Artisans

Handcarved wood sculptures & home decorBALI "'My children should have a better life then mine before.' Whispering this sentence always builds my spirit.""I was born in Sukawati, Gianyar in Bali on April 21 1970. My brother, Made Wirata, is also a wood carver and my wife, Made Mulyani, crafts masks of her own. In the town where I grew up, most people are wood carvers, and so was my family. "People know me as a humorist, a simple and fully responsibility man. From the time I was in fourth grade, I worked and paid my own tuition. I learned wood...

Hand-painted pinewood carvingEl Salvador "We've been able to provide work to people of limited resources, and we work together like a family, supporting one another. Today, my brothers and I assist our mother in all her activities.""We are from the warm and beautiful country of El Salvador. Surrounded by mountains, it is a privileged place in the shadow of the Cerro Miramundo with the coolness of the Cerro el Pital. Tourists interested in handicrafts visit our area in the Department of Chalatenango. "Our group, named 'Grupo Artesanal Madero de Jesús' in Spanish, was founded by my mother, Señora Aminta de Mancía," her...

Handcrafted home decor accents from dried calabash gourdGuatemala "We have big dreams and hope people everywhere can see our work. We hope you'll open your homes to our art."Born in Baja Verapaz, artisan couple Fernando and Lidia are known for their hard work, perseverance, and their love for their art. They work with the morro calabash gourd. "My parents worked with gourds and this is how I learned to prepare the materials, but it wasn't until I married Fernando that I learned more about this art. His family also worked with morro calabash. When we were at his house, his...