praying hands

The Montalvo Family of artisans from Peru hand craft this cedar wood carving titled St. Joseph and the Baby Jesus. Hand carved and hand painted, the panel shows Jesus as a young child cradled by St. Joseph. The halos for both are illuminated with bronze leaf.

Balinese artist Made Pasek Kusuma Wijay chooses to express his plea for world peace in a painting depicting a woman's prayer. "The state of the world is not fine, given the many wars, conflicts between countries and very heartbreaking human tragedies," says the artist. "Let us pray sincerely that the world situation will return to peace as we strive to live a more simple, carefree life with mutual respect and tolerance between our existing differences. Despite the conditions of the world, we always yearn for peace itself.

"Galloping across a surreal mountain landscape, a team of horses carries forward the hope of an entire society from the lofty reality of the highlands to the life of the commoner below. Riding on the back of a bird resembling the Hindu god of strength, Garuda, a faceless woman prays to the divine spirits, having passed through a period of blood and turbulence. Garuda also prays with his human-like hands as if to encourage himself to continue his mission of vigilance.

"Reflected in the grass of the mountains, the woman's prayers mirror above and below the path of the raptor, symbolizing the transverse support from across the country for her mission. A handshake arises from the woman's mind in a floral accord between two immortal parties.

"In a world plagued by conflict and the horrors of violence, the woman's prayer, the subtle handshake and the impressive flight of the god of strength prescribe peace for all of humanity. Realism cannot deliver this humane desire to reality.

"Scaled to surreal proportions, the woman's prayers make multiple appearances in increasing size, while the mighty bird soars above an entire team of horses, with various hands apparent."

The nativity of Jesus marks the holiest night in the Christian calendar and is depicted in this beautiful scene by Thailand's Duangkamol. The quiet nativity scene displays Jesus resting in his crib, while the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph peer at their newborn alongside a serene praying angel and watchful shepherd. The five figurines are handcrafted in ceramic, with a light aqua crackle finish.

Hand-embossed brass gleams on a colorful African mask by Ralph Kwasi Agudze. Red and green embellish the handsome face and the personage opens his mouth as if to pray. An original design, the mask is named Atorna Wo, which means "God will respond" in the Ewe language.

Crocheted by hand, four Christmas trees with golden tinsel adorn the tree this holiday season. Guatemalan artisan Marleny Chajon creates this set of holiday ornaments.

With a faith as prosperous as the spring flowers, Mexico's Margarita Revilla invites you to let your hope and gentle heart guide you in your prayers with this wood cross. Inspired by the breathtaking landscapes of this blessed region, the artisan hand-paints a blossoming scene around the cross, featuring white petals as symbols of divinity.

With a faith as blooming as the spring flowers, Mexico's Margarita Revilla invites you to let your hope and gentle heart guide you in your prayers with this wood cross. Inspired by the stunning landscapes of this blessed region, the artisan hand-paints a blossoming scene around the cross, featuring cyan petals as symbols of peace.

Shaped by hand of blown glass, an angel lifts her wings and bows her head in prayer. Artisans from the Cooperative of Cantel create this reverent figurine as an expression of faith.

Because each piece is handmade, shape and size can vary slightly and tiny bubbles may appear within the glass. This exemplifies the hand-blown technique, making every piece a unique example of blown glass craftsmanship.

Kneeling elephants lift feet and trunks as though in prayer. Portly and powerful, elephants are an important part of Thai culture. They have been a symbol of both power and peace. From Kanda, each figurine is crafted by hand in the tradition of celadon ceramic arts, renowned for its subtly crackled glazed finish.

With hands folded in prayer, two angels come to life in Thailand's beautiful celadon ceramic tradition. Duangkamol crafts the reverent winged messengers as ornaments.

Fluttering butterflies are painted by hand against a field of emerald, decorating the reverse sides of glass panels on this decorative box from Peru. Following a meticulous process, Asunta Pelaez crafts the box of wood, adding with gold-tone trim. The lid lifts open to a single-compartment interior for storing small objects and accessories.

Sitting side-by-side with their hands pressed together in blessing or prayer, this husband-and-wife farmer duo adds a cultural touch to any home. Each figurine is hand carved from albesia wood. One wears green while the other wears blue, each accentuated by a distressed finish. Balinese artisan Koman Sulaksana creates this pair.