each course,” she commented.

As for their accomplishments, she noted that out of the “hundreds of individuals who have completed the courses,” about 10 have become certified artisans. “There’s a young girl from Moca who started when she was around 10 years old, and now, at 15, she’s already certified. She’s launched a business with her mother where they sell their creations through their website,” she highlighted.

To learn more about Rivera Pérez’s crafts or the courses she offers, contact her at 787-685-9702.

Another picturesque artisan who displays his crafts at the Market Square is Juan Ramón Castro Castro.

“I’ve been crafting since I was born. When we were kids, we used to make wooden carts with tin can wheels, and I learned the art of making pilones from my dad, who made them for grinding coffee and other smaller things,” he said.

In Don Juan’s collection, you will discover kitchen utensils, key holders, and beautiful pens, each carefully positioned to highlight the wood’s unique grain.

“I started crafting pens about two decades ago and now I offer Saturday classes here at the Market Square to teach people how to make them along with wooden toys, plantain mashers, handles for various knives, and other small items,” he shared.

For more information about the crafts courses in the municipality of Las Piedras or how to join them, call 939-278-9551.