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Visiting Paseo La Princesa in San Juan guarantees an enriching cultural experience, which not only provides an opportunity to learn about our history and customs, but also to discover the talent of dozens of artisans who gather in the tourist area to promote and sell their crafted pieces.

Sisters Maritza and Iris Margarita Concepción, aged 66 and 65 respectively, are two of the artisans exhibiting their crafts there. Together, they create crafts using recycled paper while practicing other techniques like glasswork and artisanal jewelrymaking.

Maritza is an expert in glasswork. They create everything from beautiful and colorful paintings and plates inspired by Puerto Rican customs and traditions to jewelry using this versatile material.

“I work with glass crafts in three forms: mosaic, fused glass, and stained glass. First, I took a stained glass class, but then I developed mosaic and fused glass techniques. It’s like therapy because you get immersed in it and forget about everything else, besides the fact that it sells well.

Tourists and Puerto Ricans purchase items like flags, nativity scenes, and cultural items from me. That’s why I focus on creating pieces related to Puerto Rico, because they sell more,” detailed the artisan, who has been selling her pieces every weekend at Paseo La Princesa for nine years.

Meanwhile, her sister, Iris Margarita, has been dedicating herself to crafting items such as headbands, hair clips, lampshades, bracelets, rings, and rosaries from paper and seeds for 12 years.

“I retired in 2008, and after retiring, I wanted to use that time. I started learning with my sister, Maritza, and a friend; I continued to evolve my products, perfecting the handbags, and then I got certified. I was invited to Plaza Las Américas, to the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián, then I joined the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, and that’s how I’m here,” explained Iris Margarita.

Later on, the imposing sounds of the güiro proudly crafted by the Las Piedras native Jesús Lozada (JL Güiros) could be heard. Since 2014, Lozada has been exhibiting his creations in a tent alongside his wife, Awilda Díaz.

“The güiro sells all year round; there are good and bad days. When tourists come, they see her (Awilda) playing it, and they get excited and buy it. The local clientele is a little more selective because they know about music and what they’re looking for, whether it’s for bomba, traditional music, but they also come looking for their güiro,” the artisan affirmed.

Lozada claimed to be the creator of the 3-in-1 güiro, “which is a güiro with three types of ridges that serve as: a classic güiro for playing aguinaldo; the diamond, which can be used more for merengue or lively music; and the Cuban güira, which is for salsa, son, guajira.” All in a single güiro.”

And while “guaracheando” (dancing), we leave behind the güiro and encounter Don Luis Rivera Carrasquillo, an artisan who works with wood and was enjoying a game with a cup-and-ball toy. This retired art teacher spent 32 years teaching at the Universidad de Puerto Rico (UPR) in Carolina and now focuses on crafting wooden toys.

“I’ve been certified for 11 years now. I started in craftsmanship with carving saints, but they’re expensive and not everyone would buy them. Then I remembered my childhood, when we used to make toy cars because there weren’t any toys available and we didn’t have money to buy them, but that’s how we had fun. That’s when I decided to create something accessible to the public, and that’s children’s toys, which, starting at $5, are very affordable,” said the 69-year-old man.

Most of the toys crafted by Rivera Carrasquillo are based on original ideas that often require his hand-painting skills. He creates pieces with themes ranging from superheroes, flowers, and cupcakes to the Puerto Rican flag.

“Toys sell very well because when people travel, they bring back keychains for everyone, so they buy cup-and-ball toys here to take them to their countries. Sometimes, they even test their skills with competitions here between five or six people with the cup-and-ball toys I have on display. They record themselves, take pictures, and then take their toys back for their children and it’s a great souvenir,” emphasized Rivera Carrasquillo, who adds fun to the promenade every weekend.