Altiplano
As a young artist and anthropology student, Shari Zarin, began making beaded jewelry for sale and trade on Grateful Dead tours. Her interest in people, culture and artistic expression led her on a path of extensive travel. With a shared sense of wanderlust, the husband and wife team, John and Shari are joined by many hands to bring you the Altiplano collection. They are based in southern Vermont and Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. They live part of the year in Guatemala, where they raised three children who call both the Green Mountains of Vermont and Lake Atitlan, Guatemala home.
Altiplano has been bringing fair wage and long term employment to Guatemala for over 30 years, all the while, their continued partnerships in the region help support education, family nutrition, environmental education and reforestation programs.