Hands Around the World

 

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Mexico

 

 

These "Catrinas" are a traditional art form that is produced in one small village in Mexico. They are hand sculpted of local clay, fired and hand glazed. They are usually a beautifully dressed lady. The idea behind the Catrinas is that no matter how beautiful or rich you are, we all end up in the same place. The same village that creates the Catrinas also makes wonderful skull candle holders.

 

Purepecha Indians

The Purepecha Indians are a very traditional tribe living in the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico. They still speak their native Indian tongue and adhere to many of the ancient customs. They make charming sculptures from area clay which they hand paint. They combine Catholicism with their native beliefs resulting in wonderfully colorful and fanciful folk art.

 

 

Ortega Family

The Ortega family of Mexico is well known throughout the world for their colorful and whimsical folk art. Their works are represented in many galleries and books on folk art making this pieces true collector's items! For more Ortega folk art,  please see Religious Crafts.

19" tall x 16" wide. Item MxS1726 - $121.75

11" tall. Item MxS1734 - $68.50	7" tall. Item MxS1731 - $33.99

 

 

 

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico is famous for its wood carvers who carve fantastic creatures out of wood then paint them with meticulous and colorful designs. A very collectible Mexican folk art, these pieces are readily recognizable.

 

 

South America

The Indian tribes of the Amazon basin have long been known for carving animals from the lightweight balsa wood that is plentiful in their area of the rain forest. This type of carving is most typical of the Piaroa tribe and the sub tribes of the Piaroa - the Piapoco and Guahibo. Typical rain forest animals and birds such as the jaguar, armadillo, eagle and parrot are most often carved. Sometimes the wood is left natural for a very tactile, sculptural quality. Other times natural dyes are used as paint on animals such as the jaguar or armadillo. Colorful birds, such as the parrots or toucans, are sometimes painted with commercial paints. These wonderful pieces of indigenous folk art range from the size of a bench to a small child's toy. Pottery is very unusual in most parts of the Amazon due to a lack of clays. Although most tribes do have a tradition with some pottery sculpture and utilitarian pieces, it is now rarely found.

 

Peru

 

Very unusual, this natural branch holds two tiny hand carved and painted parrots, from the Peruvian Amazon, 16" tall. Item PrS1779 - $28.99

 

Ecuador

 

Parrot hanging on a perch, hand painted in Ecuador. Bird is approx. 12" tall. Item EcS1604 - $ 28.50

 

Brazil

 

Ticuna Indians [more about the Ticuna Indians]

Hand carved manatee by the Ticuna Indians of the Brazilian rainforest. 9 1/2" long. Item BzS1763 - $41.75

 

 

Piaroa Indians [more about the Piaroa Indians]

The Piaroa (Pee-ah-row-ah) Tribe lives in the Amazon rain forest of Venezuela. Their mode of transportation is by the bongo, a form of dugout canoe with which they navigate the tributaries of the Amazon. They collect the light-weight Balsa wood native to the rain forest to carve their sculptures. 

 

Piapoco Indians [more about the Piapoco Indians]

These beautiful sculptures are hand carved by Amazonian Indians from a heavy two-toned hard wood called Congrio.

 

Indonesia

Sulawesi - Torajaland

The island of Sulawesi is a part of  Indonesia. The most traditional area on the island is called Torajaland or Tana Toraja which means people of the mountains. In this mountainous area many people still follow the way of the ancestors. The most important event in their lives is their death when their souls are released. A Torajan funeral is a very expensive affair. Sometimes the body will be kept at home for months to years in order to save for a funeral. When the person is buried, a life like sculpture of them is carved. These effigy's are called Tau Tau. Tau Tau serve an important function for both the dead and the living. They are placed at the graves and also in the homes to protect and bless the living.

 

This beautifully carved Tau Tau is a pregnant house Tau Tau. This effigy would guard over the household and family, particularly any members that are pregnant. The left hand is held vertically to ward off evil from the family and the right is held flat to receive blessings. The forearms are removable and held in with wooden pegs. This rare and collectible Tau Tau stands 22" tall.  Item TrS1847 - $232.00

Close up showing the decorative carving on the breasts, stomach, and wrists.

 

These are Tau Tau similar to what you would see on the face of a cliff where the bodies are buried. When a new body is put into the cliff, a Tau Tau representing that person also joins the group of Tau Taus already there.

These pairs of small Tau Tau are hand carved of wood and dressed in cotton clothing. The carved details on the faces are very finely done.They are sold as a set with a man and a woman.

11" tall. Item TrS1797 - $42.75 for the set of two.

 

 

Borneo

Dayak

The Dayak are to Asia as the American Indian to the Americas. They are the native peoples of the islands. The Dayak of Borneo are in 12 major tribes. Isolated in the vast rainforests of Borneo, they were headhunters until the year 1965. At this time the Indonesian government negotiated peace between the tribes, although rumors of continued headhunting have occurred. The Dayak are a very culturally intact and interesting people, living much as their ancestors have for hundreds of years.

These traditional sculptures are hand carved in wood by the Benuaq Dayak tribe of the Borneo rainforest.

7 3/4" tall. Item BoS1796a - $29.99	8" tall. Item BoS1796b - $29.99

 

Bali

Fine Wood Carving

The sculptures below are carved in wood by hand on the island of Bali. Bali is known as the Island of Artists. When the Moslems took over Indonesia, the King at that time was in Jakarta, Java, which is still the capitol of Indonesia. The Hindu King fled to the small neighboring island of Bali. The people who he chose to take with him were the royal artisans, the wood carvers and stone carvers. As a result, the island of Bali is still primarily Hindu and is populated with the descendants of the royal artists. Their talents and abilities were handed down, hence the island of Bali is famous for it's art and is know as "The Island of Artists". These fine sculptures are carved with tropical hardwoods, Suar or Acaua are the most common types of hardwood used.

 

This unbelievable sculpture of the Chinese Earth goddess Quan Yin  must be seen to be appreciated. Totally handcarved in the two toned hard wood Acaua, this goddess stands 3 1/2 feet tall and is 1 foot 8 inches wide. Item BaS1852 - $935.25

 

Must see to appreciate! Hand carved table base of two toned Acaua hard wood from Bali features two large elephants with a round glass top. The Elephants are 25" tall and the glass measures 27 1/2" in diameter. Item BaS1226 -  $1338.75

 

 

 

Extremely talented sculptor Wayan Kardana from the island of Bali specializes in carving horses.   Wayan studied at the Batubulan Art School in Bali. Born in 1974, he has been carving since the age of sixteen.

 

By artist Wayan Kardana is this beautiful sculpture of two stags heads. This work of art is approx. 22" tall x 28" wide.  Item BaS1250 - $680.50

 

 

 

Like the elephant, this superbly hand carved dragon is actually a chair! Carved in Bali of two toned Acaua wood, it measures approx. 31" tall x 23" x 28". Item BaS1276 - $1623.75

 

 

Two views of "Lovers" sculpture hand carved in the two toned hard wood Acaua stands approx. 3' 4" tall. Item BaS1277 - $479.25

 

 

Dragon: BaS81 Md - 12" tall - $141.25

 

 

Hand carved kissing sculpture. Approx. 8" tall, Item BaS206 - $22.75	Hand carved adult and child sculpture. Approx. 8" tall, Item BaS700a - $22.75	Hand carved family sculpture. Approx. 8" tall, Item BaS700b - $22.75

 

 

Hand carved "Weeping Buddha" comes in two sizes. Item BaS965  Md. 3" in dia.- $10.25 Item BaS1498 Sm/ 2" in dia. - $7.25

Hand carved modern figure, 4" x 4". Item BaS208 - $10.25	Expecting Couple - Hand carved, approx. 12" tall. Item BaS706 - $38.50

 

 

 

Wonderful hand chair carved of wood. Also could be used as a plant stand or just a sculptural conversation piece. 28" tall. Item BaS976 - $309.75

 

 

The artists in Bali are also known for their whimsical painted sculptures. These are also hand carved, usually in a light weight tropical wood similar to balsa.

 

White washed Giraffes come in three sizes: Item BaS1285sm 3' 3" $60.75, Item BaS1285md 3' 10" $75.50, and Item BaSlg - $97.50

 

Hand carved and painted Pinocchio is 8" tall. Item BaS824 - $17.50

 

Cat Bird House - very cute and whimsical! 12" tall. Item BaU1210 - $38.75

 

Cat candle holder. 12 1/2" tall. Item BaS542a - $16.75	Cat candle holder. 12 1/2" tall. Item BaS542b - $16.75	Cat candle holder. 12 1/2" tall. Item BaS1209b - $16.75

Gecko candle holder. 14" tall. Item BaS541 - $22.75

 

Whimsical hooks are hand painted. Specify turtles, cats, or chickens. Approx. 4" tall.  Item BsS1311 - $6.50 ea.

 

Hand painted Piggyback Cat - no two alike. Approx. 9" tall. Item BaS1302 - $13.75	Hand painted Kitten and Cat - no two alike. Approx. 7" tall. Item BaS1303 - $9.50	Hand painted Fat Cat - no two alike. Approx. 3" tall. Item BaS1319 - $5.75

 

Hand painted one cat or dog on a chair. Approx. 3 1/2" tall, no two are alike, Item BaS1332 - $7.25	Hand painted two cats or dogs on a couch. Approx. 4" x 5", no two alike, Item BaS1333 - $9.50

 

Hand painted wooden hanging hearts, approx. 3 1/2" tall, no two are alike.  Item BaS1330 - $5.25	Little hand painted rabbits or dogs perch on the edge of a shelf. No two alike Item BaS1334 - $4.75

 

Hand carved wooden Jack-o-Lantern with removable top to hold a candle - 7" in dia. x 7" tall. Item - BaS1190 - $18.00

 

Bowl / Platter in the shape of a banana leaf - great as a fruit or salad bowl! 20" x 9 1/2" Item BaS214 - $24.50

 

 

Lg. hand carved and painted blue shore bird, " tall. Item BaS1004 - $36.25

 

Hand carved heron covered with bright dots.  Item BaS1003  20" tall at $36.25

 

Hand carved set of small chicken and hen, rooster is 4" tall and hen is 2 1/2" tall.  Item BaS371- $9.50 a set

 

 

 

 

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