paintings

First used hundreds of years ago to add dynamic texture and complexity to Hindu temples, Indian artists are perpetuating ancient styles in their present-day creations. Contemporary Indian artist Neelima Gupta interprets this tradition with her painting 'Bouquet of Flowers', which she painstakingly shapes over the course of a week by mixing marble powder to form a dough that she extrudes to give relief to the topographical imagery combining birds and flowers, over which she paints to bring nature to life. To highlight the scene's depth, Gupta surrounds the painting in a vertical neem wood frame.

The people hold up the African continent in this wall panel by Ghanaian artist Winfred Ansah Okoampah. This piece is skillfully carved from sese wood. A woman's face in profile is deftly integrated atop the continent. The artist finishes the carving with a sheen of black paint, accented with touches of color.

Henry Acquah's mask design features a brown and yellow-painted face embellished with aluminum plating, along with two long wooden extensions above and below the main part of the mask. Made from local sese wood, the artisan hand carves the mask and dries it for two weeks before sandpapering and then painting the finished product.

Golden and vibrant hues illustrate the splendor of the ancient Indian Dynasty, all captured in an exquisite elephant sculpture by Ashish Mehta. The artisan works on neem wood to recreate the magnificent image of the elephant, painting in a black base hue that allows Ashish to add an intricate floral and leafy pattern typical of the region.

Carved by skills artisans in his West African studio, this sese wood mask is the original design of Abdul Aziz Mohamadu. Entitled Ekon, a Nigerian word meaning "strong." The mask is further enhanced by the application of acrylic paint to add detail to its features.

Abdul Aziz Mohamadu's work has been exhibited in Ghanaian venues as well as in Nigeria and Benin.

Artisan Ali Ibrahim of Ghana carves a sculpture that represents a traditional West African adinkra symbol and proverb. A bird is depicted with its head turned backwards, taking an egg off its back. The word sankofain the Twi dialect of Ghana means to "reach back and take it"; in other words, to return to one's roots or take what is good from the past. The artisan carves the sculpture by hand from sese wood and decorates it with embossed aluminum plates and colorful paint.