be different art

Featuring handwoven areas with open spaces, this composition is inspired and original. The technique has been passed down through generations of Mexico's Otomi people, and carried on by Edgar Trejo. He works with vegetable dye on handmade amate, or tree bark paper, which takes several days to procure through a complex process. Amate was a sacred material for the Aztec and Mayan peoples, historically used to write down and chronicle important events and trade, even serving as the bridge between the mortal and the spiritual worlds during religious ceremonies. According to Otomi traditions, the bark used to produce amate can only be extracted from a tree during certain parts of the lunar cycle, indicating the high level of respect held toward nature. With a freehand geometric floral design, this folk art painting is full of history. A spiral shape twirls in the center.

Artisan Gunadi weaves traditional Javanese batik motifs into a symphony of carved florals in this exquisite ganitri wood jewelry box. The soft velvet interior provides a gentle bed for your treasured accessories while the box itself serves as a breathtaking accent piece that celebrates the timeless beauty of Indonesian craftsmanship in your space.

Looking every bit the product of a fever dream that alebrijes are, this outlandishly-decorated owl sculpture is crafted by hand from copal wood by Mexican artisans Jesus and Roxana Hernandez. "Mastering the art of alebrijes requires practice, discipline and much love," says Jesus. "Roxana is expert at decorating the sculptures and her delicate hands convey beauty, from fine geometric patterns to flowers. Her designs are unique and elegantly detailed."

The alebrije tradition started with Mexico City papier mache artisan Pedro Linares (1906-1992). When he was 30, he fell into a coma due to serious illness. While he was unconscious, he dreamed 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. Upon recovering, Linares recreated these figures in bright colors using papier mache techniques and called them alebrijes. His work became famous and was one of the main influences of artisans in the state of Oaxaca who began crafting alebrijes of their own using traditional wood carving methods.