small wood carvings

Raised in an Indonesian village known for its wood carvings, Sarwaedi is proud to present this striking puzzle box, hand-carved in the shape of a serious-looking owl. He works alongside his family to carve each piece by hand from local sono wood, opening to reveal a single compartment for storing small items.

Diligently carved by hand in an oval of suar wood, a beautiful tree fans its curling branches on the lid of this puzzle box from Bali. Sarwaedi creates this puzzle box, which opens with three separate pieces to reveal an interior for storing small items and keepsakes.

Gamal wood left in its natural shape and state is adorned with small mushroom figurines carved in jempinis wood by Bali’s Made Arsa in this dreamy wall art that will infuse your home with the warmth and beauty of nature. The mushrooms are meticulously painted by hand in their distinctive red and white colours for a decorative accent that will make any space ooze charm.

Lovely, open petal motifs are hand-carved of natural suar wood in this relief panel from Bali. Designed by Made Mulyani, it features a circular shape with a small flower in the center, bringing a natural vibe to your home.

Gusti Ngurah Semarajaya is a hardworking artisan from Indonesia, seamlessly combining wood carvings with painting. He designs this jewelry box, which is hand-carved from local jempinis wood. He paints the striking image of Bhoma on its surface, a fierce-looking god that is known as lord of the forest and protector of small villages. The box opens to reveal four small compartments that surround one large compartment, all lined with polyester velvet for storing pieces of jewelry. A convenient mirror is on the inside of the lid.

This handmade suar wood mask direct from Bali artisan Nyoman Subrata is just as beautiful as the goddess it was carved to represent. Cili, which literally means "small and beautiful", is a symbol of beauty and fertility in Indonesia and is meant to represent Sri, the goddess of rice and fertility. This intricate, hand carved mask is made from rich suar wood with unique wood grain.

Small wooden carvings, crafted as pegs, were driven into the ground by the Baule people of West Africa to guard the home. This peg is hand carved by Ghanaian artisan Salihu Ibrahim from local sese wood, featuring a double-sided horned mask at the top as the guardian.

"I see a lack of compassion between fellow beings these days and few people who bring about peace in society. The process to make peace for the common good in society and the world starts with the self, doing small things such as meditating and practicing mindfulness to solve problems for the sake of both peace and the world," master artisan Wayan Rendah says.

"My hope is that everyone can respect one other and respect the differences that exist to avoid hostility and injustice in life and society.

"Buddha's teachings promote inner peace and unity for achieving enlightenment, and Buddha has motivated many to transform their life choices over thousands of years, spanning periods of chaos and stability."

The Buddhist concept of a peaceful life inspires this hand-carved hibiscus wood sculpture depicting the serene face of Buddha, blessing all those within his presence. At the centre of a world suspended in equilibrium, Buddha seeks discipline and selflessness among the inhabitants of the Earth.

Standing in a relaxed posture atop a lotus flower, the wonderful Ganesha from Hindu scriptures is depicted in this sculpture from Bali. Capturing every small detail with a high degree of precision Wayan Rendah diligently hand-carves the elephant-headed deity from suar wood with a rich natural grain. Ganesha is known as "remover of obstacles," and is a source of guidance, peace, and comfort for many.

A Mayan noblewoman sits atop a base in this sculpture from Guatemala, hand-carved of cedar wood in the style of traditional Jaina-style sculptures. Jaina refers to a small island off the coast of Mexico where a collection of pre-Columbian carvings and sculptures were found. Guatemalan artisan Nicolas Chavez Sojuel emulates the Jaina style, adding cultural details to the subject, such as an enlarged cranium, scars across the cheeks, and small bulges on the left shoulder, indicative of ancient Mayan body alterations that were popular at the time.