About Us

Tulia’s Artisan Gallery is a Chicago-based woman-owned business with a mission to showcase high quality Colombian craftsmanship by collaborating with master artisans who preserve & strengthen the diverse cultures of Colombia. Tulia’s Artisan Gallery uses fair trade principles while collaborating with our artisan partners, most of whom are indigenous and Afro-Colombians internally displaced in Colombia. At least 5% of each sale is given back to the Maach Den Foundation in Colombia via CAF America, our US fiscal sponsor who vets international charities. Learn more here.

Founder & Curator: Karen Torres is a Chicago native and Colombian with a lifelong passion for both.

As the daughter of Colombian immigrants, I spent summer vacations in Colombia absorbing all the wonders and riches of my ancestors. I especially fell in love with the diversity of Colombia's indigenous cultures and all the different art forms they have mastered. Yet in the states, I continually faced Colombia's stereotype of drugs & violence. I founded Tulia's Artisan Gallery to show that art is Colombia's other export. I named my new business after my grandmother, Ana Tulia, who instilled in her children & grandchildren the values of unconditional love, wholehearted generosity, and unyielding service to both family and community.

With these values in mind, Tulia's Artisan Gallery offers the finest examples of ancient techniques mixed with a modern flair. We co-create with indigenous tribes or traditional artisans working to preserve ancestral lands, culture, and traditions. We provides a platform for these artists to introduce their treasures to new markets, contribute to their local economy and empower their own local communities.

Tulia's Artisan Gallery is a proud member of Chicago Fair Trade (CFT). CFT is the largest fair trade coalition in the USA, comprised of a dedicated base of member businesses, educational institutions, congregations, non-profit organizations, and individual activists. CFT increases support for economic and environmental justice through consumer education, advocacy, and promotion of local fair trade businesses. CFT is proud to be a local and national leader in raising awareness about and building support for fair trade and its principles of environmental sustainability, ethical production methods, fair wages, and safe working conditions.

On August 1, 2018, Tulia's Artisan Gallery was accepted into the Fair Trade Federation as a verified fair trade organization. Our acceptance into the FTF reflects our deep commitment to the principles of fair trade. We are joining a community dedicated to the highest standards of fair trade and the pursuit of a more just and sustainable world. Learn more about verified FTF members and the fair trade principles here.

About Us

PRESS

WBEZ Worldview, Sept 8, 2016

Voyage Chicago, April 24, 2018