wall decor plates

Bathing beneath the light of a stylized sun, three fish explore a watery world. Maria Isabel Cruz creates this piece, crafted using the dry rope technique, in which a wax mixture made of magnesium oxide and fat are applied to the outlines of the image or motif prior to glazing. The wax mixture creates a barrier that keeps the different fill colors in the design separate during firing, before burning off to reveal the blackened ceramic beneath.

A myriad shades of blue conjure a cool and soothing universe in this elegant nierika, or votive beadwork painting by Kupihaute. Scorpions scuttle purposefully around the center of the composition, which takes the shape of a flower with five wide petals.

The artist, who writes fluently in the Huichol, Nahuatl and English languages, talks about this work in his own words. "From the focal center of the nierika, the precious flower arises in spiral movement as the culminating expression of the deepest roots. The blossom is keeping in its entrails the seed that will disseminate the power of creative energy. This is symbolized by the scorpions that, in their wonderful body symmetry, show the essence of the power itself, since any imbalance in its mating dance, any missing the target, will cause its own poisoning and thus its own death. Therefore the symbol of cosmos, of order is shown in their mouths and the tails."

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.

With their bold geometric patterns, these square trivets from Thai Tribal Crafts bring a fresh take on Lisu hill tribe appliqué to any setting. Made from a durable cotton blend, they’re ready to protect surfaces or serve as a colorful wall accent, each with a handy loop for hanging up when not in use.