wool art

"I like making jaguar heads because they remind me of my Maya ancestors. To them the jaguars protected the fields and mountains. They regarded the jaguar as a deity who they honored at the beginning of a harvest," says Jose Canil Ramos. According to Maya cosmogony, the jaguar is represented by the Ix day of the Maya calendar. It symbolizes strength and vigor, as well as feminine and feline energies. Canil carves the sculpture by hand from pinewood and paints it with extraordinary artistry. Before finishing the piece he applies a mixture of soot and water to achieve an antique and weathered illusion.

Refined pinewood pieces portray the miracle of Bethlehem in all its tender splendor. Juan and Carolina, from Guatemala, put dedication and love into every detail that composes this nativity scene, inspired by the region's traditions and faith. The set includes the Holy Family, the Three Wise Men and two farm animals—each decorated with floral motifs painted by hand.

Mexican artisans Zeny and Reyna create this excellent alebrije sculpture, demonstrating their expertise in the Oaxacan folk art form. The whimsical sculpture is carved from copal wood and painted in lavish detail in a rainbow of colors.

The folk art tradition of alebrijes dates back to the 1930s in Mexico City. A man named Pedro Linares was taken ill, and in his feverish 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 ran at him, shouting the nonsense word, "alebrije! alebrije!". Upon his recovery, Linares began recreating the fantastical creatures he had seen in his dream in papier mache. The art form gained popularity, and alebrijes are now made of wood as well as papier mache.

Women working in textile studios in Rajasthan embroider and hand-bead the vintage fabric that adorns this colorful footstool, designed by Ganpat Mehta. Removable acacia wood legs make it easy to store, but a piece this versatile is likely to always find a use. Try it as a footstool, low table, or even extra seating at a party. Each footstool uses upcycled textiles in blue-green tones, but the unique materials ensure that no two designs will be exactly alike.

The talented artisan Kathiana Quispe transports the Andean style to the warm lands of Zanzibar, creating a convenient accessory for the sophisticated woman. Using suede, the Peruvian artisan crafts a generous structure equipped with an interior pocket. Then, brown leather accents add a charming touch to this shoulder bag while providing comfortable straps. As the final piece, a traditional wool textile adds the elegance of the region to the design, finished with a zipper closure.

Ganpat Mehta's artisan team gives traditional Indian textiles a second chance to craft this lavish ottoman footstool. Cotton and polyester pieces create a sublime patchwork in a palette of bright and dapper hues, completed by acacia wood legs that can be removed for practical storage.