Beads + Sequins: Haitian Flags by George Valris
Tweet In west elm’s continued support of Haiti and the Hand/Eye Fund, we’re thrilled to include the work of Haitian artist George Valris — currently on display (and for sale) in west elm Chelsea in New York City. Valris’ work is an extension of traditional vodou flags — elaborate embroidery that includes sequins and beadwork....
Handmade in Haiti: Papier-Mâché
Tweet Is Haiti a rich country or a poor one? If you watch the news, you’re probably convinced of the latter. But when you visit Haiti’s artisans, the argument for rich is persuasive: they have a lot to share.
Rishtan Blue: Ceramics from Uzbekistan
Tweet Hand/Eye Magazine visits the small city of Rishtan in the Fergana Valley of Uzbekistan. Known for their ceramics, the city is home to over 2000 potters (approximately a tenth of the total population) who use the local clay and a traditional blue-green glaze called iskor. From Clare Brett Smith for Hand/Eye Magazine: The brilliance...
UniquEco: Flip Flop Recycling
Tweet It’s rare when something made from recycled material transcends the original object into something new and inspiring. You only need to see a few clocks made from old computer parts to understand that these sculptural animals are something special! Each animal is handmade in Kenya from discarded rubber flip flops that litter the beaches....
Indigo: Nature’s Blue
Tweet The image above shows Indian workers processing natural indigo dye — It’s a still from the feature documentary Blue Alchemy: Stories of Indigo by Mary Lance. Highlighted in Hand/Eye Magazine, the documentary explores the revival of the use of indigo as a natural dye. While we know it as the color of raw denim, natural...