|
Hand Painted
"Dove" Soapstone Ornament
These
colorful Christmas ornaments are made of soapstone from Kisii, Kenya that
has been carved in the shape of a dove and hand painted, decorated and
polished.
The
ornament has a cotton cord so you can hang it on your tree and bring a
little piece of Africa into your home.
The ornament
measures 3" and comes with the interesting info card.
As these are
handmade, each ornament will vary slightly but the basic design remains
the same.
Meet the Artisans
SMOLart is
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 products the artisans make,
not their stature. Established in 1990, SMOLart is a member of IFAT, the
International Fair Trade Association and as such assures that the artisans
are paid a fair price for their work. In addition, the organization supports
community development by contributing to projects that improve living
conditions, education and health of their members and the village at large.
Artisans carved
this ornament from soapstone mined in quarries in Kisii, world-renowned
for its quarries of soapstone, a soft natural rock that in its raw state
is variegated with veins of iron compounds through a creamy white, pink,
yellow or black rock. Kisii workers mine the stone by hand and craftspeople
carve the stone into functional and decorative objects. Once carved, the
craftspeople smooth rough edges with sandpaper dipped in water and paint
African motifs with etched accents. The tools used consist of household
items from screwdrivers tohand drills to switchblades. Pangas (machetes)
are used to cleave the stone in the mines. Soapstone is a form of talc
and is fragile. Chips can be smoothed with water and sandpaper. With proper
care this soapstone ornament will last for generations.
Payment
and Shipping Info
I
accept PayPal for payments, due within 7 days of sale.
Shipping
cost for this item is $3.75 (which includes delivery confirmation) in
the U.S., in Canada, $3.75 and Internationally, $4.50.
Save money on shipping: each additional win only .50 for
jewelry, book marks and ornaments only purchased within
5 days of original sale (US and Canada only).
Refunds
will be honored only if item is returned in original condition. The
refund price excludes all shipping costs.
Buy with confidence
and thanks for looking!
|