World Travel Art

Moroccan Kilim Rugs from the Middle Atlas Mountains

2013-08-25T13:04:00.001-07:00

The Middle Atlas region of Morocco curves from the coastal foothills east of Casablanca past Khenifra and north to the Mount Zerhoun area above Fes. It consists of rugged mountains and fertile valleys which are well suited to raising sheep for the wool used in the flat woven carpets with their intricate patterns.

The primary format in the flatweaves involves panels composed of one wide and two narrow bands with geometric designs separated by areas of plainweave. These days, most kilims have white cotton for warps because of its strength plus it keeps its shape and enhances the design elements.

The difference between a kilim area rug and a carpet is that a kilim design is made by interweaving the variously colored wefts and warps, creating what is known as flatweave. In a carpet, short strands of different color, usually of wool, are knotted onto the warps and held together by pressing these separately knotted strands. The excessive length of the knotted materials are then shorn off to create a level surface.

There are no precise statistics of how many women weavers there are in Morocco but it is estimated that still to this day 50% of women living in rural areas have a loom in their kitchen, sheep in their backyard and recently dyed wool hanging from their cloth-lines. Traditionally, before girls reach the age where they can start weaving, they help out cleaning and carding the wool and apprentice from the older women in the families. The first piece of finished rug is most often their dowry piece. From that point on the young women continue weaving until years later they become master weavers.

Kilim rugs are not just floor coverings. Some become wall hangings, some are bench or divan coverings and others are made into individual kilim pillow covers.

World Travel Art works directly with Berber women and provides access to markets which empowers them to define their place within the Moroccan carpet trade and helps to carry on a tradition that spans the ages.

Craftworks Cambodia

2013-08-03T13:20:00.000-07:00

Transforming Old Bomb Shells and Bullet Cases into beautiful pieces of Jewelry

Craftsworks of Cambodia is an organization working to provide training and marketing skills to home based producers through the sale of their contemporary products made from recycled and sustainable materials.

The jewelry artisans in particular live in an underprivileged community approximately 30 minutes from Phnom Penh. They have been trained and skillfully transform bomb casings and bullet shells into stunning jewelry pieces bearing the Tree of Life and other beautiful designs. Craftworks of Cambodia pays the artisans a fair wage that helps to provide for their families and support their communities.

Meet the artisans by clicking right here.

www.worldtravelart.com offers several of the jewelry pieces onsite.

The Medina of Fez - A UNESCO World Heritage Center

2013-05-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

Founded in the 9th century and home to the oldest university in the world, Fez retained its status as Morocco's cultural and spiritual center. It became a World Heritage Site in 1981. The Medina of Fez is believed to be the world's largest contiguous car-free urban area and conserves the majority of its original functions and attributes. It truly transmits a life style, skills and heritage that persist despite the diverse effects of the evolving modern societies.

The City of Fez is built into a concave valley and the Medina was built as a walled area that can be accessed through one of its eight main gates, all fairly spread out around the city's circumference. What one finds inside the Median is a maze of zigzagging streets descending in the direction of the city center and ascending as they head out towards the walls. This knowledge can be helpful when you come to the Medina for the first time or you get disoriented in it - which is very easy by the way.

At every corner of the streets, in every building lies the mark of traditional skills of the past. Traditional artisanal crafts are alive in the crafts and trading areas of the Medina and part of the Heritage Preservation of UNESCO.

World Travel Art has a wonderful, long term relationship with a Fassi (people from Fes), small family run business and the Artisan groups they work with. Handicrafts from Fes and the Moroccan Mid-Atlas Mountain are an important part of our Fair Trade and Eco Friendly products offered on site.

A Useful Definition of Fair Trade

2012-10-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

Fair Trade is a Trading Partnership, based on dialogue, transparency, and respect, that seeks greater equity in International Trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, disadvantaged producers and workers.

Fair Trade in Practise Such Trading Partnerships are active within a net-work of producers, importers, wholesalers, certifiers, labelers, retailers, and consumers who are challenging the status quo, and trying to right the injustices of international trade.

Farmers, artisans and workers in over 80 countries make scores of Fair Trade product types. The most common kinds of goods ex-changed include coffee, sugar, cocoa, chocolate, bananas, tea, jewelry, clothing, and housewares. Others include cut flowers, toys, furniture, art, sports balls, wine, olive oil, rice, spices, herbs & more.

For individuals and communities of producers, participating in Fair Trade has directly led to dignity, respect and improved lives. Participants often credit Fair Trade for helping them eat adequately, access health care, send kids to school, clean their water, care for orphans or disabled people, and manage sustainable businesses. Fair trade empowers low-income producers in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and promotes understanding between them and people of developed regions. The various models of Fair Trade use critical tools such as favorable financing, long-term relationships, minimum prices, community investment, capacity building, and sustainable environmental standard to enable marginalized people to help themselves.

Fair Trade Principles

Creating Opportunities for economically and socially marginalized producers.

Developing transparent and accountabel relationships.

Building Capacity.

Promoting Fair Trade.

Paying promptly and fairly.

Supporting safe and empowering working conditions.

Ensuring the rights of children.

Cultivating environmental stewardship.
Respecting cultural identity.

Transforming Seagrass into beautiful Purses

2012-09-12T09:19:00.001-07:00

When we founded World Travel Art we started right away to offer colorful, tatami style woven purses from Cambodia, made by Baskets of Cambodia. One of the Fair Trade Partners' Slogans says: "from humble beginnings come great things'" - we could not agree more to this! It is stunning how the weavers and purse makers transform the reed into these light, strong, fun and unique purses. Still today Seagrass Purses are one of our best-selling items on site and on outdoor markets.

The process starts with the selection and the precise cutting of each strand of seagrass that can grow as high as 8' tall. There is only one major harvest per year in the Mekong and surrounding deltas due to the monsoons in Asia.

The reed is then dried and dyed several times in certified, non-toxic dyes in order to reach the rich color of the finished product and hung to dry. Two weavers work then together on one loom to make the long, wide mats. One person threads each strand of grass while the other person operates the actual loom. The mats are cut into respective pieces to make purses, floor mats or place mats before being handed over to the sewing group that finishes the process.

It is confirmed by our customers again and again that these fine reed purses are great, durable and wearable year round plus make a great conversation piece when out with the girls.

Tips for Buying Green, Eco-Friendly Products

2012-08-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

There are no universal certifications or standards to identify green, eco-friendly products and only a handful of ecolabeling organizations (listed at the end). So when you are out and about trying to buy green, just ask some of the following questions.

Is the production process eco-friendly?
Think about pollution, the natural resources it takes to get the product on the shelf, are recycled materials used in the production, Human Rights and the treatment of animals.

How safe is the product?
Read the labels and keep your eyes open for chemicals or hazardous materials that are part of the product or have been used during production. Is the product safe for the environment, look for biodegradable ingredients or materials.

How much waste does the product create?
Consider the packing material and rapping the product comes in. What options do you have to despose the product after it wears out. Is the product recyclable ?

Ecolabeling Organizations:
Green Seal, USDA organic certified, Rainforest Alliance, Energy Star

Tribal Textiles-Zambia

2012-08-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

We are always on the search for additional unique, handmade, socially responsible produced products that we are proudly offer on World Travel Art .

Back when we were living in Tanzania, we came across fabulous fabric that was drawn and hand painted, then finished into stunning wall hangings, table cloth or linen, from Zambia. After some diligent research we finally found a wonderful source in Tribal Textiles and will soon be able to offer a variety of the beautiful products they produce.

Gillie Lightfoot, Director and Owner of Tribal Textiles, started the company more than 20 years ago as a hobby in a small Zambian Safari Camp she was living in. Having an artistic background, she experimented with different techniques and dyes. She was inspired by the wildlife around her and started to become engrossed in the textiles. Six years later she moved to Mfuwe, a more accessible area with more development and infrastructure. From that point on, the company was growing and has now a workforce of over 100 Zambians involved in the lengthy process of producing one of these stunning painted pieces of fabric.

Traditional Zulu Beadwork

2012-07-16T12:29:00.001-07:00

If you have travelled in South Africa and spent some time in the province of KwaZulu Natal, you might have seen some of the colorful beadwork, the artistic pride of the Zulu people.

Traditional Zulu beadwork was at one time far more than just a decorative art of weaving small glass beads into beautiful patterns. Designs and colors were selected and combined in various ways to create messages that helped regulate the behaviour between individuals of opposite gender. Zulu beadwork was and is designed and made exclusively by women, but worn by both sexes.

The bead code was and still is deceptively simple. It utilizes one geometric figure, the triangle and seven colors. The three corners of the triangle represent the father, the mother and the child of a family. When the point of the triangle is facing down the symbol stands for an unmarried man or boy, while the opposite is the symbol for an unmarried women or girl. The seven colours used are black, blue, yellow, green, pink, red and white. Each colour has two meanings, one positive, one negative, except white which stands for purity and love. When another color is used next to white it takes its positive meaning. Blue, white and black bands are a standard combination to show marriage.

A visit to Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

2012-06-24T10:42:00.001-07:00

We just returned from the Highlands of Guatemala where we visited with "Maya Traditions", known locally as "Fundacion Tradiciones Mayas" in Panajachel. Founded in 1998 by the late "Jane Mintz" (1943 - 2009), a social worker and weaver from California, the Foundation provides much needed assistance to the Maya people in the region surrounding Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.

Currently the foundation works with six community weaving groups that produce the beautiful fair trade backstrap loom purses and scarves that we offer on World Travel Art and expanded over the years into education, community health and artisan workshops next to maintaining a beautiful medical herb garden.

We had the opportunity to visit one of the weavers' groups about one hour drive outside of Panajachel in a remote highland village called K'iche. Five women initially joined forces together to find a way to make a living in a remote location like K'iche. Currently the group has 10 women and they are able to earn a consistent income while caring for their children, livestock and crops. All of the women do participate in the Foundations' health and education projects.

Backstrap weaving is a symbol of the life of a Maya woman. With the loom strapped around her waist and the other end tied to a tree or post, the weaver is an integral part of the loom and virtually connected to her craft. We are grateful for having the opportunity of working with this wonderful foundation and though we had not known Jane in person, her spirit was present everywhere we went through our visit.

Moroccan Thuya Wood

2012-06-02T08:24:00.001-07:00

Thuya Wood Tree

One of our best selling items on www.worldtravelart.com is a handcrafted Moroccan Puzzle Box made from aromatic Thuya Wood. (Tetraclinis Articulata).

The coniferous, small evergreen tree is unique to the foothills of the Atlas Mountains in North West Africa and gives off an aromatic odour for protection from parasites. It is one of only a small number of conifers able to re-grow by sprouting from the stumps, an adaptation to survive wildfire and moderate browsing by animals.

Moroccan Puzzle Box

For centuries, Thuya wood has been used for decorative woodwork, particularly wood from burls at the base of the trunk. Due to Thuya wood's limited supply and careful policy of sustainability, the focus is to produce smaller items like the puzzle boxes and in controlled quantities. The unique blend of burled grain in the wood gives a magnificent appearance and sets Thuya wood apart from other woods.

Artisans in Morocco are traditionally organised in souks that specialise in a specific skill such as wood carving, pottery, leather work amongst others. The traditional skills have been handed down from generation to generation.

Backstrap Loom Woven Purses

2012-05-14T07:31:00.000-07:00

The word "loom" (from middle English lome, "tool") is applied to any set of devices permitting a warp to be tensioned and a shed to be formed. Looms exist in great variety. Even though the backstrap loom is basic and humble, some of history's most beautiful and complex textiles have been woven on this simple arrangement of sticks.

Guatemala is one of several countries where this small, portable, and inexpensive loom is still very much a tradition and in use today. It is said that the Mayan goddess Ixchel gave the art of weaving to her people. Today's Mayan descendants still make use of that gift in generating beautiful textiles, accessories and woven bags for the local and international market.

The primary feature of the backstrap loom is that the lengthwise threads (warp) are stretched from a fixed device such as a post or tree to a belt that a person wears around the waist. By backing away from the post or tree the threads are pulled into tension.

The device that provides a method of separating the warp threads into two parts is called a "rigid heddle". It is basically two more sticks strategically placed in the middle that allow the weaver to manipulate the warps, move the heddle up or down to separate the threads vertically forming what is called a shed. The weft threads need to be packed tightly which is don with a beater which is often a comb.

In the western highlands of Guatemala the Mayan women typically used cotton yarn for their weavings and natural plants from their area to dye the yarn various colors. They still dye yarn by hand but also buy cotton yarn that's already been dyed.

The backstrap loom can make different widths of fabric. If a textile or cloth needs to be wider than what can be woven two pieces or more are joined together with heavy embroidery stitches. An example of this would be the skirt of the Mayan women, which if hand-woven would have pieces joined with embroidered stitches.

Visit our site for sturday backstrap loom fabric woven bags from Guatemala. A blend of indigenous weaving technique and contemporary color and design concepts.

The Batik Process

2012-04-24T11:32:00.002-07:00

Batik is one of the earliest known ways to decorate fabrics. Traditional methods use wax and dyes to produce an image. Batik images or effects are achieved through the principle of wax and water repelling each other, called resist dyeing.

African batik designs are often symbolic to the African culture, animals, village life, dancing and playing traditional instruments. The design can be as complicated or simple as the artist's desire.

Since batik is a method of painting a "negative space", the two Mozambique artists featured, have to envision the complete design in-between shapes and figures or draw the design on the fabric before starting the actual process.

The first step is to pour or paint hot wax on selected areas of the fabric and let it dry. Then the dye is applied to the un-waxed areas. With a series of dyeing, drying and waxing steps, the individual colors of the batik are applied. After the last application the fabric is hung up to dry. Then it is ironed between paper towels or newspapers to absorb the wax and reveal the vibrant colors and fine crinkle lines that give the batik additional character. The entire process of making a batik can take up to 2-3 days.

No batik will ever be the same. African wax batiks are made from 100% cotton. Framed or unframed, batiks with their gorgeous colors will enhance any room in your home or office.

African batiks are easily cared for. Simply sponge down with a damp cloth to keep them dust free. You may as well iron the reverse side on a very low temperature.

See our batik collection on www.worldtravelart.com

Traditional Zulu Baskets

2012-02-16T08:09:00.013-08:00

South Africa is famous for its tightly woven Zulu baskets and you can feel the mystery and essence of Africa in each handmade basket. Functional, beautiful, unique in size, shape and pattern, the baskets are made from indigenous raw materials. The fronds of the Ilala Palm (Hyphaene Coriacea) are used to weave the fine baskets and dyes of vegetable origin such as roots, berries, bark and leaves are used to color the palm.

Following into the footsteps of their mothers and grandmothers, girls learn to weave at early age. Passing down the craft has not only preserved it to this day but made the weaving of baskets a source of income to families living in the hills of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

The variety of traditional Zulu baskets goes from open bowls to bulb shaped watertight Zulu Beer baskets, bottle shaped watertight baskets, herb baskets or canister baskets. Each is unique and will add real African flavor to your home decor or table setting.

African Soapstone Carvings

2012-01-22T15:03:00.001-08:00

Soapstone is a metamorphic stone (also known as soaprock or Kisii stone) similar to talc. It has been a medium for carving for thousands of years. Kenya soapstone is found in the Gusii highlands in the western part of the country, near Lake Victoria and the town of Tabaka is the heart of soapstone crafts.

Mind by hand from surface mines, large stones are pulled by a team of workers and cleaved into smaller pieces for carving. The stone is then delivered to carvers who carve sculptures from the natural stone. The stone color ranges from cream, to pink, to brown, to yellow, to black, to a marbling of all of them. The carvers used to make mostly wild animal figurines, but have started creating contemporary abstracts, candle holders, bookends, domestic figurines like cats and dogs to name a few for export. The entire process is done with simple hand tools and no machinery is ever used.

Once carved, the craftspeople smooth rough edges with sandpaper dipped in water and polish the piece to a high gloss or paint African motifs in brilliant colors with etched designs that showcase modern African creativity.

Click here for World Travel Art Soapstone Carvings

Fair Trade Purses - Our Winners!

2011-11-29T09:49:00.001-08:00

Women love to accessorize! Purses are the No. 1 item we sell on crafts markets. We like to share with you our favorite Fair Trade, Eco-Friendly purses. They are fashionable, colorful, functional and make excellent conversation pieces.

Tatami-Style Seagrass Purses (Baskets of Cambodia).
These colorful, functional purses are made from natural seagrass that grows as high as 8' tall. All have a light colored interior with zippers and compartments. They come in various shapes, many colors and features that suit any preference.

Pop Top Purses (Mexico).
Made from 864 pieces of pop tops, this purse shows how the principles of "reduce, reuse and recycle" can be applied to make a fashionable and functional piece of accessory.

Recycled Tire Purses (India).
What a message these fashionable, "upcycled" purses carry! Rather than throwing it on the landfill, tires and inner tubes are recycled and transformed into gorgeous looking purses that are the talk of the town.

Check out our entire selection of Fair Trade Purses and Bags at www.worldtravelart.com

Conserve - Fashionable Upcycled Bags

2011-10-26T08:34:00.001-07:00

Born of a desire to reduce India's mountain of waste and to help some of Delhi's poorest living in the City's slums, Conserve India was founded as an NGO by Anita and Shalabh Ahuja.

Conserve started as a recycling project and was quickly confronted with the fact that especially thousands of plastic bags could not be composted or recycled locally. The founders combined expertise in engineering and creative talent lead to the solution. Conserve started "upcycling" the bags by washing, drying, and pressing them into sheets of plastic that could be reinvented as fashion accessories. The principle of handmade recycled plastic (HRP) was born.

Other examples of materials used by Conserve to reduce, reuse, upcycle and add value to waste, create income and jobs are:

Rubber tube.

The inner tubes of old truck tyres are soft and durable and a great alternative to leather. Once the inner tube is washed, it is cut into shape or patterns in a way that allows total flexibility in designing fashionable, functional and fun bags.

Seat belts.
Rolls of un-used seat belt material from manufacturers that would go to the landfill are used and woven together into fabulous bags.

Today, Conserve India employs and trains hundreds of people from Dehli's most disadvantaged communities. The generated income from selling the products is spent on social welfare projects and education in those same communities.

The products are a great fit with current eco-chic trends in the United States and Europe. They are functional, dramatic and make excellent conversation pieces.

Calypso Chile

2011-09-23T10:03:00.001-07:00

Founded in 1994, Calypso Chile is a family crafts workshop based in the neighborhood of La Reina, Santiago de Chile. Through perseverance, the family successfully built a sustainable business that supports not only this family, but as well the families of others. Calypso Chile creates, produces, sells and exports their fused glass pieces national and international to several countries worldwide.

As a member of the WFTO (World Fair Trade Organization), Calypso is operated under the principles of Fair Trade, ensuring that all of the artisans and crafts people are paid a fair price for their work.

Fused glass is a term used to describe glass that has been fired (heat-processed) in a "kiln" at a range of high temperatures.

The process of fused glass requires sheets of glass to first be cut into the desired shape. Next, the glass design is put into the kiln. As the kiln heats up, the glass contracts, expands, and adheres together. When the piece is melted to the artist's satisfaction, the kiln temperature is slowly lowered to allow the glass to cool down and avoid cracking.

Thera are three main distinctions for temperature application and the resulting effect on the glass. Firing the glass at the highest temperatures is a "full fues". The techniques can be applied to one glass work in separate firings to add depth, relief and shape.

All kinds of items can be made with fused glass. Wall hangings and jewelry are some of today's most popular pieces.

Women in Business Development (WIBDI), Samoa

2011-08-18T06:12:00.002-07:00

Talofa from Samoa.

Women in Business Development, Inc (WIBDI) was founded in 1991 as a small non-profit organization with focus on providing opportunities for families living in rural areas of Western Samoa. They do encourage the families to earn a living with the resources available to them, provide training, supervision and support plus give access to microfinance.

The strong family culture in Samoa shaped the way WIBDI is working. It focuses on individual families and not on individuals or villages. An extended family in Samoa can be a large community with members up to a hundred individuals. The head of the family is the point person and works directly with WIBDI. Over the years the organization found, that a family that can earn money for itself seems to be more committed to sustainable, long-term projects and willing to re-invest money into it.

Projects through this energetic group of women include traditional crafts like Siapo making, jewelry made from coconut and seashell, carving coconut bowls and fine mat weaving. A lot of the produced crafts are sold on the Samoan Islands and a smaller amount is send to overseas markets and retailers like World Travel Art.

WIBD started a bi-monthly organic market day in order to help rural organic farmers. All products offered on the market are certified by the "National Association for Sustainable Agriculture in Australia". Fresh fruit and vegetable, spices, cocoa, honey, pure cold pressed coconut oil and more are offered. Over time the markets became so popular that by now they seem to be part of Samoan way of life.

Women in Business Development clearly has become the link between small Samoan producers and the wider global market. They found ways to overcome obstacles like the remote island location, natural disasters and limited quantities that can be produced. The approach of focusing on individual families has proved to be successful and the strong, flexible mindset of the women in the organization will guarantee the success to go on.

Artesanas Campesinas (ARTCAMP)

2011-08-01T12:22:00.001-07:00

ARTCAMP is a rural women's artisans cooperative in Tecalpulco, Municipality of Taxco in Mexico.

Located between the hills of Acapulco and about 100 miles southwest of Mexico City, Taxco, in the State of Guerrero, is one of the oldest silver mining sites in the Americas. It has retained its natural charm and colonial ambiance with red-tiled roofs and cobble stoned narrow streets. Silver Jewelry making goes back generations and the final pieces were always considered exquisitly beautiful in craftsmanship.

ARTCAMP was created in 1991 after the local handcrafted jewelry industry almost collapsed due to broad changes in fashion and fierce competition from Asia. Before the collapse, many families were employed and buyers came from all over to purchase the handcrafted jewelry of Tecalpulco. Suddenly the pieces were no longer considered valuable and price cuts were forced upon the humble producers of Mexican artisans.

Especially in rural areas like Tecalpulco now a day it is common that single women support their families without the support of husbands or fathers as men leave the villages in search for work in other areas of Mexico or the United States.

When a small foreign-owned factory went bankrupt the women who worked there determined to try and continue to employ themselves joined together and formed what was eventually constituted legally as Artcamp SC de RL. In response to a desperate situation, the women persevered, drew strength from a centuries-long cultural experience, they generated new timely designs and production forms and ultimately found markets for their products.

The years of the early 1990s were difficult and they lived from job to job and from hope to hope but never stopped to improve themselves.

Over the past years the women of ARTCAMP became well organized, efficient and go about business in a professional way. They found new markets and work through and with the "Artisan-Owned-Direct-Distribution-Model" that allows the Coop to sell their fashion Stone Mosaic Jewelry directly to retailers in the markets of the US.

ARTCAMP has not been a beneficiary of grants or charity and by standard the women of the coop are poor BUT contributed in many ways to the community in form of expansions of the local hospital, language learning and indigenous literature projects, water projects and more. By organizing more projects, without concerning oneself with the fact that one has no or little money, the projects and the desired goals take giant steps into becoming reality.

Sculptor uses Nature as his Inspiration

2011-06-25T06:57:00.000-07:00

Animals and flowers are tucked into every corner of Paul Cummings' house. The creatures are not real, but cast in marble, alabaster, soapstone and wood. Using a chisel and mallet, and sometimes an air hammer, Paul uses nature as his inspiration and creates art that is not meant to be realistic but creates an intimate, friendly display.

Paul took up the art as a child growing up in North Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. When he was 12, he used a pocketknife to carve wood and turned it into wooden birds. His craft was carefully nurtured over the years and he is an artist for more than 50 years. Paul specializes in stylized animal forms, but had the opportunity to study many aspects of art, including watercolor, acrylic and oil painting, and three dimensional design next to wood and stone carving.

In the mid 70's, Paul began teaching stone and wood carving in the Palm Beach County Community Schools. This continued for a number of years as he expanded the stone and wood carving classes to his country home. He had 10 acres of woodlands and therefore plenty of space for an outdoor studio. In 2002 he moved out of the country and into the city and had to find a new studio space for teaching classes. He rented a building at a friend's local farm and was able to contiune classes. Pieces of his sculptures are found in many private and public collections in Florida and elsewhere.

Paul has not only a passion for carving but is as well a naturalist and outdoor enthusiast. He is a memmber of the Florida Trail Associations' Loxahatchee Chapter and part of a group of volunteers instrumental in trail maintenance in State Parks and other public lands. A remarkable milestone in 2011 is the celebration of 20 years of leading the annual "Big-O" hike around Lake Okeechobee on Thanksgiving week. What a great accomplishment !

Find pieces of art by Paul Cummings on worldtravelart.com.

Note:
Paul is working on one of his latest pieces on the picture shown. It is a sculpture showing a women looking at a birds nest, with a baby chick showing its head out of one of the eggs.

Haitian Steel Drum Metal Art

2011-05-14T07:06:00.001-07:00

Haitian Metal Art; a process of turning steel drums into unique, intricate works of art.

This art form was born in Haiti in the early 1950 by a simple blacksmith, Georges Liautaud. He repaired tools and created primitive metal crosses for the graves in the Croix-des-Bouquets cemetery. An American teacher encouraged him to expand his talent into the creation of decorative metal art pieces. A few highly gifted craftsmen apprenticed under him and the tradition has continued since.

Croix-des-Bouquets is still the center of Haitian Metal Art. When driving through the primitive streets, one can hear the "tink-clank-tink" coming from the homes of artisans.

Most artists purchase the used metal drums near the port in the capitol of Port au Prince. In order to turn a steel drum into a unique, intricate work of art, the barrel is stripped of its top and bottom, filled with dried banana or sugar cane leaves, and then burned for quite some time to remove the residue of the drum's former life.

Once done and cooled, the drum is sliced from top to bottom. By entering the cylinder and using body pressure it is opened and pounded into a perfectly flat surface. With a stick of chalk, the artist then draws the design onto the "metal canvas". With the use of hammer, chisel and other tools, the piece is cut, shaped and contoured to its completion. The final piece is coated with a protective finish and some of the products are hand painted in bright colors.

Steel Drum Art is a great and innovative concept of eco-friendly art. By supporting this art form and by introducing new designs and new market outlets, artisans are enabled to have a sustainable income in the poorest country of the American Hemisphere where unemployment is estimated at between 60% and 80%.

Explore Fair Trade

2011-05-02T14:16:00.001-07:00

What is Fair Trade ?

Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency, and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, disadvantaged producers and workers . (FINE, 1998)

In Fair Trade, artisans are being paid a fair price for their goods and receive up to 50 percent in cash advance when an order is placed and the balance when the order is shipped. A long-term relationship and continuity of orders is maintained so that the artisans can plan for the future.

Fair Trade ensures that the products offered are produced ethically and that quality and consistency meet the buyer's expectations. Fair Trade products keep cultures and traditional production techniques and materials alive by adjusting to modern and current trends.

Who started the Fair Trade Movement ?

Fair Trade traces its roots to 1946 when Edna Ruth Byler, a volunteer for Mennonite Central Committee visited a sewing class in Puerto Rico. She discovered the talent the women had for creating beautiful lace and the extraordinary poverty in which they lived despite their hard work. She began carrying these pieces back to the United states to sell and returning the money back to these groups directly.

The first US based Fair Trade shop opened in Pennsylvania in 1958 and in the late 1970s, US-and Canadian-based entrepreneurs who defined their businesses with the producers at heart began to meet regularly, exchange ideas, and network. This informal group would evolve into the Fair Trade Federation and formally incorporate in 1994.

In 1989, the World Fair Trade Organization was founded as a global network of committed fair trade organizations, aiming to improve the livelihoods of disadvantaged people through trade and to provide a forum for the exchange of information and ideas.

Since 2000, fair trade sales and consumer awareness have increased tremendously, as the range of fair trade products has also expanded.

Get Involved

Entrepreneurs, citizens, students, educators, community leaders, and many others remain the backbone of the fair trade movement (following tips and links are from the Fair Trade Federation website).

Fair Trade in Your Home

You can easily incorporate fair trade products into your home-life.

Fair Trade in Your School

At all levels, teachers and students are encouraged to bring fair trade into their school.

Fair Trade Your Meeting

Whether it's a conference for 800 or a small team-building workshop, you can bring Fair Trade to your meetings.

Fair Trade in Your Workplace

Whether you are looking for great corporate gifts or promotional products, a number of fair trade alternatives exist.

Fair Trade Travel

The Fair Trade Federation offers a variety of opportunities to meet and interact with fair trade producers while enjoying a unique vacation experience.

Since 2002, people in more than 80 countries have set aside the second Saturday in May as World Fair Trade Day, the first global campaign for the Fair Trade movement connecting producers, businesses, and customers around the world.

Thank you for supporting Fair Trade!

Bark Cloth Art of Samoa

2011-03-17T11:43:00.001-07:00

Siapo, also known as Tapa in other Pacific Ocean Islands is a bark cloth and one of the oldest and important symbol of Samoan cultural art forms. Special occasions such as births, funerals and weddings call for the presentations of Siapo. The preparation process involved in the materials used to create the cloth is an art itself.

The canvas of Siapo is the bark of the Paper Mulberry Tree. People have bunches of them growing in a corner of their plantations and the tree stalks are carefully tended so that they grow straight with very few branches. The tree stalk is harvested when it is about ten to fourteen month old or approximately one to two inches in diameter. The two layered bark is then stripped of the stalk in one even pull using a sharp knife. The soft inner bark (called bast) is separated and dried in the sun before being soaked in a bowl of fresh clean water to keep moist. The tough outer bark is discarded.

The next step is scraping with three different clam shells. This process removes the remaining bits of bark and green growth and softens and spreads the fibers. Then the narrow strip of bast is placed on a wooden anvil and pounded by a wooden beater. The beating process causes the bast to flatten and gradually spread out to become wide, thin pieces of cloth. The unfinished cloth is then being weighed down with stones to dry and bleach by the sun. Various strips are pasted together with arrowroot paste to create the various sizes of Siapo. Now the cloth is ready to be decorated.

Two techniques are used in creating the designs. The rubbing method called "siapo 'elei" and the freehand method called "siapo mammanu".

Siapo 'elei uses a design board called "upeti" to imprint on the bark cloth. The "upeti" has been covered with dye and an unfinished cloth is placed on it. The top surface is then rubbed to transfer the design from the board to the cloth. In the Siapo mamanu method, each design or image is hand painted on the surface.

The dyes used in decorating Siapo are derived from a number of plant sources as well. "O'a" is the brown dye and the base for all other dyes. It is extracted from the bark of the Blood Tree. As "o'a" ages, it darkens. It starts as a pale tan and matures into a rich dark brown. This dye is mixed with black dye, or "lama" that is made by burning the nut of the Candlenut Tree, "loa" the bright red dye made from seeds of the Lipstick Tree and "ago", the yellow dye made from Turmeric Root juice.

Traditional design elements used in decorating Siapo are typically plant or animal motifs or other images from Samoan life.

Morocco, Part 2

2011-02-22T15:35:00.000-08:00

Well, the last time we were together, I was recommending to GO NOW before it is too late. You might want to hold off on to buying that ticket for a little while longer. It seems that the flames of "freedom" are spreading to some of the countries that don't have quite the same issues but feel that a little revolution can shake things up. Let us hope it all settles for the best. Not just what is the best for tomorrow but what is the best for the future. Where will the North African region be in two weeks, two months and in two years? Hopefully for the better.

I wanted to return again to our October trip to Marrakech. Except for the burning down of the police station a few days ago, I would fly tomorrow as such was the positive jolly old soul the Djemaa el-Fna square has at night.

As in many cities near the equator and the hot lands of the world, when the sun goes down the inhabitants come out. The air is refreshing now. The breezes start as temperatures shift back towards the sands as they cool. Stars appear overhead and there is a sense of welcoming for the evening ritual of preparing the last meal of the day and the chance of making just a little more business. The souk or market in the old city center has been trading for as long as the first two occupants held something cherished that the other wanted. Walls lean against each other in communal support for the common goal of providing a roof over the latest generation of marketer. Fez has a more ancient feel with its narrow warren of streets and no machine driven transportation, but here in Marrakech that old hippy nirvana is still clings on.

In most of the third world cities night is not the place for the foreign traveler. Sure, there are those few restaurants and places to go to have a coffee or now check the internet, but security was always an issue in many of them and you traveled warily. Walking in the middle of the streets to avoid the alleyways, stripped of any goods and with perhaps some sort of shiv buried not too deeply in a pocket. But here it's different. This is not Nairobi or Managua or Detroit. Folks here know how to trade and know that a safe environment keeps the foreigners all happy chappies. Dark market alleyways are still best heeded as a potential hazard as they are now only filled with smells as the sounds and fury of the day's shoppers are gone. But, for the adventurous of us, if you keep a quick eye and use some common sense and don't play the part of the wondering lost there are experiences to be had.

It always seemed that showering off the dust of the day resets one's agenda. We strip off our valuables only taking enough dirham for our meal and prepare for an evening of dining in the square and perhaps a quiet walk through the market area. Most of the vendors are shutting down but as has happened three nights so far someone has to run back to the hotel and get cash. You think we would learn. And so it happened again. This fine evening dinner was had at Achmeds and his family tent in the main square. D and I had decided to take a new tack and headed off to work off the night's fare of merguez sausages grilled with olives in spicy tomato puree, fresh kalimar and fresh bread.

We had perhaps looked through a thousand shop windows in the last two weeks traveling back and forth through our part of the country. These nights were saved for the antiquities whether real or imagined but with a learned eye and good hand you can normally separate them out from yesterday's latest contrivance. As we strolled through the covered market walkways, we came to a junction and while we waited for it to tell us the way, we saw in front of us a small curtained window filled with those types of curios that demand a closer look. Glasses were taken out of pockets and fitted as we leaned closer in inspection. Here were two small brass hammers in scripted with carvings and symbols that we soon discovered were used by caravans for breaking up salt and sugar crystals, camel bags from the Touareg hung from the inside walls and all kinds of odds and sods that demanded more than a quick cursory glance. The owner of the shop came out and, of course, asked us in. We immediately said that we were just looking. Of course, he knew better as did we and as his window was so intriguing, we could not say no for very long. We all knew as we crossed his threshold that we had started the first step of the negotiation, even though we had not held anything in our hand and as decided a few hours ago, we aren't buying tonight...right?!.

We entered and immediately saw that here was something different, D found a pair of small brass writing stylus. Whether or not they were made yesterday or 200 years ago, they had to be included in whatever the endgame would be that was just gaining momentum. A signet ring with the seal carved out of lapis lazuli was next as it was taken out of a dirty cloth bag that stayed hid normally underneath a small three legged stool. It was made of silver and stood proud an inch above D's hand. Now if only we had a letter to sign and seal to the Khalif.

Twenty minutes passed onto thirty and we felt we had seen it all . We started to discuss in our mix of Marrakechi which is filled with English, French, Spanish and all other words and hand signs that any of us might have heard or seen that related to what we were about to do. We know how to do this, we thought. We say we don't really want it but he knows better as the item we are now trying to put back in its place have been in our hands the whole time. We are sunk, lassoed, tied and branded, hooked lined and sinker'd and we all know it. It was just a simple matter of what was it going to cost us to get out. He will say A, we will howl in pain and say Z, he will cut his wrists and writh in dignified agony and propose F, we will counter with an R and finally meet as best friends as the last business of the day around either side of an M. Simple, it just takes time, some mint tea and more time. A time honored repast and a terrific gentle way to spend an evening.

We mumble our strategy back and forth in pig Latin and can see our way out when he deftly changes direction. In a voice filled with all cunning innocence, he says "I have another shop with even more interesting goods just around the corner". The crafty soul. We are gaffed and filleted. We have no chance now as we exit and he locks the door and leads us down some recess into the bowels of the souk. The unknown is what causes us to travel and this night was not yet to be done. We left with our brass stylus and our proud silver signet ring and followed our man down through the night market alleys to his other shop and there we found.....him.

To be continued.

Mayan Costumes of Guatemala

2011-01-24T15:45:00.000-08:00

Weaving is one of the oldest Mayan skills and was practiced eons before the arrival of the Spanish. In Pre-Colombian times, the majority of the Mayan population were thought to wear long white cotton tunics, but after the conquest, wool and new dyes were introduced and the Mayan developed their unique textiles and garments.

Most present-day Mayan people live in the rural areas of Guatemala. Their costumes, like so much else in the Mayan world are not simply a relic of the past but a living skill re-created by each generation and each village and varies from one side of a mountain to the other.

The traditional costume worn by women is the huipil, a loose fitting blouse usually made of two panels of cotton fabric. They are woven on a backstrap loom with complex patterns and decorative embroidery and joined together along the sides without separate sleeve sections.

Mayan women do wear a skirt or corte with the huipils. They are made of loomed fabric up to five meters long and joined to form a tube into which the women step. The skirt is secured by woven sashes in bright colors and intricate patterns.

Contrary to the Mayan women's costume, today men's traditional costume is worn in only a few villages. Their clothes include superb weaving and designs and consist of pants, shirt and sashes in spectacular colors and imaginative patterns. The shirts and pants are usually machine stitched and decorative hand-woven collars are used to personalize the shirts. The pants are calf length with wide, straight legs and often embroidered with beautiful designs. Only the Mayan men carry tightly woven shoulder bags or mesh bags.

Although fewer men wear traditional costumes, the styles that remain are spectacular and diverse. The tzute is arranged as a head covering and additional tzutes may be worn over the shoulders. The tzute often marks an important member of the village.

The designs used in the traditional Mayan costume of both men and women are as diverse as their ancient history and provide a delight for the eyes for the adventorous traveler.