colorful skirt

Among certain ethnic groups in Eastern Ghana, the Dipo festival is celebrated each spring. The rituals and ceremonies usher young girls into womanhood, and signify that they are of age to be married. The young women may be adorned with beads that are handed down from one generation to the next. Inspired by the Dipo festival, artisan Winfred Korley carves a unique fertility doll of sese wood and adorns it with colorful recycled glass beads.

Among certain ethnic groups in Eastern Ghana, the Dipo festival is celebrated each spring. The rituals and ceremonies usher young girls into womanhood, and signify that they are of age to be married. The young women may be adorned with beads that are handed down from one generation to the next. Inspired by the Dipo festival, artisan Winfred Korley carves a unique fertility doll of sese wood and adorns it with colorful recycled glass beads.

Traditionally given to women who are hoping to become pregnant, this traditional akuaba fertility doll is created by Ghanaian artisan Winfred Korley. He hand-carves this rustic sculpture from sese wood, depicting a mother with her child. Colorful jewelry beaded with recycled glass accents this sculpture.

Jon Stuart Anderson forms clay by hand into tubes that feature colorful and imaginative designs. Cross sections are cut from these tubes and carefully applied on the body of this sculpture depicting a mother penguin and her chick. The loving duo is decorated with elaborate designs and patterns that include whale motifs along the mother's back and penguin designs on her belly. The artist has worked for 25 years to perfect this millefiori-style technique, which has allowed him to create intricate and amazing designs on his sculptures.

Colorful feathers adorn this gorgeous Gond painting by Vidushini in honor of mothers and their unconditional love. Drawing inspiration from nature, the Indian artist uses acrylic on handmade paper to depict little chicks asking their mother for food, a scene that can be found in several family portraits around the world.