News

Soapstone is mined and carved from great pits in the area surrounding Kiisi, Kenya. Smolart

Our Soapstone is carved by the artists of SMOLArt a group of artists who live in the rural village of Tabaka, Kenya, the heart of soapstone crafts. The name, a shortened version of Small, Medium, and Large Artists, refers to the size of the soapstone products the artisans make, not their stature. Established in 1990, SMOLArt is a member of the WFTO, and as such assures that the artisans are paid a fair price for their work. In addition, the organization support community development by contributing to projects that improve living conditions, education, and health of their members and the village at large.

Soapstone is mined from great pits in the area surrounding Kiisi, Kenya. The mined soapstone is then delivered to carvers who carve sculptures from the natural stone for the wholesale market, the color of which ranges from cream, to pink, to brown, to yellow, to black, to a marbling of all of them. Once carved, the craftspeople smooth rough edges of the soapstone with sandpaper dipped in water and polish the piece to a high gloss or paint African motifs in brilliant colors with etched accents.

All of the soapstone products we sell are completely handmade. The tools consist of household items from screwdrivers, hand drills, to switchblades. "Pangas," sword-like tools usually used for cutting down vegetation, are used to cleave the stone in the mines.

Turning waste into Art - Haitian Steel Drum Art

Metal art was born in the town of Croix des Bouquets, outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Companies from the capitol used to dump empty metal drums in Croix des Bouquets, along with other industrial waste. A local blacksmith, Georges Liautaud, took the metal drums and began combining them with iron bars to made elaborate metal crosses for the cemetery. His ingenuity turned waste into something useful, and a new craft tradition was born.

Caribbean Craft was founded in 1990 by a multinational group of young entrepreneurs, Caribbean Craft promotes employment in Haiti by training unskilled craftspeople, and by assisting the independent artisans through the introduction of new designs and new market outlets for painted Haitian metal art.

 Used metal drums are still used to create these impressive metal sculptures, although the high demand for these crafts means that the waste drums are now purchased. The metal is re-purposed by cleaning the drum by burning any residues that remain inside. The drum is then opened and flattened and designs are traced onto the flattened metal.

Using a hammer and chisel, the design is cut out of the metal to get the basic form of the piece. Then the creative detail is added. Every aspect of the design is hammered in by hand. The result is extraordinary. Once the design is finished, each piece is sanded to bring out the shine and beauty of the metal. Some pieces are left in their natural silver color, varnished for protection against oxidation. Other pieces will be hand painted in vivid colors.

Several artisans will often work on one piece, the most skilled responsible for the fine details. A large wall piece can take days to make, from start to finish.

Caribbean Craft's specialty is the brightly colored, artistically hand-painted Haitian metal art wall hangings. These hand-painted Haitian metal art pieces are truly works of art. Wall art designs include painted metal geckos, painted metal dragonflies and painted metal frogs.

Nicaragua traditional pottery - The Village Artisan

Nicaragua pottery artisans living in poverty, are organized in cooperatives, collectives or work in their homes with their families to make these fantastic vases for your home.

Continue Reading →

Tonga Textiles - Authentic Fine African Batiks

Founded by Zimbabwean-born artist, Jeremiah Makaza, this family run business has rapidly grown into a leading international exporter of Zimbabwean-made Sadza Batiks.
Set in the heart of Tynwald Industrial Park in Harare, Zimbabwe, Tonga Textiles is comprised of a dedicated team of artisans.

Through art, we believe we can make a positive difference in society. Tonga Textiles employs both men and women in the community. Through our training program, our artisans are empowered to work for themselves, thus alleviating poverty within the community. Tonga Textiles is a fair-trade company.
Our values of sustainability practices, quality and teamwork are at the heart of all our work.
Over the years, our products have evolved into contemporary pieces, showcasing the true essence of an African lifestyle. Our batiks are unique and every piece is authentic. The process is all hand-made and monitored to the very last detail.
Our goal is to not only meet your expectations, but to also EXCEED them!

Discover the essence of Africa with our Table cloths, Wall hangings,Table runners, placemats and cushion covers.

Fair Trade Starfish Project - Restoring Hope for the exploited women in Asia