gift for an artist

Crafted from ceramic in the splendorous Armenian region, this adorable feline lady comes to your home to add a charming and tender vibe to your interiors. Artisan Arsen Badalyan works long hours to create this cute cat ornament, equipped with a bell for an enchanting touch. Painted by hand in a palette of pink, green and ivory, the piece features a leather cord, making it possible to display this kitty's homey essence in all its beauty.

Thai artisan Saipin Vanichmongkol crafts these adorable Christmas owls in a set of three complementary colors that will be perfect for accenting any festive corner this holiday season. Pieced together from acrylic felt and featuring a cotton cord for easy display, these owls add whimsy and cheer wherever they are placed.

This adorable key fob is hand crafted by Claudio Ojeda in Mexico. The panda alebrije is carved from copal wood and painted in black and white and myriad patterns and shapes in pink and purple. The wood figurine adorns a stainless steel key ring. The artisan signs his pieces with the initials "T.C.", which represent his initial "C" preceded by his mother Teresita's initial "T". Claudio learned the art of crafting alebrijes from his mother.

The folk art tradition of alebrijes dates back to the 1930's in Mexico City. A man named Pedro Linares was taken ill, and in his fevered dreams he saw a strange land populated with curious creatures--a donkey with wings, a rooster with bull's horns, and a lion with the head of a dog. The beasts all shouted "alebrije! alebrije!". Upon his recovery, Linares began recreating the fantastical creatures he had seen in his dream. The art form gained popularity, and alebrijes are now made of wood as well as papier mache.

Mighty and regal, elephants celebrate Thailand's artistic heritage in a design by Jiap Rojjana. The brocade adorns a cotton shoulder bag trimmed with rain tree wood and a coconut shell button. The lined interior features a practical pocket.