Teresa Escalona Fernández is one of those creators whose hands and ingenuity keep an ancestral tradition alive. With her knitting needles, boundless imagination, multicolored yarn, and the joy of being useful, she brings unique works to life.

However, she is also dedicated to teaching others the wonderful intricacies of craftsmanship. This path led to the birth, 18 years ago, of her project “CrochArte y otras artes,” through which countless children and adults have seen their dreams and creativity take shape.

Our Amapola (as she is known in the artistic world) weaves together craftsmanship with stories, oral narratives, and history... Through onomatopoeic sounds, storytelling, and description, she weaves the threads of her stories. “Who are the Easter bunnies? How does a frog make its sound? Or what crafts are featured in the Jornada Cucalambeana?”

Teresa is utterly happy. From her hands spring ceaselessly not only crafts native to our culture but also universal ones, such as amigurumi (from Japan). Thus, her diverse creations enliven various spaces —not only at the Cuban Fund for Cultural Assets (FCBC) and the Cuban Association of Artisan Artists (ACAA) but also at the Jornada Cucalambeana and events in other provinces.

At 75 years old, Teresa summed up her feelings about the craft that captivated her since childhood in 26 words: “Crochet lends itself to countless creations, and our project draws on that, but CrochArte and other arts also work with buttons, ribbons, fibers, and various other elements of the craft. On the other hand, it draws inspiration from other artistic expressions. Sometimes, for example, I use décimas while leading the workshop.”

She, who was also part of the prestigious El Callejón de la Ceiba Project, sums up the greatness of her artistic passion this way: “For me, crafting has been a form of therapy. If I don’t knit something each day, I feel bad. Through this art, my imagination flows, my health improves, and I benefit…”

Escalona Fernández is also the author of the children’s poetry collection *Cocorioco* (published by Sanlope). However, she truly appreciates that this art form is passed down from generation to generation and is recognized —as it deserves— as a vital part of our cultural heritage.

Meanwhile, she finds satisfaction in her students' smiles and the words of gratitude from those who, under her guidance, discover a new purpose in life.