earthy decor

A musician in traditional Ghanaian dress plays a kora (a harp-like guitar) in this beautiful work of threadwork art from Ernestina Oppong Asante. The artisan places the cotton threads one by one to create the colorful and appealing composition.

White rabbits chase glowing orange deer around an exquisite nierika, or votive beadwork composition by Kupihaute, which takes the shape of a flower with five wide petals.

The artisan, who writes fluently in the Huichol, Nahuatl, Spanish and English languages, talks about this work in his own words. "This nierika/mirror represents the duality of our existence. The rabbit symbolizes the permanent movement of earthiness reflected in the lunar mirror. The deer is the spirit that animates the movement of our wise memory, marking the spiral path of our ancestral cultures in permanent transformation and adaptation around the peyote-maize." The artist has created the word "eARThiness" to emphasize the word "art" found inside "earth." "For me, this eARThiness is very important and meaningful."

The intricate images are formed with tiny seed beads. Kupihuate patiently places them one at a time with a needle made of abalone shell onto a huanacaxtle wood backing. Beeswax is used instead of glue.

The process is totally spontaneous, with no previous sketch or design. It is guided by the artist's unconscious to tell the stories that remain in our collective ancestral memory. He signs his work with the symbol of a butterfly on the reverse side of the nierika.

Saint Benedict, patron of good fortune, infuses valiant energies into this suncatcher, whose colors evoke Earth's beauty. Artisan Alejandra Paiz of Guatemala uses crystals in ivory, yellow and brown hues to form the piece—crowned with a pewter Saint Benedict medallion. A brown polyester cord completes the design with convenience, whereas stainless steel wires ensure a glorious illusion.

Inspired by the mixture of pre-Hispanic cultures that characterizes Nicaragua, Arlen Estrada designs a stunning decorative vase to add to your home decor. The round vase is handcrafted of ceramic in earth tones, and features the image of two figures in relief holding hands. This design is repeated on the reverse side. The vase stands atop a hollow base with beautiful cutwork. Says Estrada, "I love crafting these pieces, since they have a touch of Nicaraguan ceramics, and they show scenes of our ancestors from their daily lives."

Formed of three blue peyote buds, a lighted candle is radiant in this exquisite nierika, or votive beadwork painting by Kupihaute. A butterfly alights on either side in his composition, which takes the shape of a flower with five wide petals.

The artisan, who writes fluently in the Huichol, Nahuatl, Spanish and English languages, talks about this work in his own words. "The nierika is a mirror that is offered to the sea together with the first corn that has been harvested, in order to renew the cycle of rains that will give life to the next crop cycle. As in most of the ancient cultures of our planet, the candle represents our trajectory between being born and returning. For this reason, even today, during the celebration of our birthday, it is customary to light and blow out as many candles as solar cycles have elapsed. The butterflies and spirals are indicating that existence is energy in permanent transformation between arising from and returning to earth."

The intricate images are formed with tiny seed beads. Kupihuate patiently places them one at a time with a needle made of abalone shell onto a huanacaxtle wood backing. Beeswax is used instead of glue.

The process is totally spontaneous, with no previous sketch or design. It is guided by the artist's unconscious to tell the stories that remain in our collective ancestral memory. He signs his work with the symbol of a butterfly on the reverse side of the nierika.

Guatemala's jaspe fabrics are varied and beautiful. A type of ikat weaving, the threads are tie-dyed before they are placed on the floor loom. Members of the Women Artisans of Santa Cruz cooperative place 15 jaspe flags in assorted colors and patterns on a decorative garland. "These represent Tibetan prayer flags," the artisans say. "Their colors have meanings of their own — blue is a symbol of water, red is for fire, green for air and yellow for the earth. The cloth is woven by hand with much love. Many Maya hands have touched each textile, and we're proud to use recycled fabric. For us, recycling is another form of promoting peace and prosperity for ourselves and for our Mother Earth. Please remember that your attitude when installing these prayer banners is very important, and we ask that you take a moment to wish for peace for people everywhere so they can receive the benefits of our blessings. We want everyone to be free and at peace."

Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association handcraft a ceramic replica of an Aztec calendar that will make an intriguing conversation piece wherever it is displayed. A replica of the Piedra del Sol, the "sun stone," found in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, the images in the calendar represent the legend of the fifth sun. According to Mesoamerican cosmology, there were four suns before our current sun, all destroyed, along with the people of the time, by the wrath of the gods. Faithful to the original, the replica is full of intricate detail and painted in warm, earthy orange, red, green, and beige. A sueded leather cord makes a loop at the top for easy hanging.

Working together, a man guides a plow pulled by oxen while his wife scatters seeds on the fertile earth. Nilda Amaro portrays a family of farmers in a mountain community where fields surround the houses and homes surround the church. Exalting families, neighbors and faith, she weaves the serene scene in a wool tapestry titled "La siembra de Arequipa" in Spanish.

Swaying and dancing to a hypnotic tune, Kokopelli abandons himself to the rhythms of his music. His long hair blows in the breeze as he pipes a plaintive melody on his flute. J. Blas sculpts the legendary deity in elaborate detail. He first cuts metal sheets and hammers them into three-dimensional shape. Welded together, they are adorned with airy cut-out work and finished with lead-free paint.

Kokopelli dates back to pre-historic times; regarded as a deity, he is usually depicted with a humped back, playing a flute. Ancient legends suggest Kokopelli was a Toltec trader who traveled from central Mexico to the United States' southwestern deserts and mountains, where he is featured in the form of rock art dating thousands of years. Kokopelli played his flute to announce his arrival and according to Pueblo legends, he carried seeds, babies and blankets in his hump which he offered to the maidens he seduced.

To the Hopi, Kokopelli plays his flute to draw heat from the Earth and thus make the seeds grow. His name derives from Koko ("wood") and pilau ("hump"). Kokopelli is believed to be present whenever life comes forth from seed – plant or animal.

Ayoma Alhassan applies calabash gourd to a wooden panel to depict people, a turtle and two lizards. Depicted in low relief, the motifs come from the Dogon people of Mali. Glowing earth colors distinguish a beautiful work of art.

Crafted by Ghana’s Samuel Lovi, this striking wall artwork features a traditional Dakar mask in rich, earthy tones. Lovi draws inspiration from his African heritage and utilizes natural materials such as banana leaves on cardboard, impeccably framed with sese wood, to create mesmerizing pieces that pay tribute to his rich cultural roots. This exceptional artwork is sure to capture attention and become a focal point in any setting.

A typical West African village is depicted in this wall hanging, with palm trees and huts in the background and a woman cooking over a fire in the foreground. Ghanaian artist K. Baka hand-paints the earth-toned wall hanging in acrylic paints on cotton fabric.