original wall art

This lovely wall mirror is the original design of Peru's Gliseria Soto, who take inspiration from the gilded ornamentation of Cusco colonial art. The frame is crafted from wood which has been covered with lustrous bronze leaf. Surrounding the small round mirror at the center are yet smaller round mirrors and marquise-shaped mirror "petals".

Showing off her finery, Catrina is on display in this unique folk art wall accent from Rocio Pindter in Mexico. The small artwork is crafted from tin with a glass pane, and hand painted with a beautiful Catrina wearing a bodacious feathered hat. The blue metal frame is lavishly decorated with colorful flowers, fish and birds.

The original "La Calavera Catrina" was a zinc etching created by the artist José Guadalupe Posada in Mexico around 1910. Posada created the character, a female skeleton with an elegant hat, as a satirical portrait of Mexican natives who aspired to European style and denied their own heritage. The catrina has since become an emblem of Mexico's Day of the Dead celebration and a popular folk art subject.

A master of reverse painting on glass, artisan Flora Polo draws on decades of experience to create this original wall mirror in her workshop in Peru, merging a frame, glass, paint and patience to portray the warmth of her country. Peru's summery stylistic origins lie in the fusion of local indigenous and southern European cultures, especially visible in this wall mirror, which incorporates reverse painting on glass, a technique brought from Europe, with floral styles typical of local Peruvian art, crowned by golden borders and a rich turquoise hue nostalgic of the warm Mediterranean climate.

Kobina Asmah shares the magnificence of Ghanaian artistry with the design of this wall bracket. He carves the elephant's head by hand from sese wood featuring brass accents on the shelf's border, and embossed aluminum on the face. Using stones for the eyes, Asmah adorns his original design with a plethora of colorful glass beads.

Awudu Saaed shares his experience with the original design of this wall mask. He carves the sese wood mask by hand, decorating the face and shoulders with black and white recycled glass beads. Said to represent power, the horns on this mask give the mask its Hausa name, Kafo".

Reverse-painted glass, introduced to Peru in the 17th century, is now a revered Peruvian art form. The Ortiz Family brings to this craft a unique conflux of influences. Their repetitive geometrical and symmetrical patterns owe their origins to Inca pottery, but their coloration is drawn from the multi-hued blue and gold tiles found in North Africa and Spain. Our glass-topped wooden tray is handcrafted in the family’s workshop in Peru.