Soraya Cedeno was born in a small coastal village in Ecuador, renowned as a haven for gifted artisans specializing in a relatively unknown raw material: Tagua. Soraya carried her love of her people and her culture as she traveled the world and looked for ways to give back to those who inspired her as a child. Influenced by high fashion in New York and Miami, Soraya works with local artisans in her hometown in Ecuador. This jewelry is not only organic, eco-friendly and sustainable, its creation provides unparalleled economic opportunity to the artisans who produce it. In support of this mission, Soraya developed a partnership with the Government of Ecuador to provide business management education and training to empower the artisans with professional knowledge and skills of management, communication and productivity.
Tagua by Soraya Cedeno is on display at the Stravitz Sculpture and Fine Art Gallery.