sea decor

Lavishly machine-embroidered, these dramatic cushion covers are designed by Amit Moza. Crimson poppies blossom on black cotton, each petal created with the aari chainstitch practiced in Kashmir and Gujarat. A slit opening at the back permits insertion of a cushion, and the reverse side is solid black.

Wearing a starfish in her hair, a beautiful mermaid sings of the sea. Mexican artisan J. Blas cuts and shapes the image by hand, adding details in glass mosaic.

Deborcio Choquecahua of Peru designs and hand crafts this vibrant tapestry made from an alpaca wool blend. Featuring three fish of deep red and golden-brown tumbling through olive green water, the artist says his inspiration is "to show the beauty of nature and the richness of the sea." The tapestry is accented by two rows of fringe.

The natural richness of the Costa Rican ocean marvels many around the world, obtaining the recognition of "Paradise on Earth." As those charming seascapes are inhabited by wondrous creatures, artisan Ruth Guevara creates an exquisite magnet collection, capturing the life in those blue waters.

The process starts with a round pinewood piece, polished for a lustrous look and equipped with a magnet. Ruth uses the sturdy structure as a base, completing it with a serene sea turtle and colorful seaweed entirely made from cold porcelain and painted by hand, showing the festive side of the sea.

Sleek sese wood and richly textured aluminum repoussé come to life as a fish. Carved by hand, this elegant sculpture is designed by Anna Yawson. She names it Akpa – "Red" in the Ga language.

These cute fish will fill your interiors with a colorful and refreshing aura thanks to their unique design. This set of four crocodile wood ornaments is hand-painted in Bali by artisan Candra Suwitra, who also adds polyester strings to each item.

The mystic chant of a mermaid will discreetly add magic and charm to your literary adventures with this sublime resin bookmark directly from the peaceful Salvadoran Sea. Artisan Sofía Mancía works with graceful artistry in this convenient accessory, adding sparkling details, a cute fishtail and a red tassel that completes the piece's marine enchantment.

Seated quietly, monks contemplate images of Buddha as they celebrate the Master's birthday with prayer and worship. Ryan Chappell captures a scene from Bongeunsa temple in Seoul, South Korea. At sunset, thousands of lanterns are lighted, and bells – some hundreds of years old – ring while incense burns. The temple's peace contrasts starkly with the busy city that surrounds it.

Chappell prints the color photograph on Fujicolor crystal archive paper and mounts it with a mat board passe-partout.

Photographer Ryan Chappell is continually inspired by his travels in Asia. In this original color photograph, a row of Buddhist monks is seated with their alms bowls resting in their laps. Morning alms are offered to monks, typically in the form of food and other necessities that a monk would use on a daily basis. As monks are traditionally not supposed to handle money, they rely on the good will of others for their daily sustenance. The photograph is signed by the artist and presented in a card stock mat.

A modern and elegant jar finely lacquered by Daeng Thanunchai. The concentric pattern, made of tones contrasting the black background, is an example of the artisan's modernization of lacquer works. A unique storage vessel for the den or office.

To complete this piece, raintree is firstly carved into the desired shape. A mixture of lacquer - obtained from the Gluta usitata tree - and ashes of burnt rice paddy husks is then applied to the object. Upon exposure to air the mixture dries to form a watertight seal that is polished before another coat is applied. This process is repeated up to twenty times, and a final polishing is executed with sandpaper. Then several coats of pure lacquer are painted on the object, with drying periods in between each coat.

The work is partially polished with sandpaper according to a predetermined pattern - generally concentric - and a few coats of different lacquer colors are applied to the surface and the object is left to dry for a few days. The process remains identical for each ensuing color, alternating lacquering and polishing sessions until the design is achieved. The final coat is washed with water and polished with powdered fired clay, offering an irresistible sheen.