Cuenca High Life

Where most woodworkers see problems, Ed Konderla sees possibilities.   "The wood I use would be thrown on the burn pile by most carpenters. It's unstable and gnarly, and it wouldn't work for furniture or general carpentry," he says. "It's kind of a paradox. For my... [More]

Cuenca´s  Museo de las Culturas Aborigenes, or Museum of Aboriginal Culture, is not your typical roadside attraction. Despite the fact that it is relatively small and privately owned, many consider it one of Ecuador’s best archeology museums. Operated by La Fundacion Cultural... [More]

With the notable exception of the Otavalan craftspeople and merchants of northern Ecuador, no other indigenous Ecuadorian community has maintained its ethnic identity like the Saraguros. Centered around the town of Saraguro, 80 miles south of Cuenca, the Saraguro nation, which numbers between... [More]

At 72, Cuenca ceramicist Eduardo Segovia shows no sign of slowing down. On most days, in fact, you can find him working in his Cuenca studio. "I still have the enthusiasm for creation. I can't imagine life without it," says Segovia. "Every day, I absorb the colors, the tex... [More]

Tucked away in the deep south of the Ecuadorian Andes, Vilcabamba is a place steeped in legend.   It has been called the "Valley of Longevity" for claims of its large population of elderly residents. Locals, and some scientists, say that it possesses special, almost magical... [More]

While Cuenca's real estate market continues to show strong growth, the inflow of immigrants from North American is only a small part of the reason why. "What's driving the local market is the return of Ecuadorians from overseas to live in Cuenca, or who are investing now and pla... [More]

Writing for the German magazine Der Spiegel in 2009, travel writer and art critic Otto Kirchner extolled the richness of Cuenca's tradition of arts and crafts. "Whether its ceramics, leather goods, jewelry, tapestry, painting or sculpture, the quality and variety of the work is exceptiona... [More]

Although it has been called the "Gringo invasion" in newspaper and web articles, Cuenca's influx of foreign residents hardly represents the action of conquering hordes. There is, however, no denying the city's growing popularity among foreigners looking for a new home. Cuen... [More]

[Editor's note: An exposition of the work of Cuenca cermacist Eduardo Segovia opens tonight at Larrazabal Gallery on San Sebastian Plaza and continues through mid-May. The show features new work by the artist and is titled "Compositions Between Black and Grey."] As a child, ... [More]

One of the great pleasures that many of Ecuador’s expats discover in their adopted country is art collecting. Even those who were not collectors back home take up the habit, smitten by the quality, variety, and sheer emotional force of the talent in this small Andean country. Anoth... [More]