About Us
Calin
Calin Garcia is the artist behind Ayni Jewelry Art. A Peru native, Calin has spent 20+ years traveling and living all over the world. Endless cultural influences inspire his work including the Maori of New Zealand, India, Thailand and his native Peru.
The Tribe
Calin has a unique story unlike so many and yet, like so many street artists in Latin America. He spent 20+ years living by selling his art on the streets in every town he lived or passed by. He began his artisan life by making simple macrame bracelets when he left for his first bus trip from his home, selling a few for a bus ticket. In every town he arrived he would find the "Tribe" of artisans selling on the street. This sense of community is what allowed Calin and hundreds of other artisans like him, to survive with their art. Somedays there was money to spend, other days not, but the community supported each other to make sure everyone was fed and taken care of.
This artisan community is the inspiration behind Ayni, a name meaning "reciprocity" in the Quechua language, or "Runasimi" known as "The People's Language". Ayni is one of five and the most important principal of the Andean life, as it provides the backbone of life. Ayni is an exchange between humans, nature and the universe. Ayni - Wikipedia.
Ayni Jewelry Store
After years of endless travels and adventures, Calin settled down with his life partner and had two beautiful children. His life as a traveling artist evolved into opening Ayni Jewelry as an art store in the small Andrean town of Pisaq, Peru where it operated as not only a store but a community meeting place.
A family business
Since Ayni opened in Pisaq, Peru, it has been a family business. Calin now resides near Seattle, WA in the United States where his family helps him sell at markets and festivals and manages Ayni behind the scenes. You may meet his wife Celeste or one of his two children, Kantu or Illayuq, or all of them, at some point. Calin's family is dedicated to supporting him in his journey as an artist.