beautiful cross

Impressive carving work following the traditional Balinese technique has the starring role in this awe-inspiring wall cross handcrafted from suar wood. Artisan Made Mulyani designs this exquisite wall art which is painted by hand in beautiful shades of green, red and gold with an antique finish and a lovely flower at the center.

Practical and beautiful, this hand-painted cedar wood bookmark by Guatemalan artisan Meliza Tzay is sure to become a cherished keepsake. Skillfully crafted to resemble a vintage turquoise door, it is the perfect way to mark your place in your favorite book. The convenient yellow tassel makes it easy to keep track of your reading progress while the distressed finish adds a touch of charm and character.

Asunta Pelaez paints beautiful motifs by hand on glass panes that cover this decorative box. Featuring elegant butterflies that explore a floral garden against a purple background, it is the perfect home accessory for storing small items.

Lotus lovers will adore this pair of lacquerware boxes from Subin Tositarat. Thai artisans hand carve the pair from mango wood, coating each box in several layers of glossy black lacquer for a beautiful shine. The lotus motif shimmers, created with 24k gold foil.

A beautiful blue hummingbird enjoys some pretty yellow blossoms on this tray from Peru's Felipe Giron. The tray is crafted in the time-honored method of reverse-painted glass, accented with platinum foil. The painted motifs are so lovely that you may find yourself reluctant to put anything on the tray.

Designed by Indian artisan Sajad, this strikingly beautiful pair of elephant sculptures will enhance the decor of any room. A mother and a child elephant are carved from weeping willow wood, covered in papier-mâché, and buffed to a smooth finish. Oil paints in magnificent golden hues cover the regal elephant with a robe of chinar leaves.

Designed by Indian artisan Sajad, this strikingly beautiful pair of elephant sculptures---featuring a mother elephant and her child--will enhance the decor of any room. Each sculpture is carved from weeping willow wood, covered in papier-mâché, and buffed to a smooth finish. Oil paints in magnificent hues of deep green and peach cover each sculpture with a glossy, floral robe.

Designed by Indian artisan Sajad, this strikingly beautiful set of elephant sculptures — featuring a mother elephant and her child — will enhance the decor of any room. Each sculpture is carved from weeping willow wood, covered in papier-maché, and buffed to a smooth finish. Oil paints in magnificent gold and blue cover each black sculpture with a glossy, floral robe.

Alebrijes are often a hybrid of real animals, such as elephants and crocodiles, or they can be more fantastical creatures, such as dragons. Artisan Teresita Gonzalez of Xoxocotlan in the Mexican state of Oaxaca creates an elaborately hand carved copal wood alebrije dragonfly, or libelula. The insect is beautifully painted in bold red with accents of black, blue and yellow. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

It is said that Oaxaca's alebrije tradition descends directly from Mexico City artisan Pedro Linares (1906-1992). When he was 30, he became seriously ill and fell into a sort of coma. While he was unconscious, he had a most fantastic dream. He was caught between the land of the living and the dead; the place looked like a forest and was populated with creatures with body parts belonging to different animals. The beings repeatedly uttered the word alebrije, and when Linares woke up, he recreated these figures in vivid colors using papier mache techniques and called them alebrijes . His work became famous and eventually influenced artisans in the state of Oaxaca who decided to craft alebrijes using traditional wood carving methods and according to that region's world vision.

A rotund fish with big eyes swims sinuously in cool rivers. Colorful motifs from Zapotec art and ancient temples cover the body and fins. By Manuel Cruz, this is a beautiful example of Mexico's alebrije art. The image is carved by hand of copal wood in the style of Oaxaca and meticulously painted by hand with tiny brushes. The finer details are created using a maguey thorn instead of a brush.

The alebrije tradition originated with Mexico City artisan Pedro Linares (1906-1992). When he was 30, he became ill and fell into a coma. While he was unconscious, he dreamed he was caught between the land of the living and the dead, a place populated with creatures whose body parts belonged to different animals. The beings repeatedly cried, "Alebrije!" When he was well, Linares recreated these fanciful figures in papier mache. His work became famous and inspired artisans in the state of Oaxaca, who began crafting alebrijes of wood.

The wood branch dictates the final form, thus size and shapes can vary slightly. Thus, each alebrije is an authentic work of Mexican folk art.