Agustín Torres Beltan’s origin is Nahuatl, a Native American tribe from the mountains of Guerrero, a state in Mexico southwest of Mexico City.  His father José taught him the art of silversmithing when Agustín was ten years old.  By twelve he was making his own money from his jewelry.

The challenge of blending the pottery sherds with the excellent Taxco silver is paramount to Agustín because each piece is different and the sherds are more difficult to work with than gemstones.  “The point is to make it all look like one piece,” he explains.

He works out of his workshop located in his bedroom and on the balcony of his Taxco home where his wife washes clothes by hand.  He and his wife, Luz Maria, have three children.