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Tabla de Sarhua
Until recently, a unique house blessing tradition was carried out in the village of Sarhua, located in an isolated region of Ayacucho, Peru. Houses were constructed with the help of friends from the community. The main support beam or tabla was commissioned to be put in place at the end of construction to serve as a blessing and decoration for the new home. The artist usually received inspiration for the story on the beam by understanding the history of the family. If they were farmers, then corn and potatoes were part of the story board. If the family were musicians, then the board would reflect that accordingly.
Pompeyo Berrocal Evanan comes from a long line of woodworkers and carvers, and specializes in these story boards. He usually tells his story from the bottom up and his use of a sun or a moon designates whether the activity would take place in the evening or during the day.
These charming tablas have a variety of stories and themes and one can understand the lives and families of those living in the Andes by reading a board!
View More Tablas by Pompeyo...
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Story Telling Crafts
It's a good thing there are lots of stories to tell: there are so many art forms used to tell them! From painting on wood, to paper mache, to using a needle and thread to tell a narrative - the options seem endless! Communities around the world use the indigenous materials available to them to re-create a family history or a special event. Not all story telling is passed down by word of mouth - it may be just as easy to understand a myth, fable or actual event through a slab of rock or a coconut shell!!
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Peruvian Retablos
 Under the Sea Retablo
Originally, the indigenous people of Ayacucho, Peru crafted small, transportable boxes with religious themes and they traveled throughout central and southern Peru carrying out religious rituals. This art form has come a long way since the mid-19th century and Claudio and Vicenta Jimenez of Lima, Peru use their imagination and artistry to create modern and whimsical themes within their handcrafted "box"! They have developed their own style featuring complex themes. Working with pasta they create elaborate sculptural humans, animals, vegetation and other aspects of various life styles as can be seen in this spectacular underwater theater. This is definitely a one of a kind retablo!
View More Peruvian Retablos...
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Textile Story Telling
 Narrative Textile Wall Hanging
This folk art comes from Zimbabwe, Africa which has ancient fortress ruins and the world's largest curtain of falling water from the Zambezi River at Victoria Falls. This art form is passed on from female to female. An older neighbor woman in the village saw that Elizabeth had some interest in sewing and taught her the appliqué technique. Elizabeth in turn has taught her sisters. Her designs show the daily activities of village life like hauling water, fetching wood, and village conversation. Her designs spark storytelling and conversation which is the centerpiece of African oral tradition of community.
The appliqué technique has a long history and is used in the creations by Elizabeth Savanhu from Zimbabwe, Africa. The appliqué technique uses one layer of fabric as a foundation. Then the artist works with the material by cutting shapes, arranging and rearranging, and shaping again. This step is repeated until the design is ready to be transferred to the foundation. The second step for Savanhu is the appliqué itself. Appliqué material is usually cloth but can also include beads, embroidery, and leather. Appliqué is a favorite technique for fabric artists because it can open up whole new designs.
View More Narrative Textiles by Elizabeth...
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Symbols and Molas
 Bird Mola
The San Blas Islands of Panama is an archipelago comprising of approximately 378 islands and cays, of which only 49 are inhabited. They lay off the north coast of the Isthmus, east of the Panama Canal. Home to the Kuna Indians, they are a part of the comarca Kuna Yala along the Caribbean coast of Panama.
The inhabitants used to wear few clothes and decorated their bodies with colorful designs. When encouraged to wear clothes by the missionaries, they followed their body painting designs in their Molas, which they wore as clothing. Stories of the flora, fauna and resident animals and birds are represented in various forms on the Molas.
Molas are hand made using a reverse appliqué technique. Several layers (usually two to seven) of different colored cloth (usually cotton) are sewn together; the design is then formed by cutting away parts of each layer. The edges of the layers are then turned under and sewn down. Often, the stitches are nearly invisible. This is achieved by using a thread the same color as the layer being sewn, sewing blind stitches, and sewing tiny stitches. This is an art form that has the potential to become extinct as the residents of the San Blas islands see more income when employed in the "cruise ship - housekeeping" business. |
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