Arttepuy is a small business in Washington, D.C., that supports the businesses of women artisans across Latin America. Its name is a combination of the words “art,” and tepuy, which is a table-top mountain found in South America, especially Venezuela.
Tamara Barnabei, 53, is a Venezuelan artisan and the founder of Arttepuy. Initially, she supported Venezuelan artisans to show different aspects of the country besides their political situation. Later, she included all Latina-owned businesses.
“Arttepuy is not just about buying and selling a product; it is about each product having a mission,” said Barnabei. “Through these products, we can beautifully represent our countries and support artisans and artists taking their products abroad for the first time.”
Barnabei collaborates with over 20 brands from Venezuela, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico and Chile that make indigenous baskets, jewelry with recycled materials, woven bags and more. The collections are available on Arttepuy’s online store and distributed throughout the United States.
