A Million Hands

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2010-04-13T17:25:00.001-07:00

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Ganesha

2008-06-21T05:19:00.001-07:00

Ganesh, the elephant headed son of Lord Shiva and Parvati is the first and foremost deity in the Hindu pantheon whom devotees worship, prior to any important undertakings. Whatever the devotee’s desires, whatever he wishes to venture into, the blessings of Lord Ganesha are first sought.

GANESHA ACQUIRES AN ELEPHANT HEAD

Legend has it that once when Parvati wanted to take a leisurely bath and requested her son Ganesha to mind the entrance to her chamber and prevent anyone from entering the chamber. The obedient Ganesha did as he was told. Soon, Lord Shiva himself walked in, but was stopped by young Ganesha. This enraged Shiva who in a fit of temper, cut off Ganesha’s head! When Parvati learnt of her husband’s wrath and misdeeds, she was overcome with grief and lamented her son’s plight. Shiva realized his foolhardiness and ordered his attendants to bring the head of the first living creature they found in the forest. The attendants gleaned through the forest and the first creature they saw was an elephant, whose head they severed and brought to Shiva. Shiva fixed the head on Ganesha and lo and behold, Ganesha sprang back to life!

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Shiva-Nataraja

2008-06-21T05:17:00.000-07:00

Shiva the destroyer in the Hindu pantheon is popularly known as the hermit of the netherworld, as the one who resides in cremation grounds. However, there is another aspect to Shiva- as Nataraja. Nataraja literally translates as the Lord of the Stage.

The western world is familiar with Shakespeare’s words, “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely actors.” The soul assumes a physical form only to perform certain functions, duties, to give and receive pleasure, learn karmic lessons, and finally move on to a different realm. In this gross body, we humans who are supposed to be of a higher intellect are merely players and puppets in the hands of an unseen force called God.

Every birth gives us new pleasures, even as it gives us pain. We as living beings, are caught in the grasp of illusions, attachments, bonds that further pull us towards more cycles of birth. Suffering bothers man who ultimately seeks salvation, and he finds himself grappling with the results of his deed. Even as the soul leaves one gross body, it steps onto another womb, in the hope of fulfilling unfulfilled desires, to cleanse itself and perform certain karmas.

Nataraja in his cosmic dance form shows us the path to liberate ourselves from this continuous cycle of birth and death. Shiva stands majestically on the body of ‘Apasmara purusha’ and performs his dance. This body represents the ego, ignorance, the soul’s illusions. By trampling on it, Shiva is seen as controlling this ego and urge. Click Here to read more...

The Evolution of the Japanese Puzzle Box

2008-06-11T15:25:00.000-07:00

The Japanese puzzle box is a wonderfully unique item. It seems to be only a nicely decorated box but when looked at closer one will see that it can be opened through a variety of steps. This type of puzzle box has been around for approximately a century's time and the initial purpose of the Japanese puzzle box has evolved greatly from when it first began. The following will provide some general information regarding the evolution of the Japanese puzzle box and relay details as to why these items are so popular today. The Initial Purpose of the Japanese Puzzle Box When the Japanese puzzle box was first created it was done so in order to provide a hiding place for pertinent documents and valuables. The way in which the puzzle box is crafted allows for only the user to know the true combination for opening up the box. The more complex a puzzle box was based upon the steps needed to solve the puzzle and the length, or suns, of the box, the less likely it was that outsiders could get into it and therefore uncover the objects hidden within. In the beginning, those who carried these boxes with them were traveling workers who did so to hide their tools in order to prevent them from being stolen. By needing a "combination" to get into the box, the owner thereof was more likely to prevent their belongings from winding up in the wrong hands. The Japanese Puzzle Box Evolves As the years progressed so did the reasons for not only making these types of boxes but purchasing them as well. Although they were still used to protect belongings from thieves and prying eyes, the craftsman who made such boxes came to the realization that these were popular items not only for their usefulness but for the entertainment value which would surround them as well. Those who first learned about the Japanese puzzle boxes saw them as not only being a good hiding spot but a bit fun as they tried to open them up as quickly as possible and it was this game which provided entertainment. The Japanese Puzzle Box Today Japanese puzzle boxes are widely available these days. Most individuals purchase these items for entertainment purposes, as souvenir items or for decorative reasons and it can be seen that the popularity has definitely increased. What was once a simply decorated wooden box used for safely hiding various items is now a highly coveted decorative conversation piece.

Choosing the Best Style of Japanese Puzzle Box

2008-06-10T03:13:00.000-07:00

The Japanese puzzle box is a wooden box which can be opened up by those who know the right steps in order to do so. The way in which the puzzle box is crafted only allows it to be opened if the wood pieces are moved in the right direction and done so in the correct order. Japanese puzzle boxes are not only fun to solve but they can be beautiful decorative pieces as well. When buying a Japanese puzzle box, there are a few factors to consider prior to making the final purchase in order to choose the best style of box. Basic or Ornate Features First and foremost, you should determine whether you want your Japanese puzzle box to be basic in design or stand out from across the room. There are many different styles of puzzle boxes. Some come in a basic wood style with little design on them whereas others have a finished wood component with a glossy overlay that is designed to the hilt. In order to choose a Japanese puzzle box which is designed to suit your tastes, determine whether you want your puzzle box to blend into the woodwork or stand out. Type of Wood You should also decide what type of wood your Japanese puzzle box should be comprised of. The crafters of puzzle boxes use a variety of woods to make these items and no matter what type of wood you prefer, there is sure to be a puzzle box made out of it. Wood types such as walnut, maple and Katsura wood can be fashioned into a Japanese puzzle box and the type of wood which you choose will be dependent on your individual tastes. Shape of the Japanese Puzzle Box Although many may think that Japanese puzzle boxes, by their name, come only in the shape of a square or rectangular box, this is not the case. These puzzles boxes can be made into circular structures, hearts, triangular shapes and more. This feature adds a bit of uniqueness to the Japanese puzzle box as one can add to their collection by straying away from simple boxlike figures and expanding into different shaped puzzle boxes. The availability of various shapes is a beneficial factor as you can purchase unusually shaped Japanese puzzle boxes for puzzle box enthusiasts and it may be much more likely that they do not already have the uniquely shaped type of box.

Himitsu Baku of Hakone

2008-06-10T03:09:00.000-07:00

The Himitsu Baku means "Personal Secret Box", and is a traditional Japanese puzzle box that was originally designed more than 100 years ago, in 1893 in the Hakone region in Japan. The Hakone Mountains have been renowned for the great number of different trees that exist there, and the Himitsu Baku Personal Secret Box takes advantages of all of the different colors and textures of wood that can be found in the Hakome Mountains in order to create elaborate boxes with beautiful hand-carved geometric patterns on each face of the box. Not only is the Himitsu Baku puzzle box concept popular for the puzzling entertainment that it offers, but it is also valued as a Yosegi-Zaiku, which is a mosaic woodwork that is usually applied to chests, boxes, trays and other small handicrafts. Read More...

A Japanese Puzzle Box Makes a Unique Gift

2008-05-29T03:11:00.001-07:00

Many people are tired of giving the same old gifts like gift cards for special occasions and are looking for a unique gift. One gift you may want to consider is a Japanese puzzle box. These boxes are beautiful wood boxes that have a secret.

What is a Japanese Puzzle Box?

These boxes are also referred to as a himitsu-bako which literally translates to Personal Secret Box. They have been in existence for over 100 years and have been traced back to a region in Japan called Hakone. They are wood boxes that at first glance look like a box that is just beautifully decorated. However upon further examination of the box the recipient will soon learn that the box holds a secret.

Himitsu Baku Puzzle Boxes

2008-05-29T03:10:00.000-07:00

The Himitsu Baku is a Japanese puzzle box that is currently produced by only nine traditional craftsmen. These artisans are not responsible for creating the Yosegi-Zaiku patterns that adorn their secret boxes, but they are responsible for producing their secret box puzzles virtually alone from beginning to end. Each artisan is responsible for choosing their own wood, then allowing it to dry and curing it. Next, they are responsible for cutting all of the wood pieces and assembling them to create the challenging puzzle box. Finally, they purchase the Yosegi-Zaiku patterns in sheets, and attach them to each face on the box using the right finishing techniques. The youngest of all Himitsu Baku master craftsmen today is around sixty years old, though there are a number of apprentices who are working to learn this unique art so that the tradition can be continued even when the original craftsmen have passed on. Read More...

Try the challenge of Himitsu Baku

2008-05-28T02:55:00.001-07:00

In today's society, everybody likes a challenge. SuDoku, Kakuro, crosswords, word searches, and a variety of other popular puzzles are gaining increasing popularity as people look for new and innovative ways to challenge themselves. Although paper and pen puzzles are trendy right now, there are a lot of people who still prefer the original puzzle, hand puzzles that have given way to the invention of a number of innovative and creative puzzle ideas through the years. Still, there are a number of puzzles that have been around for so long, that while difficult to find, they are well worth considering. Read More...

Himitsu Bako - A Brief History

2008-05-28T02:54:00.000-07:00

The island of Japan was a closed society for many centuries and, despite only knowing of its existence in the last one hundred years, it is suspected that the art of Himitsu-Bako is much, much older. Nonetheless, it was not until the mid 1980's that Japan's Industry Minister declared the art form a National Traditional Handicraft. To be designated as such, a craft must be manufactured by hand by traditional artisans using traditional techniques and materials. The item created must have a place for practical use in every day life and production must be contained to a specific area or region. Read More...

Himitsu Bako - The Japanese Puzzle Box

2008-05-24T15:33:00.001-07:00

Himitsu bako is a name given to small boxes made by combining unique puzzle mechanism with Yosegi-Zaiku and/or Moku-Zougan inlay work. The merging of two arts, native to a single small town along the banks of Ashino-Ko Lake. Welcome to Hakone, Japan and the art of the Japanese Secret Box, also known in the west as a Japanese Puzzle Box. Read More...

Yosegi Zaiku and Zougan Zaiku

2008-05-24T15:32:00.000-07:00

Yosegi Zaiku and Zougan Zaiku are traditional Japanese works of art with a history dating back 1,000 years. It was first created in the town of Hakone, an important stop on the road from Kyoto (the old Capital) to Edo (the new Capital, now known as Tokyo). This road was made famous by Hiroshige in his woodblock print set “The 53 Stations of Tokaido” Read More...

Exotic Wood used in Japanese Zougan Marquetry

2008-05-18T03:35:00.000-07:00

The mountains surrounding the town of Hakone in the Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan hold an amazing collection of exotic trees, many of which have been used in the art of Zougan. (wood marquetry and inlay) Below are samples of some of the wood from those trees. As you can see, there is no need for dyes or stains to make the beautiful colors and patterns in our Japanese Puzzle Boxes. A Yosegi patterned box could use over a dozen different species of wood. Exotic Wood Samples

Patterns in Our Japanese Puzzle Boxes

2008-05-17T03:56:00.000-07:00

The Japanese Puzzle box is a merging of two Art-Forms. The art of creating a box with sliding panels that can only be opened if you know the exact sequence of moves. (or follow the directions we provide with each box) The second art is that of wood marquetry or Zaiku where different woods in their natural color are carefully cut and glued together making beautiful patterns. Below are several samples of these patterns and the woods used to make them. Puzzle Box Patterns

Feng Shui astrology

2008-01-21T03:07:00.000-08:00

Chinese metaphysics is fascinating with many branches dealing with various aspects of life enhancement. Feng shui studies about ‘qi’ and energies that permeate our living environment and help us in tapping the best qi to facilitate peaceful living. Bazi or the four pillars of destiny is nothing but Chinese astrology that talks about the twelve animal signs of the zodiac, in relation to the five elements found in nature. All these when placed at the right position can attract positivity and enhance the life of the individuals. Any Chinese metaphysics has in its crux the five elements abundantly found in nature - water, wood, fire, earth and metal. Water feeds wood. Wood is fuel to fire, fire burns and produces ashes. From the earth we get our minerals or ore and the burning of metal produces liquid that is considered water. Each of these elements has a yin and yang polarity too. So finally, we get ten elements. Our birth date when converted into Chinese Astrology turns into these magnificent elements that we are composed of! In Chinese metaphysics, harmony and balance are often talked about. Achieving balance is what we aim for. Thus an astrological chart indicates the imbalance that causes disturbances and aims to bring fine balance. Apart from the five elements, Chinese astrology also talks about the twelve animals in the zodiac. These animals too have been allocated elements according to the season. It’s believed that when the Buddha invited all the animals in the forest for His birthday party, some animals were first to arrive and there were late comers too. The rat was the first to arrive, hopping onto the back of the hard working laborious ox. Immediately upon arriving, the rat hopped off the ox’s back and thus, the rat is the first sign of the zodiac. Exactly opposite of which is the horse. The last to arrive was the slow pig! So the year in which we are born determines what zodiac we are. For example, a baby born after the 4th of February 2007 is born in the year of the pig, as 2007 is the year of the fire pig! That doesn’t mean that all babies born in the pig year are slow or lazy. For lethargy and nimbleness of a person, we examine the entire chart and not just the birth year. The birth date is denoted as the day master and we determine the destiny of this day master in relation to the whole chart. The affiliation and animosity between the twelve animals is what charts the course of our life on earth! Apart from bazi, there’s also a lesser known school called ziwei dou shu, that is not as widely practiced as bazi is. Feng shui as well as bazi are not as simple as they seem. There is much to these than what meets the eye. Only a trained practitioner with years of experience, loads of practice and oodles of intuition can discern where the problem lies and how to bring about a balance!

QUINUA AYACUCHO POTTERY FROM PERU

2007-02-01T03:27:00.000-08:00

Plaza de Armas is a place located in Peru where potters made Quinua Ayacucho pottery. Of all art forms in Peru, pottery lands at the top of the list. You will find a number of interesting techniques, shapes, colors, and designs. However, most of these are specific to the region within Peru in which the pottery is made. The town of Quinua is most known for the talent of the potters. They are famous for manufacturing pieces of pottery known as “Quinua Ceramics”. Each of these pieces is designed to display local customs. Quinua is just 23 miles from the capital city and is the site of the Battle of Ayacucho where the country received its independence when fighting against Spanish troops. In addition to Quinua Ayacucho pottery, this city is also famous for the high quality of red and cream clay that is used to make the pottery pieces. Although the forms and techniques are simple, almost child-like, the results are what amaze people. Many of the pottery pieces are chapels, churches, bulls, and houses. However, it is also common to see figurines of peasant farmers, neighbors busy gossiping, and religious themes. Now, you can purchase Quinua Ayacucho pottery from a number of shops that specialize in these pieces or if you prefer, directly from one of the artisans who will sign the piece made. Of all the pottery pieces, the chapel and churches are the most popular. Typically, these ceramic pieces are used on mantles, bookshelves, or tables. Interestingly, the church pottery piece is used to protect homes from evil spirits, which is why you see them displayed. When visiting Quinua, you can visit the Plaza area by climbing the charming cobblestone walkway. The buildings in this town are whitewashed and there is even a quaint village church. These pottery pieces are exported around the globe because of the quality and whimsy of each piece. In fact, the local people have become quite good at marketing the products, getting word out about these brightly colored pottery pieces. However, today you will even find Quinua Ayacucho pottery made in pastel colors, something unheard of years ago. In fact, original pieces were all earth tone. Although you will find more and more modern pieces of pottery being developed you can certainly still buy the traditional church or other figurines. While there are many skilled artisans that make Quinua Ayacucho pottery, one of the most famous artists is Mamerto Sanchez. As you walk along the main road, you will find a number stalls where pieces are sold.

HISTORY OF THE MEXICAN SERAPE

2006-11-16T08:42:00.000-08:00

Serapes are commonly known as a type of Mexican shawl or blanket. This traditional item began as a masculine garment that reflected the technological and socioeconomic aspect of its production, distribution, and use, as well as the weaver’s personal experience. The designs vary tremendously, some that are simplistic and others quite elaborate. The Mexican serape has a long and interesting history associated with the production of wool and cotton, two materials commonly used for a number of textiles by the Mexican people. The serape is made in numerous areas of the country, which is why it actually has many different names. For instance, the serape is also called chamarro, jorongo, cobiga, cotton, frazada, tilme, and gaban. The fascinating aspect of the Mexican serape is that it is a perfect blend of weaving traditions such as European and Mesoamerican. That means that with the European style of weaving, you would see cotton and dyes used to create wonderful designs whereas for the Mesoamerican style, wool is used and mounted on a look to create designs. In other words, one is dyed to make unique designs while the other is weaved. The woven styles associated with the Mesoamerican way of weaving the serape has been used primarily in the 18th and 19th centuries. During the time this style of serape was developed, the quality in factories and workshops was amazingly good, created most often in states such as Coahuila, Guanajuato, Michoacan, Puebla, Quetetaro, and Zacatecas. Another interesting fact about the Mexican serape is that it was a common garment used by people of all lifestyles. For example, it was common to see horsemen, workers, town residents, and even lepers all preferring to wear the serape. Keep in mind that these serapes were the type woven. Now, the type of serape that used cotton and dyes was considered a luxury garment whereby aristocrats and hacienda owners would wear them. These serapes were worn to high society parties, for walks along the avenues, or simply out for a leisurely stroll. These serapes were so gorgeous that famed artists and travelers from other countries would marvel at their distinct and colorful design. The Mexican serape was even worn by insurgents fighting in the War of Independence along with patriots in wars where the French and Americans fought. This means that the serape was a garment of choice whether a conservative or liberal. In fact, the Mexican serape was actually used in refuge camps to keep people warm and for clothing, as a shroud for loved ones killed in battle, and the Revolutionary’s flag. To this day, in the country of Mexico, this one item as well as the famous sombrero is what define the Mexican. Serapes are also very versatile, being used as a shawl to dress up, a pillow on which to lay the head, as a coat for keeping warm, or even a bedcover. Even horsemen working the cold mountains and hot deserts use the serape as protection against the sun, rain, and snow. Remember, depending on the technique use for weaving, the serape can be a very sophisticated and elegant garment, a blanket on the back of a horse, or a blanket for a baby’s crib. Although you can still find people in Mexico that make serapes by hand, whether with dye or the weaving process, because factories have made it possible for mass production, the popularity of the serape is increasing dramatically. Today, we see incredible colors and designs that were not available years ago. Typically, these more colorful serapes come from places like Contla, Chiauhtempan, and Tlaxcala. Many of the designs you see used in serapes come from landscapes or photographs seen by the weavers of serapes that are made in Contla, Guadalupe, San Bernandino, Tlascala, Tlaxiaco, Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, and Zacatecas. The serapes made in Oaxaca and Santa Ana del Valle are most often made with natural colored fibers with the designs being replicates of paintings created by well-known artists. The serapes woven will commonly have two woven sections that are then sewn together although there are some looms capable of creating one, large serape. Serapes made out of the finest wool usually come from the Cora and Huichol Indians. Then, the serapes made with wool and chichicazatle, which is a vegetable fiber that produces a green color and has a tick texture usually comes from Oaxaca, San Pedro Mixtepec, Santa Catalina Zhanaguia, and San Juan Guivine. Another fascinating fact about serapes is that in 1835 during the Texan War, soldiers would wear this garment over their uniforms that were very different from what the commanders wore. This particular war limited the number of serapes that could be made because of the high demand of the soldiers. When done wearing them for fighting, the soldiers would take the serape and give it to their girlfriends or wives, other family members, or simply use it as adornment for their home. Without doubt, the Mexican serape is one garment that has a rich and diverse history. Today, serapes are just as popular, often used for garments, throws on the back of a couch, or an extra blanket on the bed to keep the chilly weather at bay. You can purchase serapes in Mexico and many South American’s country or you can find them online. With the connection to other countries through the internet, many weavers are taking advantage of the opportunity by selling beautiful serape creations online.

THE ARTIST – KUNISADA

2006-11-13T08:32:00.000-08:00

Kochoro Kunisada was a Japanese artist famous for his woodblock prints. During the Ukiyo-e period, many of these prints focused on the “floating world” image. Kunisada was particularly focused on this genre. For instance, one of his most famous woodblock prints is called Beauty with a Letter; Juronin with a Deer. What you would see in this case is a Buddha floating above the beauty. In this case, woodblock prints such as this were often associated with the Buddhist believe with the floatation being the illusory quality of life.

Typically, woodblock prints focused had a distinct focus on festivals and changing seasons, rituals, landscapes, and illustrations of poetry. However, at the end of the Edo period, all prints made had to be approved by the Japanese government prior to releasing and selling. With Kunisada, he would often take everyday scenes and transform them into something peaceful and serene.

In one instance, Kunisada added a dog, coupled with a beautiful woman sitting while reading a letter. However, the depiction in the woodblock print was the dog wanting to play, thus asking for her attention. In addition, you would see, as the dog is trying to interrupt the woman, she envisions Buddha in her mind, which signifies the value and honor of religion.

The interesting thing about Kunisada’s work is the influence of Buddha. Keep in mind that many woodblock prints were focused on people or scenes, not religion. Therefore, his special skill makes the demand for his prints much higher. This versatility has imprinted his name on Japanese history, making him one of the most interesting artist’s of this time.

THE ARTIST – KIYONAGA

2006-11-09T03:57:00.000-08:00

Known as Torii Kiyonaga, some of the greatest Bijinga prints created during the latter part of the 19^th century were done by this Japanese Ukiyo-e printmaker and painter. He began his career in the world of art in 1752, continuing until 1815. Having attended the Torii School, his name had been changed from Sekiguchi Shinsuke. His father was a bookseller in Edo.

Torii Kiyonaga was so well regarded by his master Torii that after the master’s death, he took over the school. Soon, he became recognized as one of the greatest masters of Nishiki-e, which is full-color print, as well as Bijinga, which are images of beautiful women. In addition, Torii Kiyonaga also focused some of his work on Kabuki actors and theatrical scenes, which were often used to help promote the theater and/or the show being performed.

One of Torii Kiyonaga’s legacies is that while he had a common upbringing, his paintings are exceptional and beautifully detailed. Many of the beautiful women shown in Torii Kiyonaga’s prints are seen are full and mature while his predecessor Harunobu, preferred to paint thin, young women. The bottom line is that both men had different tastes. However, it is also believed that since larger sheets of paper where used, it allowed better depiction.

Over time, another artist appeared on the scene by the name of Utamaro. He too painted woodblock prints of beautiful women but even fuller and more mature than what you saw from Torii Kiyonaga. While the paintings of women were gorgeous, the Kabuki scenes were somewhat on the plain side but still high in demand. Keep in mind that during this time, many of the other Japanese artists began painting actors but Torii Kiyonaga chose to stick with scenes and beautiful women.

By the late 18^th century, Kiyonaga’s work had matured. At this time, he created a number of masterpieces, again featuring full, mature, and beautiful women, along with theatrical scenes. While his work is of high artist quality, the fact that he was the first Asian artist to create perfect designs of full-length portraits shot him to success and fame.

THE ARTIST – KIYOHIRO TORII

2006-11-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

If you were to look back to the earliest Ukiyo-e woodblock prints, you would see that only Sumi ink was used, which was black. This particular ink was created by mixing soot with water. Because of the ink, the woodblock prints were called Sumizuri-e. However, from 1704 to 1715 during the Kanei and Shotoku periods, mineral pigment was used to create two to three colors, which was then called Tan-e.

Over the next 15 years during the Kyoho period, vegetable pigment was used. This ink was created from using Beni, which is a type of safflower, giving the prints a slight look of transparency. The prints using vegetable pigment soon changed to Beni-e, which resulted in prints that were brushed by hand but simply beautiful. Read More...

THE ARTIST – KAWASE HASUI

2006-11-05T15:30:00.000-08:00

This Japanese artist was not highly famous in Japan although he did make an impact in other countries. Ranked as one of the greatest of all woodblock print artists in Japan, his work is definitely unique and detailed. During the Shin Hanga movement, Kawase Hasui was one of the most talented and innovative masters. In fact, his work was so amazing that prior to his death, it was declared a “Living National Treasure”. Born as Bunjiro in Tokyo, his family were merchants. While many artists were focusing on Japanese styles, Kawase Hasui took interest in western styles. His first lesson pertaining to art was watercolor and oils, taught by Saburosuke Okada. As you can imagine, his family was not pleased with the direction his was taking, doing all they could to dissuade and even stop him. Determined to get Kawase Hasui to work in the family’s merchant business, a huge conflict arose, causing the company to fall into bankruptcy. Read More...

THE ARTIST – HOKUSAI

2006-10-31T07:31:00.000-08:00

Katsushika Hokusai was born in today’s Tokyo in 1760, a time when the name was Edo. Although his father made a living making mirrors, Hokusai took interest around the age of 18 in wood engraving. Wanting to further his commitment to woodblock prints, he entered Katsukawa Shunsho school, which was run by a man of the same name who was a magnificent painter and color print designer. What made Katsukawa so unique is his ability to push past traditions. Katsukawa’s focus was so intense that from 1796 go 1802, he produced upwards of 30,000 color prints and book illustrations.

Studying hard, Hokusai became quite skilled, producing the majority of his woodblock prints, landscape paintings, and silk screens from 1830 to 1840. Keep in mind that Hokusai was very diverse, studying a number of different styles. Unfortunately, this artist was very poor at one time but as a pupil interested in learning, he created beautiful woodblock prints. The fascinating aspect of this man was that while he went on to make a decent living, when he died in 1849, he made a statement from his bed that “If Heaven had lent me but five years more, I would have become a great painter”. In other words, this man was humble but incredibly talented.

When Hokusai died many of his woodblock prints along with other artists made their way to the western masters to include Vincent van Gogh. Because of this, his work is actually loved more in the western world than it is in his own country of Japan. While Hokusai created some amazing woodblock prints, one of his most famous is called “In the Hollow of a Wave off the Coast at Kanagawa”. This painting depicts a massive wave coming down on men in their boats. The backdrop of this beautiful painting is the famous Mount Fuji.

We know that Hokusai ended up authoring a 13-volume sketchbook along with block prints known as “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji”, one of which included the above-mentioned painting. Without doubt, his Ukiyo-e figures are considered among the best. However, Hokusai became famous for another genre – exotic prints done in the Shunga style. The interesting thing is that a number of his exotic paintings became marquees or advertisement for both theaters and brothels.

Another magnificent set of woodblock prints created by Hokusai is known as “Fukujuso”, which consists of 12 prints that honor and celebration passion and flesh. Although he stretched his imagination further than most, he was the inspiration for future artists wanting to push the envelope. What most people do not realize is that the famous “Whistler’s” painting was influenced by Hokusai’s work.

THE ARTIST – HIROSHI YOSHIDA

2006-10-10T05:29:00.000-07:00

Hiroshi Yoshida was a Japanese artist who was born in 1876 and died in 1950. Deemed a leader in the resurrection of Japanese printmaking after the Meiji period, you would see a blend of artists in this renewal known as Shin Hanga, which are new Japan or modern prints and Sosaku Hanga, which means creative prints or movement. Hiroshi Yoshida was born to a school principal teaching at an elementary institution. It was easy to see that Hiroshi Yoshida was extremely talented at a very young age. By the age of 18, he was allowed to study in a Tokyo private school. At first, Hiroshi Yoshida worked as a painter. This artist won a number of prizes for his exhibitions but not until 1920 was he working to create woodblock prints. Around that time, he was introduced to Watanabe Shozaburo who owned a print store in Tokyo. Along with several unknown but willful artists, Hiroshi Yoshida began painting woodblock prints with Watanabe publishing the first ever made. Read More...

THE ARTIST – HARUNOBU

2006-10-09T08:23:00.000-07:00

Suzuki Harunobu’s career of painting woodblock prints began in 1725 and lasted until 1770. As a student of Shigenaga, he soon became one of the most cherished of all Ukiyo-e style artists. In fact, historians tell us that Harunobu was an innovator. In 1765, he has credit for being the first artist to produce full-color prints, which meant the older style of two and three-color prints was put to rest. The other issue surrounding Harunobu that makes him unique is that he ventured away from standard techniques, coming up with new, innovative methods of painting. In addition, this artist was known for painting a large variety of things ranging from contemporary style beautiful women to classical poems. Just as many other famous artists from this period, Harunobu became involved with painting exotic women in the Shunga style. He was so detailed and skilled at what he did that a number of other artists began to imitate Harunobu’s style, actually allowing him to become known as an incredible master. Read More ...

New Latin Art Site

2006-08-18T06:37:00.000-07:00

Check out our new products. Our selection includes products from Mexico, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Argentina.

We have added these products to Asian Art Mall in a special section to allow you to combine items from both inventories on one order to save on shipping.

See our new Latin Arts and Crafts...

The Japanese art of Ukiyo-e

2006-08-11T07:04:00.000-07:00

The Japanese art of Ukiyo-e developed in the city of Edo (now Tokyo) during the Tokugawa or Edo Period (1615-1868). These two names refer to the relatively peaceful 250 years during which the Tokugawa shoguns ruled Japan and made Edo the shogunal seat of power. The social hierarchy of the day, officially established by shogun rulers, placed the merchants, the wealthiest segment of the population, at the lower end of the scale. With their political power effectively removed, the merchant class turned to art and culture as arenas in which they could participate on an equal basis with the elite upper classes (warriors, farmers, and artisans). It was the collaboration among the merchants, artists, publishers, and townspeople of Edo that gave Ukiyo-e its unique voice. In turn, Ukiyo-e provided these groups with a means of attaining cultural status outside the sanctioned realms of shogunate, temple, and court.Although Ukiyo-e was initially considered "low" art, by and for the non-elite classes, its artistic and technical caliber is consistently remarkable. Reading the images demands an extremely high level of visual, textual, and cultural literacy. From its earliest days, Ukiyo-e images and texts frequently referred to themes from classical, literary, and historical sources. At the same time, Ukiyo-e constantly expanded to reflect contemporary tastes, concerns, and innovations over the two and a half centuries of its development. The result was an art that was both populist (of and for the people, readily accessible, plentiful, affordable) and highly sophisticated. In summary, Ukiyo-e presented both the historical and all that was current, fashionable, chic, and popular. In the hands of the Ukiyo-e artist, the ordinary was transformed into the extraordinary. Source: United States Library of Congress

Arpilleras tapestry

2006-04-20T03:05:00.000-07:00

When you hear “Arpilleras” tapestry, you need to understand that tapestries from Peru are named after the region in which they were produced. The name “Arpilleras” is actually from a Chilean tradition whereby rags were used to create small dolls. These dolls were then sewn together and sometimes, embroidered on large pieces of cloth. This interesting technique originated in Peru sometime around 1980. From there, it was adopted by shantytown inhabitants in the area around Lima. Chilean women would put their sewing needles, thread, and rags to work, often used to spread the word about the missing, murdered, or tortured loved ones under the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. Today, there is a gallery at the Case Western Reserve University called the Mather Gallery where you can still see some of these amazing pieces. In fact, the exhibit has some 40 Arpilleras tapestries on display from private collections of Chilean women. All Arpilleras tapestries are handcrafted. The rags used are usually collected by women or even donated by Chilean women. The colors and hues are often bright and bold, showing the woman’s optimism and strength. The designs also include blacked-out figures of missing family members, as mentioned, as well as soldiers. In addition, the women’s faces in the designs have strong lines yet simple stitches. Typically, you will see a common denominator in the designs of Arpilleras tapestry such as images, names, and photographs. For example, it would be common to see a tapestry piece with the words, “Where are they” stitched on. Sadly, more than 10,000 people disappeared while Pinochet was in leadership. Women during this time were required to take refuge in the Vicariate of Solidarity that was organized by the Catholic church of Rome. The basements were dark and the rooms used for secret meetings of the sisters, mothers, daughters, and wives of the lost or murdered. These sewn together cotton or wool cloth are designed with such amazing detail that you cannot help but feel impressed. The wall hanging tapestries are beautiful but all tell a unique and often sad story. The patchwork, tapestry, and embroidery style literally walks you through scenes of daily life associated with the Chilean woman, giving you much respect for her hardships.

yerba mate

2006-03-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

Pronounced yerba mahtay, this South American drink is very popular in Argentina and similar to tea. However, what makes Yerba Mate so unique is not only its flavor but is beneficial ingredients as well. In fact, this particular drink is so popular that in Buenos Aires and other cities in Argentina, people carry it around with them all day long, sipping as they go through their normal day, much as Americans would sip on soda.

This "tea" is a natural stimulant that produces zero side effects and toxicity levels. As a natural source of nutrition, Yerba Mate also promotes good health. This drink was first introduced from colonists where it was used by the ancient Guarani Indians of Paraguay and Argentina. Today, Yerba Mate is popular around the world and for good reason, as you will soon discover.

Said to boost immunity, heal the nervous system, detoxify the blood, slow down aging, restore healthy hair, fight fatigue, decrease the appetite, reduce stress, combat insomnia, and a number of other benefits, you can see why it is such a popular drink. The "mate" part of the drink is actually a member of evergreen that falls within the holly family.

Grown wild in South America, it is very aromatic with a slight bitter taste. Interesting, when grown in the wild, it takes about 25 years for the plant to develop to maturity. In the late fall and early winter months, the plant will actually produce beautiful flowers. Just as with any other type of tea, Yerba Mate is typically brewed as a cold or hot drink, using tea bags or loose, dried tea.

The traditional cup used to drink Yerba Mate is called Mate, which when originally made was a dried and decorated gourde. To prepare Yerba Mate, dried minced leaves are placed into the Mate or cup, adding hot water. Then, the fusion is sucked up through a metal or wood pipe called a Bombilla, which is designed with a strainer on the end to prevent the small pieces of tea from going into the mouth.

Some people prefer to add milk and/or sugar, or other herbs such as mint to enhance the flavor. In this case, you would use hot milk in place of the hot water. Although at first the taste is foreign, there is something about it that makes you want to go back for more. Then when you realize your body is energized, your mind is stimulated, you begin to lose weight, sickness starts to fade, and you feel better overall, you really become hooked on Yerba Mate. With its powerful stimulant effects and loaded with minerals and vitamins, people in Argentina and other parts of South America love it, and so will you.

Music of Mexico

2006-03-07T11:07:00.000-08:00

The music of Mexico is extraordinarily diverse and features a wide range of different musical styles. The most well-known Mexican genre by far is mariachi, a style of traditional Mexican son which is considered old-fashioned but respected traditional music and is usually listened to as modern music. Mexican ranchera (country music) styles, including norteño and banda, are not only popular within Mexico itself, but Mexican immigrants in both rural and urban American communities also frequently enjoy them. Norteño, similar to Tejano music and Tex-Mex, arose in the 1930s and 40s in the Rio Grande border region of southern Texas. Influenced by Bohemian immigrant miners, its rhythm was derived from the European polka dance popular during the 1800s. Banda, similar to norteño in musical form, originated from the Mexico state of Sinaloa during the 1960s. Other new styles such as cumbia, pop, and rock have seen increased popularity as the music of Mexico faces a new generation of young people.

Southern Mexican folk music is centered around the marimba, which remains popular in Chiapas and Oaxaca. In Yucatán the traditional Jarana music and dance is popular.

Modern Mexican musical styles are also changing Mexican music. Cumbia, pop, hip-hop, and rock, which are heavily influenced by music from the Caribbean islands and the United States, is increasingly becoming popular among Mexican youths on both sides of the border.

Mexican son

In the 1940s, Mexican music began its rise to international fame, just as Cuban music was topping charts across the globe. Since then, Mexico has absorbed influences from across Latin America, most especially include Colombian cumbia, which is now as much or more known as a Mexican trend than a Colombian one.

Mexican pop music derives from a mixture of Spanish, African and Aztec or other indigenous sources. Related to Cuban son montuno and Venezuelan joropo, Mexican son arose in the 18th century. It is similar to, but historically and characteristically distinct from, Cuban son montuno, despite the similarity in nomenclature. Nine or ten styles of Mexican son have been popular, including mariachi. Mexican son has been rural for most of its history, and requires audience participation for zapateado, or foot-stamping done in a counter-rhythm. Most bands use string instruments and improvised lyrics.

Mariachi

As the most well known regional musicians of Mexico, mariachi bands became common in Jalisco around the beginning of the 20th century, originally playing at weddings. The earliest known appearance of this term in reference to music is from 1852. It is said that General Porfirio Díaz, in 1907, ordered a mariachi band to play for the United States Secretary of State, only if they wore charro suits, which were worn by the poor musicians' bosses. This is the source of traditional dress for mariachi bands, and is considered the beginning of modern mariachi. By the turn of the century, mariachi was popular across Mexico. Rural subgenres have largely died out, and urban mariachi from Mexico City has dominated the field since the 1930s. It became known as the national music of Mexico after the 1910 Mexican Revolution, and was subsidized during the term of Lázaro Cárdenas. Cornets were added to mariachi in the 1920s; trumpets replaced them ten years later.

Mexican immigrants in the United States made Los Angeles the mariachi capital of the USA by 1961. Mexican music was popularized in the United States in the late 1970s as part of a revival of mariachi music led by performers like Linda Ronstadt. One of the most well known examples of Mexican music (at least in the United States) is "La Cucaracha" and the Mexican Hat Dance ("El jarabe tapatío").

The golden age of mariachi was in the 1950s, when the ranchera style was common in American movies. Mariachi Vargas played for many of these soundtracks, and the long-lived band's long career and popular acclaim has made it one of the best-known mariachi bands.

Jaliscenses

Jalisco's folk music (jaliscienses) is the source of the internationally-revered mariachi genre, after it was popularized by Mexican cinema.

Jarochos

Jarochos music comes from the Veracruz area, and is distinguished by a strong African influence. International acclaim has been limited, including the major hit "La Bamba". The most legendary performer is Graciana Silva, whose Discos Corason releases made inroads in Europe. Southern Veracruz is home to a distinct style of Jarochos that is characteristically lacking a harp, is played exclusively by requinto or jarana guitars, and is exemplified by the popular modern band Mono Blanco.

Arribeño

Sierra Gorda's villages are home to trovadores who play arribeño music. Known for lyrical innovation, the genre is competitive in nature, and is accompanied by guitars and violins. Guillermo Velázquez is the best-known exponent of arribeño.

Calentanos

Melodically complex violin music from the Balsas River Basin of western Mexico. Juan Reynoso is especially popular, and has won the National Prize for Arts and Sciences.

Arpa grande

Sones de arpa grande developed in an arid, hot area of western Mexico. A harp, accompanied by violins and guitars, dominates it. Originally confined to poor rural areas and urban brothels, sones de arpa grande is now popular among the suburban and urban middle- and upper class audiences. Juan Pérez Morfín and Beto Pineda are the most well known performers.

Abajeños and istmeños

Indigenous communities have produced their own variants of Mexican son, which is otherwise a primarily mestizo genre. The Purépecha (from Michoacán) are known for the sones abajeños, which are often played alongside pirekaus, a form of native love song. Famous bands include Atardecer and Erandi.

The Zapotecs of Oaxaca have produced some extremely famous love songs, and the people's sones istmeños, which are sung in both Zapotec and Spanish. The music has been popularized, primarily by pop stars from outside the area, including Lila Downs.

Son huasteco

Son huasteco music, a style developed by Mexico's Huastec people, is a genre which has been gaining in popularity in recent years. Two guitarists sing in a falsetto with accompaniment by a violin. Improvisation is common. Los Camperos de Valle and Trio Tamazunchale are especially influential performers.

Mexican ranchera

The first major international trend from Mexico was the popularization of ranchera, which had developed early in the 20th century out of mariachi, and became popular in Latin America after being used in several films. Thus, a new traditional Mexican ranchera (country music) style came out. Norteño and banda are popular bands that play mainly rancheras and corridos. Most first-generation Mexicans prefer norteño and banda, while the younger generation are more oriented toward cumbia and Mexican hip-hop. Many Mexican radio stations in the United States are devoted to playing mainly norteño and banda, such as the radio station "97.9 en East Los Angeles - el número uno en bandas y norteñas!"

Norteño

Norteño music (similar to Tex-Mex and Tejano in the United States) almost always has the accordion as the lead instrument, with guitars serving as its roos. Norteño is an outgrowth of corridos, which told tales of the Mexican Revolution. In the late 1920s, the corridos entered a golden age when Mexicans on both sides of the border recorded in San Antonio-area hotels, revolutionizing the genre alongside Mexico's political revolution. By the time the golden age ended, Narciso Martínez and Santiago Jimenez had introduced the accordion, which had been introduced by Bohemian miners who immigrated to the country in the late 19th century. Alongside the accordion came the polka, which, alongside waltzes, chotis and mazurka, mixed with corridos to form modern norteño in the early 1950s. Although norteño originated in the American state of Texas, it is popular among Mexican Americans from virtually any region of the United States. Later in the century, bands such as Los Tigres del Norte and Los Cadetes de Linares added influences from cumbia, rock music, and other new styles, thus creating a unique new blend in some of their new songs.

Banda

Banda music, or Mexican big band music, originated in the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa. In the 1990s, banda exploded in popularity among Hispanics in both the United States and Mexico. Originally instrumental, this style was popularized by Banda el Recodo, Julio Preciado, and other major stars who started including lyrics and converting popular songs into this genre.

Thailand Ethnic Groups

2006-03-02T10:42:00.000-08:00

Thailand Ethnic Groups

The Khmer

Two groups of Khmer could also be distinguished--long-time inhabitants of Thailand and more recent arrivals. By the midfifteenth century, much of the western region of the Khmer Empire had come under the control of Ayutthaya. Many of the Khmer peoples remained in the area that had come under Thai domination. Five centuries later the protracted civil conflict in Cambodia, which began with the overthrow of the Lon Nol regime in 1975 and included the Vietnam-supported overthrow of the Pol Pot regime in 1979, led to the arrival at the Thai-Cambodian border of additional hundreds of thousands of Khmer. Some Khmer had crossed over into Thailand; many others might be expected to do so if several political obstacles were overcome (see The Indochinese Refugee Question , this ch.; Potential External Threats , ch. 5).

Theravada Buddhists and wet-rice cultivators, the Khmer spoke a language of the Mon-Khmer group and were heirs to a long and complex political and cultural tradition. If long-term resident Khmer and Khmer refugees were both included, there were perhaps as many as 600,000 to 800,000 Khmer living in Thailand in the 1980s. Many of the long-resident Khmer were said to speak Thai, sometimes as a first language, and religious and other similarities contributed over time to Thai-Khmer intermarriage and to Khmer assimilation into Thai society. Newly arrived Khmer, however, were not yet assimilated

The Mon

Perhaps the first Theravada Buddhists in Southeast Asia, and the founders in the seventh century of the kingdom of Haripunjaya near present-day Chiang Mai, the Mon greatly influenced the development of Thai culture. Mon architecture dotted the North, where a number of temples were still inhabited by Mon monks in the 1980s. The Mon, also known as Raman or Tailaing, migrated from Burma during the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. They were welcomed by the Chakkri rulers, and their religious discipline helped inspire the reforms made by King Mongkut (Rama IV, reigned 1851-68). The Mon who settled chiefly in the North and the central plain, e.g., at Nonthaburi, Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Uthai Thani, and Ratchaburi, generally were wet-rice farmers who also had specialized skills such as pottery-making. They maintained a social organization similar to that of the Thai and other lowland cultures. Their villages were governed by Mon headmen, who in turn were responsible to district and provincial officers of Mon ancestry. Although their language was related to Khmer, the Mon incorporated a large number of Thai words into their vocabulary. Moreover, language differences became less important as Mon children, educated in Thai schools, learned Central Thai. In the 1980s, some Mon still used their own language in certain contexts, but few did not know Thai. In general, the Mon were more integrated into Thai society than any other non-Thai group.

The Vietnamese

In the mid-1970s, the number of Vietnamese in Thailand was estimated at between 60,000 and 70,000, most of them in the Northeast. Three broad categories of Vietnamese were in the country. The first were the descendants of persons who fled from political upheaval and persecution during the precolonial era in the late eighteenth century and through much of the nineteenth century. Most of them settled either in Bangkok or in the area southeast of it, and many of their descendants were absorbed into Thai society, although some still lived in villages that were identifiably Vietnamese. Many who came in the nineteenth century were refugees from anti-Catholic persecution by rulers in Cochinchina (southern Vietnam, around the Mekong Delta) before the French established political control over that area. The second category consisted of persons who opposed the establishment of French domination over all Vietnam in 1884 and presumably expected their stay in Thailand to be short. With some exceptions, however, their descendants and those of other Vietnamese who came to Thailand in the first decades of the twentieth century remained. The earliest arrivals in this category, like their predecessors, mostly came to southeast Thailand. Later immigrants tended to go to the Northeast. The third category included those who fled from Vietnam between the end of World War II in 1945 and the consolidation of North Vietnamese rule over all of Vietnam in 1975. For those who came after the Second Indochina War had ended, Thailand was simply a way station en route to somewhere else, usually the United States.

Most of the 40,000 to 50,000 Vietnamese who came in 1946 and shortly thereafter were driven from Laos by the French, who were then reimposing their rule over all of Indochina. More Vietnamese came later, and, like those who came in the 1920s and 1930s, they expected to return to Vietnam. Between 1958 and 1964 (when the intensification of the war in Vietnam inhibited their return), arrangements were made for the repatriation of Vietnamese to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), and an estimated 40,000 left Thailand. Over the years a few families went to the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). The movements of this period, both voluntary and involuntary, left between 60,000 and 70,000 Vietnamese in Thailand, an undetermined portion of which were post-World War II migrants who could not or would not return to their homeland.

The Chinese

The largest number of non-Tai peoples were the Chinese. In 1987 an estimated 11 percent of the total Thai population, or about 6 million people, were of Chinese origin, which meant that Thailand had the largest Chinese population in Southeast Asia. Assimilation of the various Chinese communities was a continuing process. Chinese were encouraged to become Thai citizens, and in 1970 it was estimated that more than 90 percent of the Chinese born in Thailand had done so. When diplomatic relations were established with China in the 1970s, resident Chinese not born in Thailand had the option of becoming Thai citizens; the remaining permanent Chinese alien population was estimated at fewer than 200,000.

Given their historic role as middlemen, Chinese were found everywhere in Thailand, particularly in the towns. There was, however, a major concentration in the Bangkok metropolitan area and another in the central part of peninsular Thailand, where many Chinese were engaged in several capacities in the tin mines and on the rubber plantations. Although many Chinese played an important part in the ownership and management of economic enterprises and in the professions, a substantial portion had less lucrative and significant occupations (see National and Urban Structures: Class and Status , this ch.).

Except for a minority, the Chinese not only were Thai nationals but also had, in some respects at least, assimilated into Thai society; many spoke Thai as well as they spoke Chinese. Most of the descendants of pretwentieth-century immigrants and those people of mixed Chinese-Thai ancestry (the so-called Sino-Thai--see Glossary) were so fully integrated into Thai society that they were not included in the Chinese population estimates.

The accommodation between Thai and Chinese historically depended in part on the changing economic and political interests and perspectives of the Thai monarchs and others in the ruling group. Also relevant were the roles assigned to the Chinese at various times, e.g., in the nineteenth century, that of tax farmers. Under the tax farming system, private individuals were sold the right to collect taxes at a price below the actual value of the taxes. The barriers between Thai and Chinese became more rigid in the early twentieth century with the emergence of Thai and Chinese nationalism and also the increased tendency of Chinese females to accompany male immigrants, which reduced the amount of intermarriage. Consequently, despite a level of Chinese integration in the host society surpassing that found elsewhere in Southeast Asia, the Chinese remained a separate ethnic community, although the boundaries became less defined in the more mobile post-World War II society. The Chinese spoke a number of southern Chinese dialects, the most important being Teochiu, which was used by most Chinese as a commercial lingua franca.

The South Asians

In 1979 the Ministry of Interior estimated that there were 60,000 Hindus and Sikhs in Thailand (0.13 percent of the total population). Small South Asian trading communities in southern Thailand were noted in a ninth-century Tamil inscription. In addition to being trade centers, these early Indian communities served as a conduit for Indian culture and political theory, especially during the Ayutthayan period. The modern South Asian community, however, was largely apolitical and attempted to blend into Thai society, its members working as tailors, night watchmen, and textile merchants.

CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICAN JAGUARS

2006-03-01T08:21:00.000-08:00

The jaguar is the Western Hemisphere's most powerful and largest wildcat, even larger than the leopard. The jaguar is a magnificent animal with a multiple colored coat although typically, this animal has a brown/yellow coat with black spots although a few are white. The adult male can reach between four and seven feet in length, not counting the tail, which can measure an additional 17 to 30 inches and approximately three feet tall. A full-grown jaguar can easily weigh as much as 300 pounds, making it a fierce competitor.

With a body consisting of heavy muscled shoulders and forearms, the jaguar is capable of finding and capturing prey. The head is huge, the legs thick and long, and the hind legs are flexible and strong for climbing. Each of the front paws has long claws that retract, which is also used for climbing and holding onto prey. The tongue is similar to that of a standard housecat, so rough it can actually peel skin off the prey's flesh and meat from the bones. Interestingly, while the jaguar is strong and built for endurance, it also has a soft, loose underbelly that when kicked by other animals, does little, if any injury.

Jaguars are found in the United States to include Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, along with Asia and Africa. However, jaguars are also common in both Central and South America, particularly in the rainforests. One of the most spectacular of all jaguars is the black species that can be found in South America. This particular animal likes to live in lowlands, tropical rainforests, or swampy areas. On occasion, you will also find jaguars in grasslands and forests, generally around lakes, rivers, marshland, in caves, or under rocky ledges, and sometimes, in shrubbery. However, wherever jaguars live, they prefer the ground to be soft, often using things like leaves to rest on.

While some cats such as lions live in families or packs, jaguars tend to be loners. In fact, they become exceptionally protective over their territory, not wanting any other animal to come near their den. The behavior of the jaguar is fierce, in fact being the fiercest of all cats. As outstanding hunters and swimmers, this cat will find food both on land and in the water. When on land, they will often stay hidden in the shadows, watching and stalking prey. As other animals stop by the water's edge to drink, the jaguar will quickly pounce and devour.

In all, about 80 different animals are the jaguar's prey. For example, they often feed off cattle, making them a threat to ranchers, as well as rodents, sheep, birds, deer, turtles, tapir, fish, armadillos, wild pig, iguana, capybaras, and even crocodiles. Jaguars are even known to hide tall in rainforest trees where they prey on monkeys. Even with such a great appetite and variety of food supply, it is rare for a jaguar to attack a human. While there have been some reported instances, again, this is very uncommon.

When jaguars live in the rainforest, they will generally mate any time of year whereas when in other regions, they mate only late in the year. During the mating and pregnancy season, the male and female will cohabitate. The female will remain pregnant 95 to 110 days at which time she will have a litter of one to four cubs. Weighing just two pounds or so, the cubs will not reach maturity until age three for females and age four for males. Regardless, both the male and female jaguar lives about 20 years.

While the babies are growing up, the male jaguar will remain with the female, teaching them to hunt, defend themselves, find shelter, and all the necessary life lessons. The mother's role is to feed the cubs and to help them hunt during the first two years of life. Sadly, jaguars are hunted in Central and South America for a number of reasons. Sometimes, they are hunted to protect cattle, sometimes for sport, and sometimes for the beautiful hide, which has great demands. While poaching of these fine animals continues today, it is not as bad as it once was. When in Central or South America, perhaps you will be fortunate to see one of these amazing and beautiful animals up close.

Coffee of Mexico and Guatemala

2006-02-28T05:44:00.000-08:00

Today, coffee is grown in more than 50 countries around the globe. In this article, we want to provide information specific to coffee grown in Mexico and Guatemala. Most Mexican coffee comes from the southern region of the country. There, the area narrows, turning to the east. In Vera Cruz State on the gulf side of the mountain range is where lowland coffee is produced. However, highland coffee, known as Altura Coatepec comes from the mountain region with the same name.

Now, Mexico coffees that come from the southern slopes of the central mountain range are found in Oaxaca State. These coffees are among the finest anywhere. Then, you have Chiapas State coffees grown in the mountains region of the southeastern most corner of the country close to Guatemala. This coffee is usually marketed under the name of Tapachula, again from the city of Tapachula. Although you can buy Mexican coffee from a number of places, it is common to find it sold in specialty stores from Chiapas or Oaxaca.

The thing about coffee from Mexico is that it lacks body and richness. Even so, Mexican coffee has a light, delicate taste that is pleasantly dry. Therefore, if you prefer black coffee that is slightly acidic and light, Mexican coffee would be the ideal choice. Mexican coffee was first planted in the country in the early 18th century. With a nutty tone and overtone of chocolate, it is truly a favorite for many people.

Now, you have Guatemalan coffee that is known for producing some of the finest coffee with a wonderful, distinct flavor. The primary region is Antigua, countryside just west of Coban, the old capital city. While Antigua coffee is the most famous, you will find a number of specialty roasters that are almost as good. For Guatemala coffee, there are grades. For instance, the highest grade is the hard bean, which means the coffee was grown at 4,500 feet above sea level or more. Some of the best-known coffee estates in Guatemala include San Miguel, Los Volcanos, and San Sebastian.

What you will notice with Guatemalan coffee is the spicy yet smoke flavor that makes this coffee so unique. Guatemalan coffee is typically very acidic, ranging in body from medium to full. Therefore, if you enjoy a good, bold cup of java that has a smoky, distinct flavor, you will love Guatemalan coffee. The best names are marketed again as Antigua, along with Coban and Huehuetenango. The best Guatemalan coffees are produced using what is known as the wet process.

First introduced in mid-18th century by Jesuit missionaires, the industry continued to grow and evolve well after 1869 at which time German immigrants settled there. At that time, approximately 25% of the total population of Guatemala was making a living in the coffee industry. In fact, 70% of the country's exports were coffee. Although today, exports are just 35%, Guatemalan coffee is still incredible good.

TAQUILE - THE ISLAND OF WEAVERS

2006-02-27T07:31:00.000-08:00

TAQUILE - THE ISLAND OF WEAVERS ON LAKE TITICACA

Nestled more than 12,000 feet above sea level is a place called Lake Titicaca where the Uros civilization lives. Lake Titicaca is the largest navigable lake in the entire world, covering a total of 3,861 square miles. The Uros people use the resources of the lake to live and make floating islands, which are like modern day houseboats made from the lake's reed vegetation.

The lake that borders both Bolivia and Peru is said to be a mystical place, one of ancient civilizations that are blessed with clear waters, good fishing, and fresh fruits. In fact, the Uros Indians are strong believers that they are direct descendents of Inca royalty. Regardless, these people have created homes on the water for centuries. Made from springy layers of reeds, as the "floating island" rots or becomes damaged, the layers can simply be replaced.

You will even find the Uros floating on the water during heavy rainfalls and fishing in their carefully crafted boats. Some of the designs are so large and impressive, entire families live onboard. Interestingly, some of the Uros people still who refuse to go inland where there is land population n fear of bringing back disease. Instead, they will choose remote areas of the island if they want to hunt for and trap food. Without doubt, their life is a very fascinating and often misunderstood.

As you travel on the lake, you will come across two specific islands, once called Amantani and the other, Taquile. The island of Amantani offers life without electricity, running water, or any type of modern structure, offering a true example of what life for pre-Colonial Andean Peruvians would be like. On the island of Taquile, you still find natives using ancient weaving techniques for making all types of things such as beautiful and colorful clothing.

On the island of Amantani, the basket weavers make a living by producing magnificent pieces from the natural resources of the island, as well as the lake. For the island of Taquile, which translates to the "Island of the Weavers", you can experience the culture of this civilization for as little as $1 a day when staying with a hosted, local family.

Another option for experiencing some of the Taquile and Amantani weavers up close is to take a day tour where you will be impressed by the hospitable people and the comfortable accommodations. In fact, you can spend as little as $15 a day going from one lakeside community and island to another.

Weaving

2006-02-24T05:22:00.001-08:00

Weaving is an ancient textile art and craft that involves placing two sets of threads or yarn made of fiber called the warp and weft of the loom and turning them into cloth. This cloth can be plain (in one color or a simple pattern), or it can be woven in decorative or artistic designs, including tapestries.

The majority of commercial fabrics are woven on computer-controlled Jacquard looms. In the past, simpler fabrics were woven on other dobby looms and the Jacquard harness adaptation was reserved for more complex patterns. The efficiency of the Jacquard loom makes it more economical for mills to use them to weave all of their fabrics, regardless of the complexity of the design.

Hand weaving, along with hand spinning, is a popular craft. Weavers use wooden looms to create rugs, fabrics, and tapestries. Fabric in which the warp and/or weft is tie-dyed before weaving is called ikat. Fabric decorated using a wax resist method is called batik.

Process

In general, weaving involves the interlacing of two sets of threads at right angles to each other: the warp and the weft. The warp's many threads are held taut and in parallel order by means of a loom. The loom is dressed, or set up, with the warp threads. The weft threads can be wound onto shuttles. The weft thread crosses the warp in some over/under sequence. The nature of that sequence gives rise to many possible patterns and structures from the simplest plain weave, through twills and satins to complex computer-generated interlacing.

Both warp and weft can be visible in the final product. By spacing the warp more closely, it can completely cover the weft that binds it, giving a warp-faced textile. Conversely, if the warp is spread out, the weft can slide down and completely cover the warp, giving a weft faced textile, such as a tapestry or a Kilim rug. There are a variety of loom styles for hand weaving and tapestry. In tapestry, the image is created by only placing weft in certain areas, rather than in the weave structure itself.

Yerba Mate

2006-02-24T05:22:00.000-08:00

TAGUA NUT CARVINGS FROM PANAMA

2006-02-23T11:10:00.000-08:00

The tagua nut has a strong resemblance to animal ivory, making it a wonderful resource for creating all types of beautiful things. For many years, the tagua nut was used primarily for making buttons but with new technology and more affordable materials such as plastics, a decline began. Even so, the tagua nut still has value in the making of other things to include chess set pieces, jewelry, handles for canes, dice, figurines, etc. In fact, many of the Victorian jewelry pieces made from the tagua nut are quite expensive.

The positive aspect of the tagua nut is that just one tree produces enough ivory to equal that of a female elephant trunk, meaning by choosing tagua, innocent animals are spared. Because of this, today we see the tagua nut again becoming very popular as more and more people are fighting to protect endangered species used for ivory. The only downfall is that these nuts, which grow in the rainforests of Panama, Ecuador, and a few other places around the world, are all harvested by hand to ensure the trees are not harmed. As you can imagine, the process is labor intensive. However, it does create needed jobs in these areas of the world!

The other benefit of using the tagua nut from Panama is that the rainforest is being protected as a sustainable income for the people. By growing these trees and keeping them harvested, forests are not degrading into poor quality land. That means the rainforest can remain a beautiful part of our world while the local tribesmen have income that helps when caring for their families.

The tagua tree is more like a palm tree that will grow upwards of 30 feet tall. Thriving on the damp areas of the rainforest, you will actually find different species of the tagua palm. As the tagua nut grows, it develops into protected clusters, each consisting of several egg-sized nuts. When the nuts are young, they are very tender, almost jelly like. Inside the young nuts is a special type of liquid that the people living in the rainforest love to drink. Additionally, many of the animals eat the tagua nut as a part of their regular diet. Then, as the tagua nut matures, it becomes extremely hard and durable, thus becoming a perfect choice for magnificent creations.

Tagua nut carvings from Panama have been such a great source of income for the forest people, giving them back self-sufficiency and pride. Many of these people are no longer able to live a full tribal life simply because of the demise of the rainforest so this type of harvesting allows them to retain their sense of self and history. Today, we sadly see many highways and modern buildings being built right through rainforests, causing this natural resource to erode. The good news is that many organizations have been formed to protect this type of land, with great success.

Once the tagua nuts are picked from the ground, the artisans carve them into amazing pieces. Interestingly, these carvings are so detailed and perfect, that many have become prized collections throughout the world. You will find that many of the tagua nut carvings from Panama depict the nature of the rainforest to include monkeys, birds, and various other animals. In fact, the carvings are typically considered an artistic expression for these tribal men, giving them the opportunity to incorporate their feelings, dreams, and aspirations into the designs.

In addition to figurines, the tagua nut is also commonly used for making everyday eating and cooking utensils. Some of the spirit sticks were used for ceremonies by the rainforest shamans (witch doctors) as well. Today, you can visit the Bernheim Gallery, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and Panama Audubon Society all displaying many of these beautiful pieces. For this reason, collectors around the globe try to get their hands on any type of carving, viewing them as incredible pieces of art.

TAGUA NUT CARVINGS FROM ECUADOR

2006-02-23T11:09:00.001-08:00

Located in the northwest portion of Ecuador, a unique venture began called the Tagua Initiative was formed. This began in 1990 by Conservation International as a means of creating economic incentives associated with the tagua palm nut, trying to find a way for the harvests to be sustained. Because of this initiative, today we see almost 2,000 people belonging to the Comuna Rio Santiago-Cayapas, holding down jobs. However, these jobs depend on the rainforest being left unharmed, allowing the tagua nut to continue growing.

The tagua plant is somewhat like a palm tree that produces a nut. When this nut is young it tender, being filled with a liquid that the people living in the rainforest drink. However, as the tagua nut matures, it becomes very hard at which time it falls from the tree. Once on the ground, the people harvest it to create amazing things. Interesting, the nuts that are not used for carving are created into "bricks" used as a fuel source because of the high heat production.

The tagua plant must grow for about 20 years before it starts to produce fruit. Even so, the nuts are not good for harvesting for five to eight years after fruit is produced. Therefore, it is not a plant that could be profitable but its nuts are. The root system of this plant has a 98% survival rate if burned. Therefore, even if there were to be a horrendous fire, the tree would be rained on and continue to grow. Because the tree produces such a versatile nut, by purchasing things made from the tagua, the rainforest is being protected.

Although the tagua plant can be found in other places, Ecuador is just one of a few countries where you can find it. Because the tagua nut is hard and resistant, while still being beautiful, it is considered a prized possession, often used in the making of precious jewelry. Other things the tagua nut is used for include chess set pieces, figurines, key chains, buttons, and much more.

Prior to plastic buttons being introduced in the United States, approximately 20% were actually made from the tagua nut. In fact, during the 1920's, $5 million annually was brought into Ecuador for the exportation of the tagua buttons. These buttons, along with the other type of tagua carvings are often called vegetable ivory because of the color and texture. Since animal ivory is on the decline, the tagua nuts have been considered a great substitute without anything being harmed.

Sadly, much of the rainforest area in this part of the world has been destroyed. However, this Comuna sits by the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve, which is a very diverse area and one that is protected. This is an important hotspot since today, less than 1% of the earth is covered by rainforest hotspots yet it contains as much as 40% of biodiversity. Therefore, the Ecological Reserve protects this area so that workers can continue making their tagua nut carvings.

SHIPIBO POTTERY FROM PERU

2006-02-23T11:09:00.000-08:00

The Shipibo people live near the Ucayali River in areas of eastern Peru around in the Amazon Basin. These natives are extremely talented, making distinctive pottery that is traditional for their lifestyles. For example, Shipibo vases are handmade and then decorated using natural pigments from the earth. The geometric designs are representation of the visions of the Shipibo people, which is why this type of pottery is so unique and prized.

After the creation of a Shipibo vase or other piece of pottery, they are decorated and then fired in low heated, open fires. When done, the pieces of pottery are finished with a vegetable-based compound that makes it waterproof while creating a gorgeous sheen. These people live deep in the Amazon rainforest. Although they live a primitive life with limited contact with outside civilizations, the pottery made is unbelievable beautiful.

The men of the tribe are hunters and gatherers that still practice head hunting. However, the women are the pottery makers. Typically, clay is found, which takes several days in a dugout canoe to reach. The clay is then mixed with ashes coming from the bark of trees growing in the area. This mixture is then ground up into small fragments of broken pottery. From this, each piece is hand crafted, without using a potter's wheel.

The sides of the pottery are made thin, which is what makes each pottery piece so amazingly lightweight. Once the pieces have dried in the warm sun for several days, the clay goes through the firing process. The white base color is created from a clay slip whereas the red and black geometric designs come from the process of boiling bark. Then, resin is obtained from tree sap, which gives the Shipibo pottery its unique glaze.

Most often, you would see the design of a cross and serpent. However, the geometric patterns are all easily recognized and characteristic of things seen in everyday life. For example, for special occasions, the decorations on the Shipibo pottery will depict a face and a body, which is believed to be a magical and religious expression. However, outsiders are not quite sure of the true meaning.

Keep in mind that Shipibo pottery actually started for utilitarian purposes. Pieces would be used for eating, preserving food, carrying water, and so on. However, as the Shipibo people discovered money and the things it could buy, they began selling the pottery, thus getting word out to the rest of the world about their amazing talent. Unfortunately, the trip to reach the market for the Shipibo people is a long, dangerous one.

SAN PEDRO DE CAJAS TAPESTRY FROM PERU

2006-02-22T09:00:00.001-08:00

Peru is known for many incredible things, one being the San Pedro de Cajas tapestry. Absolutely, exquisite this tapestry is all hand woven, made from 90% sheep wool and just 10% cotton. San Pedro de Cajas tapestry is vibrantly colored using all-natural dyes that come from cochineal insects. The patterns are all very, distinct, boasting white houses, red roofs, and magnificent green backgrounds. The fascinating thing about this type of Peruvian tapestry is that it can be displayed from either front or back with two wood dowels that are stretched across both top and bottom.

San Pedro de Cajas sits high in the Andes Mountains of Peru about 13,000 feet up. Each tapestry design is washed, dyed, and brushed prior to the start of the weaving process. The artisans are both male and female, each working hard to ply wool and dye. In fact, you will find entire families involved with the tapestry making process. The wool used comes from the area, which allows the dye to work beautifully.

The region of San Pedro de Cajas received its name from the legend of the patron saint named San Pedro who came to Cesar Yuri Roman in a dream. In this dream, San Pedro asked Cesar to return to his town to help but Cesar did not take the dream seriously, instead ignoring the request of San Pedro. However, just a few days later, a massive mudslide destroyed Cesar's business. With this, a broke Cesar returned to San Pedro de Cajas, starting a new tapestry weaving business, a skill that had been passed down through his family.

Determined to reconcile the damage he had caused himself, Cesar worked on a particular weaving of the image of a saint. Unfortunately, the ancient traditions and techniques were crude, making it impossible. At that time, only geometrical shapes could be woven. However, still determined to succeed, Cesar developed a new technique, which he called padding. With this, he could work the tapestry in more detail with realistic designs and figures. The new system was very, successful, leading other local artisans to adopt it for their own designs.

Because the San Pedro de Cajas tapestries have such incredible colors and intricate designs, they have become exceedingly popular and in high demand. From that time forward, the tapestries have continued to grow in popularity and today, people from around the world visiting Peru can visit Cesar's tapestry museum. His success with color and design was so incredible that the local government honored him with the title of Doctor in Craftsmanship that came along with a beautiful medal.

With the blend of materials and the hand looming, you will fall in love with the San Pedro de Cajas tapestries. What most people comment on are the clear, vibrant colors and realistic designs. In fact, these tapestries are generally considered art more so than textile. If you have a chance to get your hands on one of these tapestries, you will have a lifelong treasure!

QUINUA AYACUCHO POTTERY FROM PERU

2006-02-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

The town of Quinua is most known for the talent of the potters. They are famous for manufacturing pieces of pottery known as "Quinua Ceramics". Each of these pieces is designed to display local customs. Quinua is just 23 miles from the capital city and is the site of the Battle of Ayacucho where the country received its independence when fighting against Spanish troops.

In addition to Quinua Ayacucho pottery, this city is also famous for the high quality of red and cream clay that is used to make the pottery pieces. Although the forms and techniques are simple, almost child-like, the results are what amaze people. Many of the pottery pieces are chapels, churches, bulls, and houses. However, it is also common to see figurines of peasant farmers, neighbors busy gossiping, and religious themes.

Now, you can purchase Quinua Ayacucho pottery from a number of shops that specialize in these pieces or if you prefer, directly from one of the artisans who will sign the piece made. Of all the pottery pieces, the chapel and churches are the most popular. Typically, these ceramic pieces are used on mantles, bookshelves, or tables. Interestingly, the church pottery piece is used to protect homes from evil spirits, which is why you see them displayed.

When visiting Quinua, you can visit the Plaza area by climbing the charming cobblestone walkway. The buildings in this town are whitewashed and there is even a quaint village church. These pottery pieces are exported around the globe because of the quality and whimsy of each piece. In fact, the local people have become quite good at marketing the products, getting word out about these brightly colored pottery pieces. However, today you will even find Quinua Ayacucho pottery made in pastel colors, something unheard of years ago. In fact, original pieces were all earth tone.

Although you will find more and more modern pieces of pottery being developed you can certainly still buy the traditional church or other figurines. While there are many skilled artisans that make Quinua Ayacucho pottery, one of the most famous artists is Mamerto Sanchez. As you walk along the main road, you will find a number stalls where pieces are sold.

POTTERY INSTRUMENTS FROM SOUTH AMERICA

2006-02-22T08:59:00.000-08:00

Pottery made in South America varies dramatically based on the tribes and regions. For years, the people of Mexico, along with South and Central America tried to make pottery creations using low fired clay. Pottery and ceramic was done by hand and then fired in large outdoor kilns. Typically, you would see creations for everyday things to include jugs, pipes, cooking pots, whistles, jugs, tiles, and a number of other things.

Interestingly, musical instruments were commonly made from pottery. Although these instruments began as domestic cooking pots, the South American people discovered that when the pots contained varying levels of food or drink, they produced different sounds. Among the most popular creations were whistles and flutes. In fact today, if you were to visit South America, you would find globular flutes everywhere used to imitate objects to include deer skulls and conch shells.

The whistling jars from South America are called "silbador", which are made by connecting a number of pots that have a spout on the end and then the special whistle mechanism on the other side. These pots are then filled with water and rocked back and forth to create movement. The movement of the water changes the level of air that pushes over the whistle, thus the different sounds. The earliest such whistle is dated back to 500 AD.

Many of these pots were created in the shape of a parrot, monkey, or some other animal. Keep in mind that while many of these instruments have a number of chambers, this does not change the sound as once believed. Now, the globular flutes found today are created with an air duct and stop. One such example found in Mexico and Malaya is shaped as a bird. Also unique to South America are pottery panpipes, which are made by pressing clay onto a cane core and then joined with several of varying lengths, which produces the different sounds. Typically, the blowhole is elliptical that helps to make the sound easier.

When compared with flutes, pottery trumpets are a rare find even though they were distributed widely throughout Europe, India, Western Europe, parts of Africa, and South America. Taking the clue from conch shells, pottery imitations soon followed, known as "potuto". Another pottery instrument coming out of South America is called the "intambula", which is a drum that has a skin held over it by one man while a second man beats on it. More commonly known in the United States as a kettle drum, these drums were designed a little different in that they did not have an open end and they can be tuned. For drums, two-headed pottery styles are very hard to find although some still exist in some Indian villages found only in North America.

Another common instrument made from pottery in South America is the rattle. Experts believe these instruments were copies of gourd rattles. Depending on the rattle, some are designed with a rattlesnake molded on the outside, which is a suggestion of the rattling sound produced. In most cases, these pottery instruments are very elaborately decorated and used for special ceremonies. Throughout the years, archaeologists have been able to uncover different types of South America pottery, giving them an important look into the people and types of natural materials used. The pottery unearthed also provided a glimpse into settlement patterns of the settlers, religious beliefs, and agricultural practices. We have learned much from the South American people through their work with pottery, recreating many of the styles that are so rich in history.

The Ocarina

2006-02-21T05:01:00.001-08:00

The Ocarina is a handcrafted musical instrument that produces a sound similar to that of a flute. This ancestral instrument looks more like a modern bike racing helmet than an instrument. The Ocarina has been around for tens of thousands of years and played to create beautiful music. In its basic form, the Ocarina was used in the Stone Age and some of the earliest models have been unearthed by archaeologists in Central Africa.

Even so, the Ocarinas have also been made and played in various parts of the world. For instance, in China, they are known as Hsuan, in France a Cou-Cou, and then in Italy, Ocarina, which actually translates to "Sweet Little Goose." This simple instrument works on a very basic principle just as the flute. There is a mouthpiece designed with an airway that works by forcing a smooth breath through the slit, which then goes across the window and onto the reed or lip. With this, the air breaks into vortexes, giving rise to the oscillations that are heard by the different finger placements on the holes.

For the finger holes, these are simple chambers making the tone of the sound change. As with other instruments, the Ocarina also has a musical scale known as the "Four Hole Western Hole". As you look at the Ocarina, you will notice there are four holes of varying sizes. Because of the way that the holes are strategically placed, when playing you can easily slide the finger from on hole to the next. Although it takes a little practice as with any other instrument, with practice and patience, you will soon get the hang of it.

The Ocarina is also designed in a number of art forms. For example, the songbird is bright blue and because of the special design, the sound is superb. Most are made by being placed on a potter's wheel and then altered and changed until the sound is clean and smooth. The clay is fired at high temperatures, giving the Ocarina a smooth surface. Each instrument is made by hand so each instrument is a one-of-a-kind.

When played by Central and South American natives, the Ocarina produces an almost eerie sound, one that is rich and distinct. The shape of the Ocarina is globular, often with an angled or pointed type front that does not change with the change of the weather. To clean the instrument, you can actually place it in the dishwasher in most cases or wash it by hand.

Whether making an Ocarina that is brightly colored with geometrical shapes, one in the shape of an animal, or perhaps one that is rustic like you would see natives using, this type of instrument is fun to own and very inexpensive to buy. You can check out the various search engines and simply type in "ocarinas" to see all the amazing styles.

Nicaraguan pottery

2006-02-21T05:01:00.000-08:00

Nicaraguan pottery is absolutely, beautiful and today, very popular. Certain Spanish colonists known as the Gallegos and Bracamonte settled in Nicaraguan sometime in the late 1500s. The village was called San Juan el Batista, which years later, was renamed to San Juan de los Platos because of the successful pottery industry. In fact, the Spaniards were paid in the form of pottery. Then when Nicaragua became independent from Spain in 1821, the village was again renamed, this time to San Juan de Oriente.

Interestingly, the making of pottery was considered work only to be performed by women, as well as other domestic chores to include cleaning, cooking, and caring for the children. In fact, the women living in San Juan made the pieces of pottery all by hand, just as their ancestors had done, using a free form design and coil method. The firing of the pottery was down outside in a campfire where the pieces would be fired quickly in an open flame, usually from one to three hours. Today, you will still find some woman in San Juan still using this same method.

In addition, oxen pulled carts are still seen, each pulling clay in burlap sacks coming from the farms as they head into the city. The clay is taken to the workshop where artisans empty the clay from the bags into a hole, filled with water to help soften it. The next day, the clay is soft enough to be worked, at which time sand is added. Then, the clay is put on top of a sack at which time it is stamped to help soften it further while also blending in the sand and working out any unwanted air bubbles. This process generally takes about three hours, which is per mix.

After the clay has been softened and blended, it is massages by hand, clearing out roots and rocks. One person will dedicate up to 16 hours, again for one mix. At this point, the clay is stomped on by foot and then ready to be formed. The artisan then takes a ball of the clay and using a kick wheel will begin to shape it into many different shapes. Then, it is cut from the wheel using a piece of nylon. The clay is set aside and the pieces all turned upside down, allowing the indentation to form for the base. For this process, it takes anywhere from 5 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the ball and the skill level of the artisan.

Once all the pieces of clay have been shaped, the surface is polished. With this process, any smaller roots or stones can be seen or felt, allowing the potter to remove them and continue with the polishing. When this is done, the clay is smooth and the surface ready for color. For just the polishing portion of the procession, it takes the artisan between 10 and 30 minutes per piece.

Now, once all the pieces of clay are smooth, black liquid clay is painted on. This special clay known as "black clay" or "cogove" comes from El Sonce. When diluted with water and then strained over several days, what remains is the black clay. In fact, some natives will use black clay as face paint. However, for making Nicaraguan pottery, several layers are applied. Once all the pieces of clay are painted, they are placed into a plastic bag and allowed to dry up to seven days. After completely drying, the clay again undergoes the polishing phase with a flat-type instrument.

The next phase involves applying a layer of Oxido de Zinc, which is bone white oxide. The tone creates a nice base on which additional color can be painted onto the pottery. Again, the wet pieces are placed in a plastic bag where they dry for 2 to 10 hours. After drying, the Nicaraguan pottery pieces again go through the polishing process. Now, beautiful designs are traced, drawn, or painted onto the pieces using a pencil. Typically, repetition patterns are drawn onto a piece of paper at which time they are transferred through tracing but at different angles. On the other hand, curricular lines are painted using the wheel.

For the decoration and painting of the Nicaraguan pottery, using the colored oxides, the designed are painted on with paintbrushes made from recycled plastic shell belonging to a ballpoint pin and the hair of children who had haircuts. This process takes anywhere from one to four hours, which depends on the level of detail. Once all the color is painted on, the pottery pieces are smoothed out and polished. Again, they are dried (not in plastic), which takes up to six days.

The next step of creating Nicaraguan pottery is to outline the designs with a sharp instrument. This particular technique must be done very carefully so just the top layers of the clay are removed, allowing the rough surface of the style to remain. The tool uses is generally from broken bicycle spokes or a broken umbrella and then sharpened to a find point.

Firing is the next step that has changed somewhat over the years. Originally, kilns were shared and precious but today, you find many of the Nicaraguan artisans with their own. Each kiln is made from clay bricks, along with other necessary materials needed for making a burning oven. Some of the potters who are just starting out in the pottery business will experiment with the process but in most cases, the firing would start with two hours of heat.

From there, the heat is gradually increased over a three-hour period. Then, the heat is turned up high, burning the clay pieces for about four hours. Finally, once the kiln has cooled (usually the next day), the pottery is removed and with a soft cloth, shined. To bring out the shine to its fullest, natural shoe polish is used. The result is amazing piece of art that is a one-of-a-kind and completely, handcrafted.

Serapes

2006-02-20T06:58:00.000-08:00

The Mexican serape has a long and interesting history associated with the production of wool and cotton, two materials commonly used for a number of textiles by the Mexican people. The serape is made in numerous areas of the country, which is why it actually has many different names. For instance, the serape is also called chamarro, jorongo, cobiga, cotton, frazada, tilme, and gaban.

The fascinating aspect of the Mexican serape is that it is a perfect blend of weaving traditions such as European and Mesoamerican. That means that with the European style of weaving, you would see cotton and dyes used to create wonderful designs whereas for the Mesoamerican style, wool is used and mounted on a look to create designs. In other words, one is dyed to make unique designs while the other is weaved.

The woven styles associated with the Mesoamerican way of weaving the serape has been used primarily in the 18th and 19th centuries. During the time this style of serape was developed, the quality in factories and workshops was amazingly good, created most often in states such as Coahuila, Guanajuato, Michoacan, Puebla, Quetetaro, and Zacatecas.

Another interesting fact about the Mexican serape is that it was a common garment used by people of all lifestyles. For example, it was common to see horsemen, workers, town residents, and even lepers all preferring to wear the serape. Keep in mind that these serapes were the type woven.

Now, the type of serape that used cotton and dyes was considered a luxury garment whereby aristocrats and hacienda owners would wear them. These serapes were worn to high society parties, for walks along the avenues, or simply out for a leisurely stroll. These serapes were so gorgeous that famed artists and travelers from other countries would marvel at their distinct and colorful design.

The Mexican serape was even worn by insurgents fighting in the War of Independence along with patriots in wars where the French and Americans fought. This means that the serape was a garment of choice whether a conservative or liberal. In fact, the Mexican serape was actually used in refuge camps to keep people warm and for clothing, as a shroud for loved ones killed in battle, and the Revolutionary's flag. To this day, in the country of Mexico, this one item as well as the famous sombrero is what define the Mexican.

Serapes are also very versatile, being used as a shawl to dress up, a pillow on which to lay the head, as a coat for keeping warm, or even a bedcover. Even horsemen working the cold mountains and hot deserts use the serape as protection against the sun, rain, and snow. Remember, depending on the technique use for weaving, the serape can be a very sophisticated and elegant garment, a blanket on the back of a horse, or a blanket for a baby's crib.

Although you can still find people in Mexico that make serapes by hand, whether with dye or the weaving process, because factories have made it possible for mass production, the popularity of the serape is increasing dramatically. Today, we see incredible colors and designs that were not available years ago. Typically, these more colorful serapes come from places like Contla, Chiauhtempan, and Tlaxcala.

Many of the designs you see used in serapes come from landscapes or photographs seen by the weavers of serapes that are made in Contla, Guadalupe, San Bernandino, Tlascala, Tlaxiaco, Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, and Zacatecas. The serapes made in Oaxaca and Santa Ana del Valle are most often made with natural colored fibers with the designs being replicates of paintings created by well-known artists.

The serapes woven will commonly have two woven sections that are then sewn together although there are some looms capable of creating one, large serape. Serapes made out of the finest wool usually come from the Cora and Huichol Indians. Then, the serapes made with wool and chichicazatle, which is a vegetable fiber that produces a green color and has a tick texture usually comes from Oaxaca, San Pedro Mixtepec, Santa Catalina Zhanaguia, and San Juan Guivine.

Another fascinating fact about serapes is that in 1835 during the Texan War, soldiers would wear this garment over their uniforms that were very different from what the commanders wore. This particular war limited the number of serapes that could be made because of the high demand of the soldiers. When done wearing them for fighting, the soldiers would take the serape and give it to their girlfriends or wives, other family members, or simply use it as adornment for their home.

Without doubt, the Mexican serape is one garment that has a rich and diverse history. Today, serapes are just as popular, often used for garments, throws on the back of a couch, or an extra blanket on the bed to keep the chilly weather at bay. You can purchase serapes in Mexico and many South American's country or you can find them online. With the connection to other countries through the internet, many weavers are taking advantage of the opportunity by selling beautiful serape creations online.

CHULUCANA POTTERY FROM PERU

2006-02-20T06:57:00.001-08:00

Throughout Peru, you will find several types of pottery, one being Chulucana. Using ancient, pre-Hispanic techniques by various cultures, the styles used are known as Colombian and negative painting, which is done by limiting oxygen flow in the furnace. These techniques are commonly used for making Chulucana pottery, which comes directly from Piura in the northern jungles. The natives of the Arabelas community create these pieces by hand, which are beautiful.

In addition to these two methods, another option is used in Simbila, Cajamarca, and Mollepampa. In this case, the Chulucana pottery shapes are made by hand with clay that has been beaten with a spatula. The pieces of pottery made are also made for both utilitarian and decorative purposes. In fact, the pieces made in Chulucanas has 250 artisans registered, making this pottery one of the finest in all of South America.

The motifs have become very popular. Made with rich, black color, the pottery is then glazed. You will often see portrayals of local people to include street vendors, musicians, dancers, and so on. Then, Chulucana pottery also depicts animals. Because of the beautiful design and durability of this pottery, it is widely traded in various markets of Arequipa, Juliaca, and Cusco.

One of the aspects of Peru that inspired the long tradition of pottery making is the climate. Although pottery making has been around for centuries, it has become increasingly popular in the last three decades. Everyone has his or her own favorite pottery design but some of the favorites include elders, old sages, mothers, lovers, laborers, and goddesses. Because of such diversity, Chulucana pottery has something for everyone.

The clay used for Chulucana pottery is mined from Mount Vicus. The clay is then mixed with water coming from melted snow and desert sand. Then the pieces of pottery are hand formed with the color and patterns being created with natural materials that are mixed with soil and applied to the surface of the pottery piece. To create the black color on the pieces, smoke from burning mango leaves and wood is used. The only areas not touched are those covered with the glazing mixture.

Once the Chulucana has been fired, it is polished by rubbing it with a fine stone. The polishing completes the pottery making process, which gives each piece a beautiful, semi-gloss finish. To finish off the pottery, it is signed by the artist. As you can imagine, Chulucana pottery is delicate so you will find small variations or imperfections that only lead to the intrigue.

Ayacucho Tapestry of Peru

2006-02-20T06:57:00.000-08:00

Like all Peruvian tapestry, Ayacucho is named after the region in which it is made. This tapestry was originally created in Santa Ana, which is a smaller town just outside Ayacucho. Interestingly, Ayacucho tapestry comes in three distinct grades. First, you have the street quality, which is made from virgin wool and natural dyes. Second, there is the special quality Ayacucho tapestry, made from pre-washed wool and aniline dyes. Third, you have signed, which is woven and sighed by the master makers.

Typically, Ayacucho tapestry from Peru is created in geometric designs of nature, often taken from Codices such as ancient Aztecs, Mayans, or Incas, as well as temple carvings. In the town of Ayacucho, alpacas and sheep are raised specifically so the wool can be used to make this type of tapestry. Most often, the imagery seen in the tapestry has influence of the Incas along with Nazca people from earlier times.

You will also find tapestries depicting things such as flowers, birds, butterflies, and many other Andean cultural aspects. All of the sheep wool is handspun, and then naturally dyed with native vegetable, mineral, and animal dye. Unfortunately, with the growing gang violence and lack of proper food, women will work 15, 16, and 17 hours a day to create Ayacucho tapestries. Although the work is hard, they are courageous, creating true masterpieces.

Another common theme scene in Ayacucho tapestries is ancestral things and mythological creatures. Many times, you will find tapestries such as this made from a blend of 70% alpaca and 30% wool, which means durability, strength, and a beautiful piece to last for years. As you can imagine, this type of weaving over long hours provides the women and men with significant income. However, with violence looming, we see many people being forced from the weaving industry.

Regardless, for the Ayacucho tapestries that survive, they are amazingly beautiful and well made. With such vibrant colors and designs, the Ayacucho tapestry is in wide demand. The skill learned from ancestors continues being used today, creating some of the most amazing tapestries in all of South America.

Arpilleras Tapestries

2006-02-20T06:56:00.000-08:00

When you hear "Arpilleras" tapestry, you need to understand that tapestries from Peru are named after the region in which they were produced. The name "Arpilleras" is actually from a Chilean tradition whereby rags were used to create small dolls. These dolls were then sewn together and sometimes, embroidered on large pieces of cloth. This interesting technique originated in Peru sometime around 1980. From there, it was adopted by shantytown inhabitants in the area around Lima.

Chilean women would put their sewing needles, thread, and rags to work, often used to spread the word about the missing, murdered, or tortured loved ones under the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. Today, there is a gallery at the Case Western Reserve University called the Mather Gallery where you can still see some of these amazing pieces. In fact, the exhibit has some 40 Arpilleras tapestries on display from private collections of Chilean women.

All Arpilleras tapestries are handcrafted. The rags used are usually collected by women or even donated by Chilean women. The colors and hues are often bright and bold, showing the woman's optimism and strength. The designs also include blacked-out figures of missing family members, as mentioned, as well as soldiers. In addition, the women's faces in the designs have strong lines yet simple stitches.

Typically, you will see a common denominator in the designs of Arpilleras tapestry such as images, names, and photographs. For example, it would be common to see a tapestry piece with the words, "Where are they" stitched on. Sadly, more than 10,000 people disappeared while Pinochet was in leadership. Women during this time were required to take refuge in the Vicariate of Solidarity that was organized by the Catholic church of Rome. The basements were dark and the rooms used for secret meetings of the sisters, mothers, daughters, and wives of the lost or murdered.

These sewn together cotton or wool cloth are designed with such amazing detail that you cannot help but feel impressed. The wall hanging tapestries are beautiful but all tell a unique and often sad story. The patchwork, tapestry, and embroidery style literally walks you through scenes of daily life associated with the Chilean woman, giving you much respect for her hardships.

Inro Diagram

2006-02-17T11:11:00.000-08:00

Below is a sample inro. This inro has three section that open to reveal compartments inside. A silk cord passes through the inro, then the ojime bead, and finally ends at the netsuke. The ojime bead is slid down against the top of the inro to keep it closed.

Ojime Beads

2006-02-17T11:10:00.000-08:00

Beads have forever been a part of history, covering virtually every culture. Although most beads are used to embellish and adorn, they also serve a number of other functions, which covers political events, social circumstances, religious beliefs, symbolism of curative powers, and have even been used as currency. Beads are also made in a huge variety of colors and designs, and can be made from all types of materials to include wood, metal, glass, ivory, and plastic.

Many of the ojime beads made from ivory were first carved in China’s Heibei province. However, during the mid-1980s, ivory was banned at which time ojime beads were made from boxwood. These beads are not carved by just anyone, but actual master carvers who consider this a very valuable art form. Many master carvers can create up to five to ten designs and while some will vary in color, the density and fine grain are what makes them unique. For a single ojime bead to be crafted by a skilled master carver, approximately four to six hours is required. Once the carving is complete, the beads are then signed by the artist, hand polished, and waxed to bring out their lustrous shine before being sold.

With Ojime beads, these first originated in Japan. The beads are meant to work with the netsuke so the Japanese people could hang items on a sash from their kimono. Although these small beads are beautiful and intricately made, they had a very distinct purpose for every day life. Because of the amazing carving of the ojime beads, they soon became somewhat of a fashion statement.

Now keep in mind that during the 17^th Century in Japan, pockets were not a part of clothing design. Therefore, the Japanese people had no way to carry tobacco, currency, medicines, and other small personal items. Over time, the tobacco pouch was created along with a writing set to keep things together and organized. The Inro for example was a box with anywhere from two to seven layers, which were used to store small objects. To keep the Inro together, cords made of silk were braided and then run through the box vertically.

As a way of maintaining the integrity of the braid, ojime beads were used. Then to close off the end of the cord, a small toggle called the netsuke was placed. With this design, the Inro could dangle from the kimono out of the way yet within close reach. Soon, the beautifully designed ojime bead became a piece of art expressed by the artist. With so many different designs, the Japanese individual could choose the style, color, and design that best matched his or her personal preference. For instance, some of the designs included whales, dogs, monkeys, snakes, crabs, tigers, dogs, dragons, mice, bats, roosters, owls, and much more.

While you can still find authentic ojime beads, today, many reproductions are also available, which are quite charming and typically carved from boxwood found in China, but following the traditions of the Japanese. The design of the ojime bead consists of a hole drilled from the top all the way down through the bottom. Additionally, depending on the design of the bead, there may also be some holes running lengthwise. The original and reproduced ojime beads are indeed amazing, refined pieces of art that are actually very sophisticated.

Netsuke

2006-02-17T11:09:00.000-08:00

Netsuke (pronounced “net-ski” or “net-skeh”) are tiny sculptures that originated in Japan as an accessory to traditional Japanese clothing. They have since evolved over a time period of three hundred years into works of art that are both collected and revered by art aficionados across the globe.

Originally, Netsuke served both functional and aesthetic purposes. The Japanese kimono did not have pockets, so women would hold small objects in their sleeves, and men would wear a silk cord on their obi, or sash. From the cord, they would hang items such as tobacco pouches and coin purses. These items were known as sagemono. To stop the silk cord from slipping under the weight of their sagemono, they would attach a small toggle to the cord. These toggles were known as netsuke, which literally means, “root for fastening”.

All three items (the obi, sagemono and netsuke) were beautifully decorated with carvings, lacquer work and inlays of precious metals, ivory, coral and other rare or expensive materials. Netsuke were often carved into different designs, and were shaped as everything from animals to humans to abstract patterns. Because of their individuality and uniqueness, netsuke quickly became highly collectable and their design became a coveted art form. Netsuke were also a sign of social status, as the craftsmanship and the quality of materials used varied between individual pieces. The wealthy tended to own better quality netsuke.

Netsuke can be made from a large variety of material, the most popular being ivory. However, it is not uncommon to find netsuke made from wood, animal tusks and antlers, amber, pottery, bamboo and more. There are many different styles of netsuke as well. The most common style is called katabori, or figural netsuke. These are the netsuke that resemble people or animals. Another type of netsuke are sashi, which are long and thin. Manju netsuke are named after a bean paste dish because of their round shapes that look similar to buttons. Kagamibuta, which means “mirror lid”, are netsuke that consist of a metal lid and a bowl. Finally, mask netsuke are fashioned after the masks in the Noh or Kyogen style plays that were popular in Japan at the time. Common netsuke subjects included the animal characters taken from the Asian zodiac as well as mythological figures, heroes and scenes from everyday life, but netsuke subject matter was hardly limted to these and they could take the form of anything the artist could possibly imagine.

By the 19^th century, netsuke were no longer needed in their functional role. Japanese culture, and thus dress, was heavily influenced by European styles, and the kimono and obi fashion fell out of favor. They still remained highly collectable however, as the startling amount of detail that went into each netsuke was a true jewel in the crown of Japanese art development. Today, netsuke fetch hefty prices from collectors around the world who admire the intricate and delicate craftsmanship, and the uniqueness and individuality of these beautiful works of Japanese art

Japanese Woodblock Prints

2006-02-16T08:19:00.000-08:00

The Japanese Woodblock Print is an art form, which highlights flowing, curved outlines, simplistic forms as well as the detailing of flat areas containing color. This form of art has not only existed for a long time in Asian history, but it has also deeply impacted artists in both Europe and North America throughout the 19^th century.

Woodblock printing was first used in Japan in the 8th century to print religious texts. Buddhists traveling from China brought these texts, as well as the printing method itself, to Japan.

These first prints were made in a single color using only Sumi ink. The world would have to wait nearly 900 years for the first colored prints to appear. Early color prints were made using a single block and black ink. The colors were hand painted by workers in the print shops. It was only when the popularity of these prints exceeded the production capacity of the workshops that the true woodblock print evolved.

To meet the rising demand, the printers employed master carvers to make individual blocks for each of the colors in the print. Many of the finer woodblock prints contained 15 or more colors, requiring 15 different expertly carved wooden print blocks. Each of these blocks had to be carved with great precision to ensure that the colored sections met perfectly.

Earliest among these images were private calendars that were printed without first by Suzuku Hornbook (1725-1770), and later with other various artists. One of the most famous of Suzuku Hornbook’s print was the image "The Køya Jewel River”.

Beginning in the mid-1760s, the newly discovered color prints were sold commercially; their depictions included themes that were both classical as well as contemporary; these themes included literary scenes, the lives of celebrities, women of beauty, travel scenes, erotic scenes, as well as actors in their different dramatic roles.

During the 19^th century, some of the most exhibited and represented artists of Japanese Woodblock Prints are Utagawa Toyokuni I (1769-1825), Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865), Utamaro Kitagawa (1750-1806), and Andø Hiroshige (1797-1858).

The techniques that were used were varied, but were absolutely critical to the final print. While working, the artist is required to keep a very specific goal in mind while creating the blocks. This mindset should be in line with the Japanese tradition of demonstrating the precise direction of the brush that would be painting the picture, so that the features of the original piece, as well as the written characters, are not in any way destroyed. So from the artist’s point of view, the direction of the knife should match identically the direction of the brush, which initially inscribed the picture. This being said, it is easy to understand that it takes an extremely skilled hand to replicate the unique and exact features captured in the originals, while simultaneously demonstrating the artist’s own skill and character.

The wood that is used for Japanese Woodblock Prints is selected very carefully. The woods considered include only very specific types of trees, and only certain textures of wood within those different species. No matter what, the texture of the wood must be extremely fine and very hard.

The differences between old and modern methods of Japanese woodcutting are as follows: the method of cutting on wood - as the ancient woodcuts is deeper than the ones that are made today. However, though more shallow, the present day pieces allow for much greater detail.

The majority of the woodblock prints were produced in the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo (formerly Edo). Workshops in Kyoto still produce woodblock prints today, which is the source of the prints we offer for sale on our site.

Ukiyo-e

2006-02-16T08:18:00.000-08:00

Ukiyo-e is probably the best known and most popular style of Japanese art. Like artistic eras in other parts of the world, Ukiyo-e art was produced in a variety of different media, including painting. Ukiyo-e, which is Japanese for "pictures of the floating world”, is primarily associated with a style of woodblock print making that depicted scenes of harmony and carefree everyday living. Because it used woodblocks to make a number of prints, Ukiyo-e took art from being the domain of the upper classes and royalty. This then made it more accessible to the common people.

Ukiyo-e became popular around the mid-nineteenth century. One of the first major artists in the Ukiyo-e was Monorobu Hishikawa, who produced single color prints made with woodblocks. Hishikawa, who was an illustrator for a book publisher, had to argue very hard to convince his superiors that printing and selling single sheet artworks would be a lucrative enterprise. This is certainly ironic, since Ukiyo-e became one of the most popular and lucrative forms of art the world has ever seen.

Hishikawa became the first Ukiyo-e "master”, and once his works had achieved widespread fame, he began to accept pupils. His actions created a trend, and soon other master artists were working with students to promote several different styles of print-making. The most popular subjects for Ukiyo-e prints at first were women, usually prostitutes, or "courtesans", and Ukiyo-e became known for its almost pornographic qualities. However, not all Ukiyo-e prints featured nudity. In fact, many were full length portraits of women displaying their kimonos not unlike modern fashion models.

The first Ukiyo-e prints used a single color custom prints with added color had to be finished by hand. Though later developments allowed the use of three, and then finally multiple colors, the process of woodblock printing remained basically the same. The artist would produce a master painting, which was then traced by craftsmen who carefully marked where each color would be placed. Then these craftsmen would make templates for each color, producing a separate woodblock for each one. The woodblocks were then pressed sequentially onto the paper in a certain order, producing the final product.

The Ukiyo-e style remained popular into the nineteenth century. While courtesans and other women remained popular subjects, landscapes, city scenes, and many other scenes from everyday life began to emerge as popular subjects as the art form became more widespread. Ando Hiroshige, a woodblock artist who began producing works around the beginning of the nineteenth century, is widely regarded as one of the best Ukiyo-e artists. His master works, a series of prints called Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido, are considered as some of the finest Ukiyo-e prints, and his passing in 1858 more or less coincided with the end of the Ukiyo-e woodblock printing era.

Japanese Kimono

2006-02-16T08:17:00.000-08:00

When we think of traditional Japanese dress, we inevitably think of the kimono as a garment that has been around throughout the course of Japan's history. However, this is not the case. While it is true that the kimono is the national costume of Japan, which is why it is the first thing we think of but the garment in its first recognizable form did not appear until the 7^th century. In fact, what we think of when we refer to a kimono today was not developed until the Edo period.

Kimonos are breathtakingly beautiful and somewhat daunting to the eye of the westerner that might find it tempting to try to wear one. It looks a bit like a bathrobe but much, much more complex than traditional Western wear. Does the word "kimono" convey any special insight into how to wear this garment by its meaning? Unfortunately not! The word kimono simply means "something to wear". Historians specializing in period clothing tell us that the name kimono came to be known to us about at the same time that Japan, after years of being closed to foreigners, was first entertaining visitors from the west. "Something to wear" was the answer given to curious inquiries about the Japanese style of dress. The name "kimono" stuck.

Much of the tradition surrounding kimonos comes from the Chinese. We know that Japan and Chinese nurtured a thriving trade between them. During travel, Japanese traders brought back clothing traditions from the Chinese court, which were adapted in Japan and remained popular until diplomatic relations between these countries cooled off in the early Heian period. For example, the fact that kimonos are always crossed left over right. That tradition started in China, where it was considered very poor taste and breeding to cross right over left.

Kimonos changed through the different periods of Japan's history to reflect the lifestyle and culture of the time. The cut, color, fabric, and decorations of a kimono may vary according to the sex, age, and marital status of the wearer, the season of the year, and the occasion for which the kimono is worn. During the Heian period, sitting on the floor became an important part of the Japanese lifestyle. Clothing became stiffer and made up of multiple layers to help people be more comfortable. It was not unusual for women in Japanese society to wear as many as twenty layers. The layered color pattern reflected many things including seasons, directions, virtues, and elements of the earth as they related to spirits of nature. The multiple layers also helped stay warm in winter.

The next period in Japan's history - the Muromachi period (1192-1573 A.D.) - saw the rise of the Samurai tradition in Japan. Kimonos became simpler to reflect the needs of the more active Samurai lifestyle. With the increase in industrialization and the growth of the merchant class during the subsequent Edo period (1601-1867 A.D.), kimonos went through their final evolution to the single layer garment tied with the obi sash we recognize today. One interesting fact is that up until the Edo period, the belt of a kimono, the obi, was always tied in the front. The Edo period saw the tradition change to what it is today, with the obi tied in the back.

The Imperial household of Japan still uses kimonos of the Heian period for special occasions such as coronations and weddings. To Japanese clothing historians, the Heian period is known as a time when the Japanese began expressing their perception of the seasons and especially color changes associated with the changing of the seasons through the design of their kimonos.

Kimonos appear deceptively simple to wear. There are some styles of tying the obi knot that require half and hour to complete. Even a simple shopkeeper's kimono involves a complex folding and tying procedure in order to wear properly. Today, modern men and women in Japan prefer yofuku, which is a western style dress for everyday wear. Kimonos are still favored by some for special occasions and ceremonies, like traditional weddings. Kimonos are expensive, though providing a new business opportunity in Japan providing kimonos "for rent" for those times when only this traditional garment would do.

Bonsai Trees

2006-02-16T08:16:00.001-08:00

In recent years, many North American gardeners have discovered the joy of growing and caring for Bonsai trees. These small trees, which are kept indoors although they can be grown outdoors as well, provide hours of enjoyment. Additionally, the bonsai has tremendous success at reducing stress and centering the gardener's thoughts. In fact, many experts assert that growing a Bonsai tree is more about spirituality and achieving artistic perfection than it is about gardening! While Bonsai trees were once confined to Japan and other Asian countries, they are now becoming increasingly popular in the West, as more and more people look for activities that will help them deal with their hectic and stressful lives.

"Bonsai" is a Japanese word that means, "Tray planted." Bonsai trees are called this because they are planted in a small pot or tray and kept indoors, although good Bonsai trees are more than hardy enough to leave outside all year round. There is not one specific species of tree used for Bonsai trees. Instead, a variety of conifer or small-leafed deciduous trees can be used along with other interesting and beautiful plants and trees. Regardless of the species chosen, it is important that the tree and the pot match each other harmoniously since the goal of Bonsai is to have a pleasing shape from top to bottom. Your Bonsai tree can be a variety of different sizes ranging from miniature trees that are only two inches high at maturity to average trees that reach up to two feet in height or more.

Bonsai trees are usually grown from seedlings, allowing them to be carefully controlled. The idea of a Bonsai tree is to produce an image in your mind that you want your tree to look like, preferably that of an old tree. Then, the bonsai is trained to that shape. Training of Bonsai trees is achieved through constant pruning. By limiting growth in certain directions, your Bonsai tree "learns" not to grow that way. You can also shape your Bonsai tree's trunk and branches by using wires to limit growth. However, the wires should be removed before maturity to prevent scarring.

Bonsai tree horticulture has become somewhat of an art form in Japan. Bonsai artists with skill can evoke images of the age of the tree, or can even grow their trees to show seasons. The history of Bonsai can be traced to China more than 1,000 years ago, but it is in Japan that that Bonsai has matured as an art form. The spiritual element of Bonsai dates back to a time when only Buddhist monks raised Bonsai trees. Before pruning, the monks would meditate to find a vision of harmony and then try to make that vision a reality. Much the same is true today, which is why Bonsai trees are so useful at reducing stress. To care for your Bonsai tree properly, you should first center yourself by thinking of the tree. This kind of deep contemplation has the effect of blocking out other concerns, at least for a short time.

The Zen garden

2006-02-16T08:16:00.000-08:00

The Zen garden has a long and impressive history and in fact, there are several different types of Zen garden. The most famous is the dry garden, which is called Karesansui. This word translates into “dry mountain, and water garden” and to create the look, rocks and gravel are used.

This type of Zen garden is designed in such a way that the raked gravel resembles water. Then to create the look of water flowing, small rocks, pebbles, and sand are used. Often in the dry Zen garden, you will see one large rock that is the predominant feature. This rock is representative of the mountains that tower over the countryside. With this type of garden, it is believed that the stillness of the “water”, being the gravel is the peace and tranquility of the mind. In ancient China, Zen priests would take the majestic view of the mountainside and create the Zen garden based upon Shakkei, which translates to “borrowed scenery”.

Another type of Zen garden is one that is lush and green, and interestingly, would often be designed as a compliment to the dry Zen garden. This type of garden creates a magical illusion of a long journey found within a specific space. Many of the gardens have paths that meander through the garden, making their way around beautiful trees and shrubs as well as over streams and near waterfalls and statues. Each twist and turn of the path is designed to keep the individual’s mind on the spiritual journey.

The Zen garden has been a major part of history for centuries. However, they did not evolve into what we know them to be until the late 6^th Century. Most of the early Zen gardens were quite large and provided the opportunity for Buddha Priests to stroll throughout the garden. Then in the 11^th Century, the dry landscape was adopted. It was then in the 13^th Century that the principles of the Zen garden were finally established to what we know them to be today.

You might hear people refer to a Zen garden as a Strolling Garden, Dry Garden, Japanese Garden, and other names, which are all aspects or have a connection to the Zen garden. The purpose of the Zen garden is to provide a place of meditation and contemplation. When the Zen garden was first created by a Zen priest, it was actually called a Contemplation Garden, or Kansho-niwa. It was here in the United States that the term “Zen” began.

The nice thing about a Zen garden is that you do not need to have a huge piece of property to create one of your own. In fact, there is even Zen gardens so small they can fit on an office desk. It is not about the size of the garden but the elements. Whether creating a Zen garden inside your home or outside, you will feel the peace and tranquility projected from this type of garden.

Types of Koi

2006-02-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

Koi are a type of carp Cyprinus carpio that are bred for their distinctive colorations and patterns. Some authorities believe that Koi originated in Persia and were introduced throughout the ancient world by traders moving to or from the Middle East. The fossils of carp have been discovered in South China about 20 million years ago.

In Japanese they are known as nishikigoi which means 'brocaded' carp. They were first described in a Chinese book that dates back to the Western Chin Dynasty, 265-316 A.D. and were described as white, red, black and blue.

Colorations

Koi are bred in every country of the world and are considered to be the most popular fish for ornamental ponds. And, no wonder. Their colorations are so lovely that they are sometimes referred to as "living jewels" or "swimming flowers".

Typically, the coloration of koi includes several colors, white, orange, yellow, gray-blue and black. The bluish color occurs because of black coloration underneath the skin. There are infinite color combinations possible, but there are certain patterns which are considered most desirable, for example, a round patch on the forehead and a stepping stone pattern down the back. Sometimes a diamond design is created by missing scales.

Koi breeders have named a number of varieties of koi based on their patterns. There is a great deal of secrecy among breeders because the breeding process is quite involved and many varieties are not easily bred. Hence, much of the knowledge about how to breed koi for certain characteristics is not well known. Some koi with rare and desirable markings can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Keeping Koi

Koi are a very hardy fish and can be kept in ponds and containers of various sizes. However, they grow very quickly and soon outgrow small tubs. They do much better in a pond that is at least half a meter deep. Koi are cold water fish, so if you live in a place where the summers get very warm, you'll need to have a fairly deep pond.

Because koi are so brightly colored they are an easy mark for predators. Herons, kingfishers, raccoons, cats, and foxes can clean out a pond overnight. One way to keep herons away from koi is to be sure that the pond is too deep for herons to stand in. Savvy pond owners also create overhangs that are high enough above the water so that raccoons can't reach in and help themselves. However, in the end it may be necessary to place netting over the pond to protect the koi from predation.

Koi are herbivorous and eat vegetation. In fact, if you may have noticed that most koi ponds are devoid of any plant material. Koi can be voracious eaters and are not usually compatible with plants in a garden pond. They devour water plants. Because koi are bottom feeders, most koi owners feed their fish commercial food pellets that float to encourage them to come to the surface. Koi can become very tame, even to the point that they can be trained to eat from your hands.

Koi Varieties

There are many different varieties of Koi. Here is a list of some of the more popular ones:

	Asagi - light blue on top, red/orange on bottom, blue scales bordered in white
	Bekko - primary color red/orange/yellow/white, with black patches
	Goshiki - mostly black, with red, white, brown, and blue accents
	Hikari utsuri mono - two metallic colors
	Hikarimoyo mono - two colors; one flat, one metallic
	Kawari mono - miscellaneous
	Kinginrin - bright metallic sheen, silver highlights
	Kohaku - red accents on white body
	Koromo - red and white overlaid with blue or silver
	Ogon - uniform yellow or white
	Platinum ogon - pure white
	Showa sanke - black with red and white markings
	Shusui - similar to asagi, but with large scales in a dorsal row
	Taisho sanke - primarily white, with red and black markings
	Tancho - primarily white, with a red patch on the forehead
	Tancho kohaku - pure white, round red head patch
	Utsuri mono - uniformly black, with red, white, and yellow markings

Raising Koi

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Koi are a variety of the common carp that were developed by the Japanese over 2000 years ago. They were originally bred only for food; protein supplements for the largely vegetarian Japanese diet. Today, they have gained the reputation of being some of the most beautiful fish in the world, and they inhabit fish ponds built especially for them to compliment garden settings everywhere. They are called the national fish of Japan and are often described as works of art referred to as “living jewels” or “swimming flowers”. Koi lovers have created many organizations across the globe, and annual Koi competitions are held to determine who has the most beautiful of these fascinating fish.

Most collectors value size in Koi. They can range in size from four inches to three feet long, but it will vary based on a number of conditions including the size of pond the Koi live in and the quality of food, water and environment. Koi can grow rapidly under the right conditions, and it is not uncommon for a fish to grow up to six inches or more a year. Koi come in a multitude of varieties. They are classified based on their many bright colors and patterns that they can develop.

Koi are more than just mere eye candy however. They can make excellent pets as well. The fish are smart, and have the ability to show a range of emotions. They can even be trained to eat right out of their owner’s hand. As well, Koi have excellent hearing that is three times better than standard fish, and they have an abundance of taste buds all over their bodies, including their lips, tails and fins. Koi can show they are under stress by “blushing”, in which a bright red appears in the fins and on their bodies. Blushing can occur when handling a frightened Koi, or if the fish’s pond environment is poorly maintained.

Koi are voracious eaters, and will overeat at every chance they’re given. They have been known to flop up on lily pads to retrieve bits of food as well as skim, dolphin-like, across the surface of the water grabbing for food as it is thrown to them. This is a comical, yet dangerous quirk of the Koi. The danger lies in the amount of ammonia the fish produces when it eats in abundance. Ammonia is produced and released into the water as the fish eats through gill respiration and in the fish’s urine and feces. If an owner is not careful with how much food they feed their Koi, the ammonia levels in a Koi pond can quickly escalate, turning it into a toxic soup and endangering the fish.

If Koi are fed carefully, and their pond is cleaned and maintained regularly, they can be an excellent addition to any garden or landscaping effort. They are colorful and beautiful, and each one offers a unique personality that will often surprise those unfamiliar with the fish. Koi not only add to the beauty of any garden, but they make great pets as well.

Koi

2006-02-14T08:01:00.001-08:00

Koi, which are Japanese carp, are beautiful fish found most often in ponds in Japanese gardens. Although they come in a number of different color variations, the bright orange and red are the most easily recognized. Koi typically measure from 6 to 10 inches in length when they are young but as they mature, they can reach 20 feet or more. This full-grown size usually takes about two years and watching them grow is an interesting process.

Koi tend to be gentle fish that love to be handfed. While most people will simply toss food pellets on the surface of the water, if you place pellets inside a closed fist and then carefully lower your hand into the water, the Koi will become curious and slowly start paying attention. By releasing just a few pellets, the Koi will come even closer. As you open your hand, the Koi will actually come right up to your hand and eat from it. You will feel a strong sucking as the Koi inhale the food.

The scales of Koi are shaped as diamonds with some having a metallic appearance. Koi are amazingly beautiful and for being so large, very graceful. The colors are always brilliant and the movement of the Koi, peaceful.

Below are the various types of Koi:

Asagi Shusui This is a combination of two species with the Asagi representing scales with a white edge, giving the Koi a net-like look. The belly is bright red, extending to the pectoral fins, gill covers, and lips.
Bekko This is a reference to any Koi that has two colors
Goshiki This name translates to “five colors” and consists of many different patterns of red, blue, black, white, and gray
Hikari-Utsurimono Predominantly black, the scales on this type of Koi are a very shiny metallic
Koromo Similar to the Asagi, the scales on this Koi have a darkened center, giving the fish a blue-like appearance
Oringi Koi This Koi is bright orange with non-metallic scales
Ogon Extremely shiny, this Koi can be yellow, gold, white, orange, or even platinum
Showa-Sanshoku This is a three-colored Koi that consists of white, red, and black
Shusui The scales of this Koi are smooth with orange that runs down the sides and on the cheeks, and the body is white with a blue streak. For a Koi to fall into this category, the head must be white.
Tancho Of all the Koi species, this is the most interesting. The fish is white and on the head is a perfect circle of red, making the fish look exactly like the flag of Japan.
Taisho-Sanke This Koi has three colors with black being the minor color. To be a Taisho-Sanke Koi, the black must never be more than the color red. Additionally, the head must be red and account for 50% or more of the head color.

Kabuki Theater

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A wonderful combination of ancient traditions and cutting-edge modern life, Japan has it all. It is one of the world’s most fascinating places to visit as many wonders and revelation await you. You can try your hand at Origami, the popular art of paper folding, or take a walk down the serene paths of a temple or you may step into a theatre and take in a performance - the Kabuki Theatre is a must see in Japan as it is the most famous of the traditional Japanese theatres and depicts one of the various aspects of performing arts.

Kabuki originated in the Edo period and was more popular with the lower social class as compared to the higher social classes. The word 'Kabuki' is composed of three Japanese characters: 'ka' meaning 'songs', 'bu' meaning 'dance' and 'ki' meaning 'skill'. Its more likely a Japanese version of Shakespeare’s plays being performed in an Opera. But Kabuki is more entertaining, energetic and awesome in the use of color, makeup, movements and often other spectacular effects.

The passion for Kabuki Theatre began with first performance by the shrine dancer Okuni at Kyoto in 1603. This performance was a unique blend of folk dance and religious dance and soon became popular with the lower classes. In the early phase of the 17^th century, women were banned from performing because women performers were lured to the business of prostitution and were getting undue attention from male admirers. This led to the development of art of female impersonation wherein males also played female parts. The beginning of the 18^th century marked the development of Kabuki into a more matured form and was starting to become popular even with the higher classes of society.

Kabuki plays are composed of certain varying elements that help it become so colorful and glamorous. These elements include: Story, Musical Elements, Dramatic Content, Dance, Costume, Make-up, Theatre Design, and Actor/Audience Relationship. Kabuki plays are about society in a particular period, historical events, moral conflicts, love relationships etc. and are performed using a combination of dramatic dialogue and dance, and accompanied by drums, flutes, stringed instruments called shamisen, and chanting. The Kabuki music also employs special spectacular audio-effects. The most exceptional among them is the sounding of wooden clappers signaling the opening and the closing of a Kabuki play. The actors/performers wear costumes that reflect the contemporary styles of the day. The costumes play a major role to emphasize the character’s role being portrayed by the performer, as they themselves are full of complexity and hidden meaning. Along with the costumes, make-up is also considered as an integral part of Kabuki performance. The theatrical designs have changed over a period of time, ranging from raised platforms on a riverbed to the modern day theatres having rotating stages and a whole range of gadgets. The last but not the least is the Actor-Audience Relationship as there are instances in a Kabuki play when an actor would come out of his role and address the audience directly.

Kabuki performers are very famous in Japan and this theatrical art is usually passed from one family generation to the next, but the National Theater in Tokyo also has a school for training young and upcoming performers. The costumes and conventions of the traditional Kabuki are still being incorporated in the modern Kabuki plays. However, the new generation performers are finding out new ways to update plays in-order to attract more and more audiences.

You can only appreciate the theatrical creativity of this art form by visiting a Kabuki performance and a good tip would be to go with a Japanese national who is familiar with the Kabuki Theatre.

Famille Rose

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Famille Rose was developed during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, and is based on the Wucai and Docai styles. Famille rose porcelains feature complex, ornate patterns with a balanced tone, detailed drawing, and steady color.

Docai Porcelain

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Docai Porcelains feature an unusual combination of exquisite patterns, color coordination, and well-executed color filling. It reached its height in the Yonzhen and Kangxi reigns during the Qing Dynasty. The blue-white color is first applied under the glaze. Then red, green, and yellow are filled over the glaze and the piece is fired at low temperatures.

Wucai Porcelain

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Wucai is a type of overglaze decoration. After firing the piece at a low temperature; red, green, yellow, blue, and purple enamels are applied to the white ware. Wucai has been popular since the early Qing Dynasty.

Blue and White Porcelain

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Drawing the design with cobalt pigment onto the stoneware body, and painting over it with a transparent glaze creates the blue-white style, also known as “underglaze blue”. The piece is then fired at a high temperature. Blue-white porcelain was introduced during the Yuan Dynasty and has been continuously in production ever since, thanks to is bright colors, simple yet elegant patterns, and smooth glaze that never fades.

Celadon Yingqing Porcelain

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The production of monochromatic ceramics matured over several centuries in Northern China, achieving particular success with green-glazed or “celadon” pieces. These were developed as Ru, Guan, Ge, and Jingdezhen ware to a high level. The delicately lobed and rounded bodies of these porcelains reflect the mastery of the artisans from this period.

Yaobian Porcelain

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Yaobian vases feature a simple, natural shape combined with sophisticated colors. Their dominant purple-red glaze flows into cyan and moon white in a pattern that takes on a life of its own and enhances the beauty of the vase. Glazing the fired body of the vase multiple times, then baking at a low temperature creates such patterns. The copper, cobalt, titanium, manganese, and iron coloring elements combine to produce a variety of shades, mingling with the red glaze on the porcelain to create striking hues.

Canton enamel

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Canton enamel is named for the city where it was first manufactured. Canton is located in southern China in the province of Guandong. While the Chinese had used enamels to paint artistic scenes on stoneware for centuries, Canton enamel was a new technique whereby painted enamels were painted onto the whole surface of copper, ceramics, and other earthenware pieces. The technique was developed in Limoges, France in the seventeenth century. It has been reported that this technique was brought to China in the late seventeenth century by French missionaries. The earliest examples of Canton enamel date back to approximately 1740.

Canton enamel was applied to a wide variety of different pieces. The pieces which have become perhaps the most synonymous with the words "Canton enamel" are metals, which have been painted with enamels in a variety of different scenes. These pieces often depicted court life in China, being decorated with elaborate floral borders. The metal most often used in the earliest pieces is copper, which was first shaped into vases, plates, cups, and tea sets. Once the artwork was completed, the pieces were heated to bond it firmly to the surface, creating a colorful piece that exudes color and liveliness. As the industry developed and demand increased for pieces made with the Canton enamel process, manufacturers began working with many different materials.

Canton enamel artwork could soon be found on porcelain and other stoneware and in fact, this technique started being used in other Chinese cities and districts. Porcelain tea sets made during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries are considered real art works. Chinese enamels are generally divided into classifications based on the color palettes used in each piece. Some examples include famille verte (green colors), wucai (bright colors), and fencai (pale colors). Canton enamel pieces are generally created with famille rose (family of red) colors, which are opaque and filmy. Typically, these include red, peach, yellow, and opaque white. The opaque color scheme tends to give Canton enamel an ethereal quality not seen in other pieces from China, many of which have bright, bold colors.

Canton enamel pieces produced in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are highly prized. These include tea sets, cups, and plates while the pieces created in the twentieth century lean more toward a commercial appearance although they too are beautiful decorative and functional ash trays, tea sets, and so on

Famille Rose & Famille Verte

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When western explorers first made contact with the Chinese, they returned with word of many fascinating art forms, products, and innovations. One of these art forms was Chinese porcelain, which subsequently became known as what else - China. The making of China is an art that goes back centuries in China, and it is one that evolved with the various dynasties that make up Chinese history. Over the years, the type of glazing and enamel applied to China changed as new designs and colors became fashionable.

It also became common for designs originating in China to become widely popular in Europe. In fact, many Chinese porcelain innovations were trend setters for the European markets. One of these innovations was the color "family" known as Famille Verte. But European influences can also be found to have influenced Chinese designs; this is the case with the color family and designs associated with Famille Rose.

Famille Verte originated in the early eighteenth century. Famille Verte is French for the "green family," and indeed the colors in Famille Verte are based on different shades of green. These green colors are then combined with hues of red, blue, and yellow and the enamel baked onto the porcelain in intricate patterns and designs. Famille Verte is a wholly Chinese innovation and builds upon patterns developed in the earlier Ming dynasty, which was characterized by a "five color" pattern of decoration.

Famille Rose, on the other hand, was influenced heavily by colors introduced from Europe. The pink and rose hues of this classification of China are deviations from previous Chinese designs, and the pieces that were produced with the Famille Rose are much more closely associated with the forms of China popular in modern European and Western markets than with older Chinese designs. The Famille Rose palette of colors is more opaque than other color and design groupings. Additionally gold colorations are used more than the deeper red hues of previous designs.

Many Famille Rose patterns were exported to Europe, and the fanciers of China there often refined and redesigned these patterns and sent these designs back to China for production. Thus, while many of the Famille Rose patterns are wholly of Chinese origin, others have roots that intermingle with European designs and ideas. The Famille Rose "era" is from about 1730 to the 1790s. Early Chinese pieces are characterized by large flowers, while later pieces adopt smaller flowers that were more popular in European markets.

The making of fine porcelain pieces is an ancient art in China, practiced for centuries before the area was even explored by the west. However, once the export market became an important part of the Chinese economy, various influences began to influence the colors and designs produced by the country's many kilns and productions sites. Famille Verte and Famille Rose are two of the best examples of these styles, and pieces made with these enamel color families are prized by collectors still.

Imari Porcelain

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When most people think of ceramics production in eastern Asia they think of Chinese ceramics such as vases, tea sets, and figurines. However, Japan also has a rich history of ceramic arts, dating back several thousand years. Although the Japanese have been producing ceramics for a long period of time, the art did not become well known in the rest of the world until the seventeenth century when Imari porcelain became highly popular in European markets. Imari porcelain became well known for its striking blue colors on a white background, and for a time Dutch traders brought large amounts of Imari porcelain back to European markets. Pieces of Imari porcelain came in many different grades of quality depending on the market they were bound for but regardless of their quality, older examples of Imari porcelain are highly prized by collectors.

Ironically, Imari porcelain is generally believed to have been first produced by Korean potter Ri Sanpei, who was brought to Japan from Korea following the Japanese invasion of Koran in 1597. Examples of Imari porcelain from the early 1600s used only blue colors on a white glaze background; as the art matured through the mid-1600s other colors became a part of Imari porcelain, including red, yellow, green, and gold. The popularity of Imari porcelain was somewhat enhanced by political turmoil in China, which closed Chinese markets and forced European traders to seek new production sources. Imari porcelain also remained consistently popular on the Japanese market, with different grades of pieces being available for almost every different social class.

Imari porcelain was mostly produced on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. While porcelain production was well established in countries like China and Korea, Japanese potters had a hard time finding the clay necessary for making porcelain. Once a source of this clay was found near Arita Japanese porcelain production progressed rapidly, although it never achieved the scale found in China.

Imari porcelain (and indeed most porcelain) has a white base color, to which early potters added a blue cobalt dye before firing to create an under glaze. Later artists painted designs on top of the fired pure porcelain with enamels, and the colors used for these designs changed over time. Imari porcelain pieces were produced for both artistic and functional uses. There were several different grades of Imari porcelain produced, with the higher quality works generally reserved for the wealthy elite. Plates, rice bowls, tea sets, and sake sets were all produced in Imari porcelain, and many Japanese families still use these articles in their homes.

Imari porcelain can make a fine addition to any Asian art collection. Some pieces can also be pressed into functional use serving sake or Japanese tea. Imari porcelain is still produced today, and examples of older pieces are widely available at antique shops and auction.

Mexican Talavera Pottery

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Around the area of Puebla, there are two of the most impressive volcanoes in all of Mexico - Iztaccihuatl (Is-Tah-She-Wha-Tell) and Popocateptl (Popo-Caw-Tay-Pet-Tell). However, this part of Mexico also has another legend of Talavera pottery. As you look at the many buildings such as churches and monasteries, you will see this type of pottery used as adornment, adding vibrant color. However, Talavera pottery is also found in most kitchens and on patios.

Talavera pottery is majolica earthenware, which is white and glazed, although you will also find pieces of blue, green, yellow, and so on. Talavera pottery was first introduced by the Spanish but interestingly, the term used, “Talavera” is more commonly heard in Mexico than it is in its originating country of Spain. Of all tin-glazed ceramic, Talavera is the oldest. While its beauty is one of the great aspects of this pottery, the fact that the same methods from 16^th century are still used today, adds interest.

During Colonial times, the capital of Mexico, now called Mexico City, was known as Nueva Espana. It was there that this earthenware was produced and such an important part of the economy. Shortly after Nueva Espana was established, the production of Talavera pottery, tiles, and other ceramic ware began, sometime around 1531.

This particular region of Mexico is also known for its fine quality clay, a real advantage in creating Talavera pottery. Very soon after experimenting with the clay and various techniques, amazing quality and beauty was achieved and with that, popularity of this type of pottery around the continent. Another fascinating aspect of Talavera pottery is that there are several legends to its origin.

For example, one theory is that Spanish monks coming from Danto Domingo monastery located in Puebla had sent for the artisans of Talavera de la Reina, asking them to come to the region to teach the native people how to make magnificent pieces, using the natural resource of clay. The result was that the indigenous people made ceramic pieces and tiles very similar to what was produced in Spain. With the completed pieces, the monasteries and churches were decorated, adding color and enhancing the religious sculptures.

We know that these natives were very skilled and had a long history of making quality earthenware but they were not trained in using the pottery wheel or in tin glazing the finished pieces. Because this is one of the main characteristics of Talavera pottery, it obviously created a serious problem. Now, while that theory sounds plausible, there were others.

As an example, it is also believed that the Dominican friars, who were very skilled in creating Talavera pottery, were actually the people who taught the Indians how to make the ceramic pieces and tiles. We do know from documents that many of the artisans from Talavera de la Reina in the 16^th century had workshops where they made the various ceramic wares and tiles. Because of such high demand, the businesses were flourishing.

However, eventually, special ordinances were established whereby all potters making Talavera pottery had to follow very strict guidelines for each piece made. The purpose of these ordnances was to ensure customers were buying only quality pottery that had consistent standards and that each of the Talavera pottery pieces had a distinct style, meeting only the highest excellence.

To give you an idea of what this gild required, blue was used only for the finest of ceramic pieces. The reason is that the mineral pigments required to produce the color blue were very costly. With this, customers would immediately be able to tell if the Talavera pottery was excellent quality and unique. Now, keep in mind that all of the Talavera pottery pieces are of high quality but those made from blue are at the top.

Then, to ensure people were not making fake Talavera, each of the master potters were required to leave their mark or signature on the pottery. Next, Talavera pottery was broken down into three specific categories, depending on the quality. These included “Fine”, “Semi-Fine”, and “Daily Use.” Finally, all of the artisans were required to pass an annual test to ensure they met the high standards required for making Talavera pottery.

Keep in mind that while Talavera pottery was often used to make religious figures, plates, pots, and jars, you will also find it used in many other aspects, especially in today’s world. In fact, many of the Spanish style kitchens will use Talavera tiles for the incredible color and durability. If you are planning a trip to Puebla, Mexico, you will marvel in all of the pottery and ceramic that adorns the city.

Today, Talavera pottery has not lost its popularity and although a little expensive to produce, it is magnificent and well worth the money. Just be sure you look for the mark or signature of the master potter and look on the base to make sure it states it comes from Puebla. The oldest company still producing Talavera pieces is called Uriarte, which makes extraordinary pieces. If you like, you can visit this company and watch as the pieces are made by a master’s hands.

Weaving

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Process

OAXACAN WOOD CARVING

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OAXACAN WOOD CARVING

All throughout the various villages of Mexico, you will find various forms of whimsical art. Oaxacan wood carvings are carved from the Copal tree while the wood is still green. The name of the art originates from the State of Oaxaca (Wa-HAH-Ka), specifically in the villages of Arrazola, La Union Tejalapan, and San Martin Tilcajete. Interestingly, this area of Mexico is quite large but in a state of poverty. Even so, the folk art traditions are considered among the most creative and richest in the world.

These wood carvings are extremely popular and because of their movement, humor, and vibrant colors, they look great in any home, office, or as a gift! The design of each carving comes from the carver’s own superstition and imagination. Since magic and myth are a huge part of the culture in this region, the Oaxacan wood carvings can be dramatic in design.

Some of the options include lizards, which are common in Mexico, along with demon creatures, gazelles, pelicans, frogs, cats, dragonflies, and roosters, all favorites. After the shape has been carved, the carver painstakingly sands it down and then paints bright colors and unique designs, making many of the designs appear realistic. Most Oaxacan wood carvings are quite complex, comprised of flowing tails, intricate detailing, and creative artistry.

The originality seen in each Oaxacan wood carving is unsurpassed in wizardry and color. Because of the time and effort the carvers put into these creations, they are considered prized possessions. Most of the Oaxacan wood carvings are known as Alebrijes, which are created by Zapotec Indians who live primarily in southern Mexico, down in the Oaxaca Valley. The techniques and ability of these people dates back hundreds of generations. In fact, the legend is so wide spread that in 1991, the Oaxacan wood carvings graced the cover of Smithsonian Magazine.

In the Oaxaca Valley, you will find just a few hundred families that consist of poor farmers. To pass the time in the fields, they work on carvings. In addition to a great pastime, many of these villagers believe in gods and rituals, using Oaxacan wood carvings as a way of keeping the culture alive. Although many of the people in the Oaxaca Valley are skilled carvers, the most legendary is a man named Manuel Jimenez. As the pioneer of this amazing art form, today five of his own grandsons are carrying on the tradition.

Even more interesting is that the tools used to create the Oaxacan wood carvings are not sophisticated, often referred to as “crude.” Typically, the carver begins with a large piece of the wood, cutting it down with a machete. As the piece of wood becomes smaller, rustic knives are used to being the detailing process. These carvings have a mysterious nature about them, depicting everyday life of the villagers along with their strong religious beliefs. Whether buying a rabbit, iguana, monkey, tiger, burro, pig, peacock, coyote, or porcupine, you will love the cheer it brings to any room.

Serapes

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The woven styles associated with the Mesoamerican way of weaving the serape has been used primarily in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. During the time this style of serape was developed, the quality in factories and workshops was amazingly good, created most often in states such as Coahuila, Guanajuato, Michoacan, Puebla, Quetetaro, and Zacatecas.

The Mexican serape was even worn by insurgents fighting in the War of Independence along with patriots in wars where the French and Americans fought. This means that the serape was a garment of choice whether a conservative or liberal. In fact, the Mexican serape was actually used in refuge camps to keep people warm and for clothing, as a shroud for loved ones killed in battle, and the Revolutionary’s flag. To this day, in the country of Mexico, this one item as well as the famous sombrero is what define the Mexican.

Without doubt, the Mexican serape is one garment that has a rich and diverse history. Today, serapes are just as popular, often used for garments, throws on the back of a couch, or an extra blanket on the bed to keep the chilly weather at bay. You can purchase serapes in Mexico and many South American’s country or you can find them online. With the connection to other countries through the internet, many weavers are taking advantage of the opportunity by selling beautiful serape creations online.

Zapotec weavings

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When it comes to Zapotec weavings, not only will you be treated to an amazing creation by a local artisan but also provided with information about that person’s village, lifestyle, and history through the chosen design. These weavings are made with vibrant colors, which are then woven into both traditional and modern rugs, wall hangings, and other pieces. The Zapotec people work very hard to bring life to each of their weavings, which is very apparent by the quality of work.

This ancient tribe were originally hunters but over the years, transitioned into craftsman, often working with pottery. Then sometime around 500 BC, the Zapotec people settled in small communities in the Oaxaca valley of Mexico and by 450 AD, the population had expanded to around 25,000 with an empire so large it would easily cover Mexico City as we know it today. Then as 900 AD rolled around, the Mixtecs defeated the Zapotecs and then hundreds of years later, were themselves defeated by the Aztec Indians.

Today, you still find Zapotec people in Mexico, although the total population is only around 500,000. These people still hold onto their ancient beliefs, maintain a traditional type of culture, and speak their own language, although there are a variety of dialects. While the Zapotecs now work in more modern type jobs, the weavings continue to thrive. That means this style of weaving can be traced back between 200 and 800 AD and is still going strong today, a unbroken line of talent seldom seen.

For Zapotec weavings, the people use Merino wool that is grown locally or they will purchase sheep from Indians living in Mitla. The first step involves carding the wool, which means to remove any sticks, seeds, leaves, and other type of debris. Once the wool is clean, it is spun, usually on an ancient wooden spinning wheel that turns the wool into yarn. For just a small weaving, the Zapotec would need to spin wool for about two to three days. The warp, which are threads running lengthwise in the loom are placed on the loom first. Then, the Zapotec would pass the threads horizontally, which is what creates the unique and detailed designs. These horizontal threads are called “woof” or “weft.”

After the wool is spun, it is then colored with natural dyes that come from special formulas passed down from one generation to another. Interestingly, each Zapotec family will have their own way of mixing the dyes, which is why you see so many variations within the same community. For the dye to be made, several natural resources are used.

First, the color red comes from the cochineal insect, blue comes from indigo, black is made from the ink of the sea snail or huisache tree, and for the colors yellow or brown, rock moss is used. What makes this so fascinating is that by using these resources, the Zapotec people can produce more than 40 different colors/tones.

For the design, the Zapotec people use a combination of pre-Columbian and regional, which is what you would find in the tapetes, a highly collectible type of weaving. Keep in mind that for the Zapotec people to create just one small weaving - something around four by five feet - the process could very well take an entire month. Then for the large weavings, which are often used as rugs or bedding, the weaver would require at least a year, if not longer. We are fortunate in that Zapotec weavings from Mexico live on, allowing us today to enjoy a valuable part of history!

Panama Hats

2006-02-12T03:13:00.001-08:00

Most people have heard of “Panama hats” but the question becomes are they really from Panama? Fashion trends around the world change dramatically from one season to the next. Trying to keep up with the fashions can be difficult, yet fun. One type of fashion is the hat. In the case of the Panama hat, you get style and class. Although considered a real looker, the truth is that the Panama hat is not actually from Panama not the city nor even the country.

Instead, the majority of Panama hats are actually made in the Ecuadorian city of Cuenca, located in the Andes. You would then think the name should be Ecuador hats but this is simply not the case. Keep in mind that you will find this type of hat created in smaller places such as Montecristi. While the quality is generally much better, the price is also much higher. However, if you want the best Panama hat possible, then this would be the place from which to buy.

In Ecuador, many hats are made to include a woven design that first came from Spanish explorers sometime in the 16^th century. Then, the Manabi people created a type of hat called a Toque, which resembled those worn by Spanish conquistadors. As the popularity of hat making and hat wear expanded, we began to see other provinces such as Azuay, Canar, and Cuenca getting in on the fun.

For the Panama hat, this term actually came into existence in the late 1800s. At that time, Ferdinand de Lesseps, a visionary Frenchman, was the individual that initiated the Panama Canal project. As workers flocked to work on the Panama Canal, they needed a hat to protect their heads from the intense heat. Unfortunately, nothing existed at that time so the Ecuadorians saw this as an exceptional opportunity to get into the hat making business, thus creating the Panama hat.

As the world began showing interest in the Panama Canal, they noticed all the European workers wearing smart, yet functional and effective hats. With this, people wanted to know more about these hats and before long, word about the “Panama hat” had spread. So much so that when President Theodore Roosevelt came to view the construction of the Panama Canal, he too proudly wore a Panama hat. Interestingly, it was this event that prompted the Americans working for the press to give the hat its name.

Okay, so we know the history of the Panama hat but do men still like wearing them? You bet they do and with so many styles from which to choose, men can look handsome regardless of the occasion. In fact, the Panama hat has made such an impression that famous men such as Winston Churchill, Harry S. Truman, Humphrey Bogart, and Gary Cooper, among others have worn them well.

Today, we see the popularity of the Panama hat coming back. The image they portray is one of power, confidence, and class. What man would not want that? We have provided you with some information about the Panama hat and below, you will learn about the most popular styles sold today. Whether wearing a Panama hat to cover messy hair, to enhance a suit, or simply to create a little character, these handcrafted hats are absolutely wonderful.

Mexican black pottery

2006-02-12T03:13:00.000-08:00

Mexican black pottery is created by skilled potters and sculptors in and around Oaxaxa, Mexico. The surface of this pottery is so incredible shiny that it appears more as glass than pottery. However, the details created in each masterpiece are what make the Mexican black pottery such a prized possession. To ensure this type of pottery is perfect, each piece is handmade and then baked in a fire that consists of thick, black smoke. This smoke is what creates the unique and beautiful black coloring.

In addition to being beautiful, Mexican black pottery is also highly functional. The black clay pottery is both simplistic yet very complex, which is just one more reason why people love it. Whether buying a piece for the home, office, or to give as a gift, you know it is made by artisans who have been honing this craft for years. Because of the emphasis this art form has to the Mexican people, the making of Mexican black pottery is something passed down from generation to generation.

The interesting aspect of this art is that the ancient techniques used to make pieces are still being used today. While some areas of Mexico are quite modern, turning to modern equipment, tools, and processes, the Mexican black pottery is made primarily in the rural areas where the preservation of artistic techniques is coveted. For example, you will find the local artists working in a coil building with an open fire and pigmentation for color taken from the land.

Sometimes, the Mexican black pottery will be a sleek designed pot that is used to hold flowers or perhaps a bowl to eat from but you will also find beautiful vases with ornate scenes depicting everyday life in Mexico, special occasions, and ceremonies. Additionally, the black pottery is often made into special pieces such as figurines.

Within Oaxaca is the town of San Bartolo. Here, the black clay, known as barro negro is used. While the black smoke helps create the black coloring, this is enhanced through pigments associated with the polishing process. What you see is a red color that is natural and beautiful. Whether dressing up a modern, country, eclectic, or traditional room, the Mexican black pottery is beautiful.

Huichol Bead Art

2006-02-12T03:12:00.001-08:00

Nestled in the Sierra de Nayarit, just north of Guadalajara, Mexico, you will find approximately 12,000 Huichol (Wee-Chol) Indians, a tribe believed to descend from the Aztec Indians. This area of Mexico is remote and rugged, and home to one of the last tribes to exist under the Spanish rule. The Huichol Indians still follow pagan beliefs, consider deer a sacred animal, grow corn, which is thought to be the source of all life, and use a form of communication called peyote. Because of this, the core of the Huichol Indians consist of deer, corn, and peyote.

As a very religious and isolated group of people, they express their feelings through art. So incredible is the Huichol bead art that most consider it a powerful decoration more than a profound religious statement. As a part of this art, you will find yarn paintings, wooden masks, woven or embroidered adornments, and the most beautiful of all, the incredible bead work, which is thought to have been created for more than 200 years. Keep in mind that this tribe has its own culture, traditions, and language, meaning the Huichol bead art created is like nothing else in the entire world.

To create bead art, the Huichol Indians place a thin layer of beeswax with pine resin onto a hollowed out gourd or wooden form. Then, very carefully and meticulously, small, colorful beads made from glass are picked up with a long needle and pressed into the wax. Using complex designs and symbols, the result is stunning. Each piece tells a unique story about the legacy of this tribe, their religious beliefs, the sacred deer, and so on.

Today, you can find Huichol bead work done in both traditional and contemporary designs. Because of the small number of artists and the individual creativity, no two pieces of bead art are alike. While there are many different designs, beaded gourd bowls with animal or god symbols and animals are very common and popular. Ceremonial masks are also seen on walls along with iguanas, wolves, jaguars, and turtles adorning shelving and worktables.

Other popular pieces for this type of art work include beaded picture frames, combs, hairclips, dolls, jewelry, and coin purses. Although you can purchase a variety of pieces, the common denominators are the beautiful colors and impressive designs. In addition, the Huichol bead art is often designed with other specific motifs that include God’s eyes, water, eagles, arrows, mountains, flowers, and feathers.

Although some of the Huichol Indians create bead art for pleasure, most use the art to help generate income for the tribes, coupled with the local farming. Each piece is amazingly realistic with intricate detailing. For example, deer and jaguar are poised exactly as you would see them in the wild. To create these masterpieces, beads from the Czech Republic are used, very similar to those from the 18^th century that were brought to the mountains of Mexico by missionaries.

Today, you can find a few Huichol Indians willing and eager to embrace modern life but most prefer to remain tucked away in their remote mountains where they work by hand with natural materials to create some of the most amazing pieces of art found in the world.

Mola Art

2006-02-12T03:12:00.000-08:00

Mola Art, also called Kuna Mola, is an amazing creation by the women of the Kuna or Cuna tribe from Central America. Living directly on the San Blas Islands of Panama, these women create some of the most gorgeous pieces of art imaginable. Using a special appliqué process called “reverse appliqué” the women take numerous layers of cloth, each of varying color. These layers are then stitched together loosely while the top layers are fine-tipped cut with special scissors. The cut edges are then folded back at which time they are stitched to the bottom layer.

The word Mola translates into “blouse”. Although Mola Art was originally artwork done on women’s blouses as a means of adding beautiful color and design, today you will find Mola Art done on more than just blouses and in many cases, used as an actual form of art that is framed and proudly displayed. The wonderful aspect of the Mola pieces is that they are all so unique and vibrant. Women have the freedom to create beautiful designs of nature, which today, has become an increasingly popular type of apparel worn in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Most pieces consist of some type of motif constructed on several layers. As the designs are made, the cutting process exposes the underlying colors. While it might sound simple, once you have seen Mola art, you can see that this is truly a developed skill. This method of cutting instead of drawing is one aspect that makes each design unique. Once the piece is complete, the panels are then used to create both front and back pieces for the blouse. This way, the Kuna Indian women looked beautiful both coming and going.

The nice aspect of Mola art is that so many different designs could be used. For instance, common motifs would include flowers, fish, crab, parrots, fish, squirrel, monkey, dolphin, and much more. Typically, you find the chosen design representing nature and things that are a part of the women’s everyday life. However, what is so stunning is that regardless of the design, the colors are gorgeous bright and vivid. The detailing is what makes the Mola art so interesting, each design meticulously designed to impress. In fact, no matter how many blouses or other art forms are made, there are never two designs exactly alike.

Other things commonly seen in the Mola art is anything to do with medicine, politics, dreams, fantasy, legends, imaginations, and literally anything that the woman experiences or observes. Because of this, you see women using the things around them, as well as things important in their life, both pleasure and work. Then, these designs are constructed into magnificent geometric and abstract motifs. Since each woman envisions the completed piece in her own mind, they are all so amazing and different. Therefore, even if 10 women created monkey motifs, each would ultimately be unique.

The most important thing is that the Mola art should be beautiful, appearing realistic, and three-dimensional. The woman will take her design of choice, adding her own personality or feelings into the creation. For that reason, if she were happy one day and made a bird motif but sad the next day, again making a bird motif, each design would be different.

Because Mola art could easily be viewed along with a fine painting, there are many masterpieces hanging in museums as actual art. The stitches are perfect, making the completed pieces spectacular. Keep in mind that each of the Mola art pieces measure 16 x 13 inches, meaning whether the design were an elephant, flower, or something mythological, the size would be the same. Although difficult to find in most countries, getting your hands on a Mola blouse or piece of artwork is a lifetime treasure.

Celadon Porcelain

2006-02-10T08:43:00.000-08:00

When it comes to china - that is, porcelain wares - it’s only natural that China be famous for it…I mean, where do you think the name came from? It is true, though, that Chinese porcelain wares have historically been, and still are among the most highly respected in the industry, and are exported with high appraisals around the entire world. It is fitting that the Chinese should be such experts in porcelain wares, as porcelain has been a part of their society through a great part of their history.

Porcelain began in China during the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Though it was still a very primitive form of the wares, archaeologists have found simple porcelain in the middle and lower parts of the Yangtze and Yellow river regions.

True porcelain wares, in the more modern sense appeared during the Han dynasty. From the point where it was first developed, different styles formed throughout the different periods, and they became their own, individual styles. The primary forms that sprung from the Han dynasty were celadon porcelain and black porcelain, as they were the types that were highest in production. Celadon porcelain continued its development throughout the dynasties, reaching an important step in the late Tang dynasty, when celadon porcelain’s production techniques evolved and matured so that large scale manufacture became possible. Simultaneously, white porcelain - having made its appearance in the later Northern and Southern dynasty - also reached its peak.

Celadon porcelain is characterized by its simple, yet quite refined shapes, by its jade-like glaze, by its solid substance, and by its quite distinctive style. As the wares of celadon porcelain were produced in the Longquan County, in the Zhejiang Province, it became the most valued, and became more generally known as longquan qingci. This is its Chinese name, and it means “greenish porcelain.” However, you might wonder why then, it is known as celadon porcelain in the West. Celadon, the person carrying the name, was the hero of a revered French writer Honore d”Urfe, in his romance L’Astrée, of 1610; Celadon was the lover of the heroine Astrée. Celadon was depicted as a young man who dresses all in green, and this fashion became the rage in most of Europe. It was just about this time that the Chinese porcelain qingci made its way into Paris, and won its first acclaims. Therefore, people began to compare the color of the qingci with the color of Celadon’s suit, and began calling the porcelain “celadon,” which spread to other countries.

Yue embroidery

2006-02-10T08:42:00.000-08:00

Yue embroidery is the oldest of the four most famous Chinese embroidery styles. Yue embroidery is sometimes called Cantonese embroidery because of its origins in the Guangdong province (the heart of Canton China). Dating back several centuries, the designs produced with this style are complicated and have a variety of stylistic accents to draw attention to the central subject. It is also a style marked by smooth embroidery, with very little of the three dimensional texturing found in other styles. With bright colors and a variety of different threads used, Yue embroidery is perhaps the most eclectic of the four major Chinese embroidery styles, and it is still produced and widely available today.

The style developed and matured during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) more than 1,000 years ago, and is said to have originated from the work of an ethnic minority group in the Guangdong area. The style was quickly adopted by many artisans, having undergone many changes and refinements during the intervening years. There has also been supposition that Yue embroidery was developed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). However, it is more likely that the style enjoyed resurgence in popularity during this period, since pieces produced in the Yue style have been found which predate the Ming Dynasty.

Yue embroidered pieces can be done on silk or cotton. Early Chinese Yue artisans used peacock feathers, which had been twisted together as their thread, and this uniquely colorful material is still used as an accenting thread and as a way to blend separate objects in the design together. Another unique thread used is made from the tail of the horse; this coarse material is used to stitch an outline to the piece, which invites the eye to linger on the patterns, colors, and objects, making up the main design. This main design may be produced with either silk or cotton threads, and often features multiple objects or animals such as birds or dragons.

Although Yue embroidery is smooth, Yue crafters sometimes use gold and silver thread to create a three dimensional impression in their designs. As Yue embroidery has developed, it has often borrowed stylistic elements from other Chinese embroidery styles. Yue embroidery can also be sub-categorized into the Guang and Chao styles. These two styles are considered a part of the Yue embroidery "family" and have their own distinct stitching techniques.

The Yue embroidery style is rich and vibrant, and includes many different colors and patterns. It is one of the most eclectic of styles, and yet the works produced are intricate and unbelievably detailed. While older pieces are highly prized by collectors, modern Yue pieces add color and interest to any home. Yue embroidery has been used in many different ways, in pieces ranging from bridal gowns to wall hangings.

Shu embroidery

2006-02-10T08:41:00.001-08:00

Shu embroidery is a relatively recent (by Chinese standards) Chinese embroidery style, having been developed around the middle of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). One of the four great Chinese embroidery styles, Shu embroidery was developed in and around the city of Shengdu in Sichuan province. Although what we now think of as the Shu style matured in the Qing dynasty the Sichuan area has a history of producing embroidery that dates back several hundred years, and Shu embroidery is considered to be one of the end products of the evolution of this long history. With many natural subjects depicted in colorful threads, Shu embroidery is mostly concerned with showing the joys of life, and has been used in many different pieces, both practical and decorative.

Examples of embroidery have been discovered in the Sichuan province dating from more than 2,000 years ago. Fish have been among the most popular subjects for embroiderers from Sichuan; one account from the Western Han dynasty (202 B.C. 9 A.D.) tells of the intricate detailing of a carp taking more than a month for an embroiderer to complete. The production of embroidery was first done by males, but over the years it has passed to young women. The Shu embroidery which matured during the Qing dynasty, which is also called Chuan embroidery, is still produced in China today and has been widely exported to countries all over the world.

Shu embroidery is typically done on the soft satin fabric produced in Sichuan province. It uses brightly colored threads, evenly stitched to produce a delicate picture or pattern. Shu embroidery is particularly characterized by the closeness of its stitching, which allows Shu embroiderers to highlight miniscule details in the subjects they produce. A Shu embroidered piece may include hundreds of thousands of stitches in a single figure or animal, and may take many days or even weeks to complete. One of the most popular subjects for Shu embroiderers is the panda bear, but scenes of nature of any kind are common. The fish which engrossed embroiderers from Sichuan in ancient times are still often seen, as are close-ups of plants, landscapes, and detailed looks at many animals.

Shu embroidery is used for both artistic pieces and for objects which may be used every day. Quilts, sheets, slippers, or clothes may be embroidered in the Shu style, lending color and beauty to the wearer. Equally enjoyable are art pieces produced in the Shu style. These may include wall hangings, screens for separating rooms, or curtains. The rich color and vibrant images found in Shu embroidery are meant to remind the viewer (or wearer) of the joy which can be found in any living thing; it is perhaps because of this joy that Shu embroidery remains popular to this day.

Suzhou or "Su" embroidery

2006-02-10T08:41:00.000-08:00

Suzhou or "Su" embroidery is one of the oldest embroidery techniques in the world, with origins stretching back more than 2,000 years. Suzhou embroidery was one of the first embroidery styles to be developed in China, but its detailed needlework and intricate images are still produced today. It is a style characterized by brightly colored silk embroidered with well-proportioned and uncluttered representations of almost any pastoral scene, person, animal, or object. Examples of Suzhou embroidery were so detailed and intricate that many people used the pieces as artwork, and some of the oldest pieces still in existence date back hundreds of years.

There are records of detailed embroidered pieces being produced in the Suzhou area around 200 BC, and of embroidered silk being used as maps in the second and third century AD. But it was during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) that the Suzhou style became prominent. With finely spun silk thread embroiders from the Suzhou area were able to create images that were said to have "rivaled nature," and it became very stylish to have Suzhou embroidery in the home. Embroidery spread to other provinces throughout China, and soon embroiderers all over the country were working were working in the Suzhou style. Although other techniques of Chinese embroidery have appeared over the years, it is the Suzhou style that has set the standard for other styles.

Suzhou embroidery consists of very detailed representations of almost any subject embroidered onto fine silk with silk thread. One of the distinctive features of Suzhou embroidery is that some pieces two-sided; that is, the picture is repeated on both sides of the embroidered piece. The stitching on Suzhou embroidered pieces is done with silk threads that have been divided until the actual thread is almost impossible to see. Through the repetition of stitches a very dense embroidering occurs. Suzhou embroidery has been used in clothing, wall hangings, and even intricate book covers dating back almost 1,000 years.

Suzhou embroidery as a technique has continued to grow and develop. In the years since its first appearance, many crafting schools have taught the technique, and an entire industry has developed to produce Suzhou embroidery pieces for sale both in China and on world markets. However, Suzhou embroidery is not just a commercial enterprise; master Suzhou embroiderers have practiced their craft for hundreds of years, creating some of the most detailed and beautiful pieces.

Whether you buy a Suzhou embroidered piece made recently or search for a piece with more history, Suzhou embroidery remains one of the world's finest techniques. Many people around the world are now discovering the beauty and artistry inherent in these pieces, and it seems clear that the market for Suzhou embroidery will remain strong for years to come.

Thai silk scarves

2006-02-09T12:15:00.001-08:00

Silk scarves have been used for a variety of purposes throughout history. Its lightweight warmth caused silk to become one of the most popular materials for things like aviator's scarves and for parachutes. However, the high cost of silk throughout history has meant that silk scarves were often considered a luxury item in Europe and North America. It has only been in the last 20 years that silk scarves have become more widely available. Thai silk scarves are among the most elegant and beautiful scarves, and have been thrilling the fashion world for several years now.

The production of silk stretches back centuries in Thailand. Because Thailand is the only Southeast Asian nation to have never been ruled by a European power, silk production is much more traditional. Additionally, Thai silk is considered exceptionally durable and high quality. This quality silk is washed, and then dyed carefully to produce stunning and memorable colors. One of the most remarkable features of Thai silk scarves is their patterns and artwork, many of which stem from Thai folklore and culture.

Thai silk scarves may feature many different patterns, ranging from tie dying and squares to elaborate representations of stars, moons, and planets. Artwork on Thai silk scarves varies even more. One of the most traditional symbols in Thai culture is that of the Elephant, and so many scarves feature this animal in a variety of settings. Floral pictures are also popular, as are trees and other nature scenes. Other pictures often seen on Thai silk scarves are birds perched on lush tree branches, scenes of traditional village life or of Buddhist temples. Because the price of silk has dropped in recent years, it is now possible for women to wear a beautiful piece of art, both for warmth and as a fashion accessory. Thai silk scarves in white and in solid colors are also popular with men who want to evoke the image of the brave and adventurous aviator.

Thai silk scarves have become one of Thailand's chief consumer exports. In fact, they are now available in stores all over the world. However, many people also travel to Thailand each year and find fabulous silk scarves in the shops and Bazaars of Thailand's major cities. While the Thai silk scarves found in your local area will be of excellent quality, your chances of finding an original design on a scarf increase dramatically by visiting Thailand, which also has many historic sights and beaches to enjoy. The next time you are looking for a fashion accessory that shows your originality and style, be sure to look at Thai silk scarves. These lightweight and surprisingly affordable scarves will both keep you warm and show the world that you have a good eye for fashion.

Ivory, Bone, or Plastic ???

2006-02-09T12:15:00.000-08:00

There are many items on the Market today being represented and sold as Ivory that really aren't. This may be due to deception or innocent ignorance. Next to Cinnabar, this is the most abused of all descriptions used to sell Oriental Collectibles. But how do you tell what is Ivory and what isn't, especially if only viewing an image on the Internet. Hopefully this will help.

The most likely imposters are Bone and Plastic ( Resin ) To test for plastic, the easiest and most common method is the pin test. Heat a pin to red-hot and touch it to the bottle. If it melts, its plastic. If it doesn't melt, we narrowed it down to Bone or Ivory. There should be no fear of damaging the piece using this method because Ivory will be undamaged by this test, and if it melts, it wasn't worth much anyway.

Now comes the tough part. You have determined that it is not plastic. So it must be bone or ivory. The coloration of Ivory is usually very consistent throughout the entire piece. ( no light and dark patches ) It has a very fine grain that appears in a wood grain pattern. Black cracks ( age lines ) are not uncommon in very old pieces of Ivory. Bone, on the other hand, tends to have numerous discolorations and distinct feature. Patches of Brown or Black spots resembling a beard, or dark blotches consisting of parallel lines. Another potential clue is that most bone items are made using 3 to 4 pieces of bone. Look for seams.

Due to shortages in available Ivory for artists, other substance have always been sought. The trade in Elephant Ivory has nearly come to a complete stop. The master carvers of China and Japan have turned to alternative substances for the making of Snuff Bottles, Netsuke, and other works of Art. Mammoth Ivory is currently being excavated in areas of Northern Siberia. This is from Mammoth Elephants and Mastodons that live 2,500 to 2 million years ago. The frozen glaciers have preserved there remains in near perfect condition.

Yixing Teapots

2006-02-09T12:14:00.000-08:00

Yixing (pronounced “Yee-Shing”) teapots are very special teapots made from zisha clay, a rare type of purplish clay made of iron, quartz and mica. It is found only in Yixing, China; a town located roughly 120 miles north west of Shanghai amidst rolling hills. Zisha clay is so unique in fact, that Yixing is the only place in the world where it can be found. This very rare material gives the Yixing teapot special properties that make it one of the most sought after teapots in the world, for both collectors and tea enthusiasts alike.

Yixing teapots originated during the Sung Dynasty (960 1279) where they were first handmade on a potter’s wheel. As they continued to be produced through the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, their simple design and unpretentious beauty began to mature. As Yixing teapots grew in popularity, scholars made and collected them with fervor, improving on their designs and craftsmanship.

Traditionally, Yixing teapots are small enough so that an individual can have their own. Interestingly, the teacups that are used with a Yixing teapot are proportionate to the size of the pot itself. Therefore, someone with a very small Yixing teapot could easily drink 100 cups of tea a day.

Zisha clay comes naturally in blue, red and purple colors. When mineral pigments are added to the clay, new colors can be created. For example, mixing blue clay with cobalt oxide creates black teapots. Years of experimentation and development have created a massive range of Yixing teapot colors. Perhaps the most famous type of Yixing teapot is called Zishayao. The clay in this teapot contains a high amount of iron, which creates a deep purple-brown, similar to the skin of a pear.

Besides the Yixing teapot’s beauty, it is also considered to be one of the finest tea brewing pots in the world. It is said that if you pour hot water into an empty Yixing teapot that has been in use for many years, you can brew tea without any tea leaves. Zisha clay is extremely porous and will absorb the flavor of tea, making each brew better and more flavorful every time it is used. Another special quality of zisha clay is its ability to retain heat. It has a low shrinkage rate when the clay is fired in a kiln, and potters can create a tightly fitting lid that will decrease oxidization and further increase tea flavor. What’s more, zisha clay comes free of any toxic materials like lead, arsenic and cadmium, which can found in some other types of clay.

Yixing teapots are arguably among the finest teapots in the world. When evaluating a teapot’s brewing quality, four factors are taken into consideration: The color of the tea produced, and the levels of phenol, caffeine and aminophylline. The Yixing teapot’s performance has been found to be superior to that of standard teapots in all four areas of testing.

Not only are Yixing teapots an important part of Asian culture and sought after by tea enthusiasts and collectors across the world, but they are unique and valuable works of art. Each one is a simplistically beautiful tribute to the Asian arts, and each one brews a healthier, superior, more flavorful cup of tea as well.

Cast Iron Teapots of Japan

2006-02-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

Much as Americans and the English have teapots, the Japanese also have a special teapot called a Tetsubin. In Japan, it is believed that drinking tea from an iron kettle brings better tasting tea since the water is boiled differently. Additionally, with the Tetsubin teapot, you will find that the spout will only face to the right, where you will see adornment or ornamentation. In Sencha, this type of teapot would be held in the right hand while in Chanoyu, the left hand would be prominent.

In Japan, the tea ceremony is both historical and important. Often known as Chanoyu, this ceremony is founded on very specific philosophies and procedures. Together, these two create a aura of inner peace. In fact, in the Japanese tea ceremony, everything involved is important to include the types of utensils used to the way in which the table is set. While different classes within Japan favor different types of tea ceremonies, the Chanoyu is definitely the preferred method for the ruling class.

Although the exact date for the start of Tetsubin is unknown, it is believed it first appeared sometime around the time when Sencha drinking became popular in the 17^th Century, during which time this form of drinking was viewed as being symbolic revolt against Chanoyu. Over time, more commoners started drinking tea and soon, it had its own place within society. As the market expanded, the teapot was created as a means of replacing the expensive Chinese styles of drinking tea.

Then by the 18^th and 19^th Centuries, Tetsubin was something seen and enjoyed in most homes. As a way of providing humidity and heat, tea was prepared. Since the affluence aspect was eliminated, it became quite common for Tetsubin to be plainly decorated rather than elaborately like before. It was during this same time that Japanese art was also making a big change, which had a huge influence on how the designs were made.

Using the Tetsubin, a ceremony was created called Ryakubon. With this ceremony, the settings are minimal, including the Tetsubin for making the tea. Another ceremony is called Kaiseki and with this one, a light meal is served just prior to the actual tea ceremony beginning. Whenever a tea ceremony is held outside, this type of ceremony is used.

It is true that the Tetsubin has only a small role in the formal Japanese Tea Ceremony but to most people, Japanese and other nationalities, it is still very fascinating. Additionally, Tetsubin is a beautiful yet functional teapot although the shape and decorations are simple. Remember that the focus of tea and the culture in Japan is focused on the Chanoyu procedures, which is believed to capture all the valued aspects of the Japanese culture.

Tea ceremonies are geared toward esthetics and surroundings as a means of creating inner peace and serenity, which is crucial to the tea ceremony. With the Tetsubin being designed in the likeness of a kettle, along with iron, many are made from copper, which are called Yakkan. Regardless of the style, the type of ceremony, or the simplicity of utensils used, this tea brewing vessel is highly regarded and considered today as a treasured collectible. Since they are hand-cast by master artists found in Japan, the process can take as many as 40 steps to complete, which is why they are so difficult to find.

Tetsubin Teapots

2006-02-09T12:12:00.000-08:00

The Tetsubin (pronounced “tet-SUE-bin”) teapot is a Japanese teapot made of cast iron. A typical Tetsubin teapot has a geometric, organic or animal pattern decoration on the side where its spout faces your right. This is because the pot is held in the left hand in Chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony. Its design is thought to have been influenced by the kettles of the common Japanese households of the 17^th and 18^th centuries. These kettles were simple in design and undecorated. They were typically hung on the fireplace hearth to provide hot water, warmth and humidity to a household; they were extremely practical pieces of kitchenware.

During this time period in Japan, tea drinking was not popular with the common citizen. Only the wealthy could afford Matcha, a type of powder used to brew tea. When the Chinese method of tea brewing called Sencha (brewing with whole leaves instead of the powder) was introduced to Japan, tea drinking became affordable and more accessible to common people. Despite Sencha, Chinese teapot styles were expensive, and the Japanese people adopted their hearth kettles to brew their tea. Thus, the Tetsubin teapot was created.

The Tetsubin teapot remained largely unmodified and simple until the 19^th century, when Japanese art, which was gradually being influenced by the Chinese mainland as well, exploded in a cultural revolution. Over time, the Tetsubin style and design became more elaborate. Soon, a wide range of Tetsubin teapots were available, from the simple, hearth kettle style, to garishly designed works of art. The Tetsubin teapot gradually evolved into a cultural status symbol for its owner. The more elaborate the teapot one owned, the more prestigious one was (or wanted to be) in social status.

The Tetsubin teapot was also adopted to play a small role in Japanese tea ceremonies despite its common roots. In Ryakubon, a small ceremonial setting requiring a limited amount of tea ware, the Tetsubin is used for preparing tea. In Kaiseki, another setting where a small meal is served before the formal ceremony, the Tetsubin is used with the meal. Also, in outdoor ceremonies, the Tetsubin sometimes replaces the Cha-Gama, due to the fact it is smaller and has a spout. The Cha-Gama is slightly awkward outdoors, because it is much larger, has no spout and requires its water to be ladled into the tea cups.

Today, the Tetsubin teapot is a reflection of an important aspect of Japanese culture and history. Its design and shape is simple and beautiful, and its use is extremely practical. Many tea enthusiasts claim the tea brewed in the cast iron Tetsubin teapot tastes better than tea brewed in any other type of material. Highly collectable, Tetsubin teapots are hand-cast by master artists to this day, and have undergone a marvelous evolution from their early days as common household items into elaborate works of art and true reflections of the Japanese art culture.

Tagua Nut Carving

2006-02-09T12:11:00.001-08:00

Did you know that before the introduction of plastic, most of the buttons in the United States were made from Tagua nuts? In the 1920s, the exportation of this nut, also known as "vegetable ivory" brought nearly $5 million dollars into South American county of Ecuador. This South American export is enjoying new popularity today both in the garment industry where it is used for buttons and fasteners, and in the art world.

Why is this plain looking little brown nut so important today? Well, it is a great example of something small having a big impact. There are three primary reasons the world has taken notice of the Tagua nut: ecology, economy and art. From an ecology point of view, the Tagua nut is very much like animal ivory in terms of its texture and appearance. As people became more aware that using animal ivory could result in extinction of entire species of animals, Tagua nut became a suitable replacement. You almost cannot tell the difference between Tagua nut and mammal ivory.

Economically speaking, the Tagua nut, which grows in the rain forest, is a sustainable natural resource. This means that the valuable rain forest is not harmed in the cultivation and harvesting of this material. It allows the people who inhabit the rain forest to engage in profitable trade without destroying their lands. As you know, everyone on the planet benefits from keeping the rain forest intact since it is so important to the atmosphere of the earth!

Artistically, because it is so much like ivory both in appearance and in texture, Tagua nut has become quite popular as a raw material. Art forms like scrimshaw, traditionally reserved for mammal ivory are now being practiced using the Tagua nut. Figurines and animals are among the art objects you can find created from Tagua nut. Tagua nut is also used to make intricate designs that are used to inlay boxes, for jewelry for example.

Before it is processed, the Tagua nut does not look like anything special. The Tagua nut is a small nut that measures about one to two inches with a brownish exterior. Taguas grow on palm trees in several regions of South America. Probably the best-known producer of Taguas is Ecuador. It is inside the Tagua nut that the real beauty is found! The interior material, which is used to manufacture practical objects and art, ranges in color from white to amber. The composition of the Tagua nut is so similar to mammal ivory that it is difficult to tell them apart.

If you were in the market for scrimshaw or other items historically made from mammal ivory, just be sure to have the piece checked out by an expert. There are cases where a dishonest merchant has been known to sell items made from Tagua nut as mammal ivory. These items made from Tagua nut instead of mammal ivory are lovely to be sure, but are probably not antiques. Most of the mammal ivory you would find for sale these days would have to be antique or obtained from an illegal source. It is the rare nature of animal ivory that fetches the sky high prices. The other reason ivory has such a great value is its sheer beauty, and that is something the Tagua nut is able to match.

Therefore, the little brown Tagua nut has many advantages over mammal ivory, becoming popular enough to stand on its own. Tagua nuts can be grown and harvested economically, and so art and other items made from Tagua nut are reasonably priced, meaning more people can enjoy their beauty and durability. Tagua nuts are a resource that seems to benefit just about everyone!

Ojime Beads

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Netsuke

2006-02-09T12:10:00.000-08:00

Chinese Fans

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CHINESE FANS - The Chinese elevated the common fan to an art form. We know that leaves and bird feathers were used as early fans but China gets credit for being the first place where fans were manufactured. King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty (11^th century B.C.) is credited as the inventor of the Chinese fan. We believe that the idea for the hand-held Chinese fan came from the umbrellas that were fixed to the top of carriages of the Shang dynasty period (1600 - 1100 B.C.). The oldest Chinese hand-held fan, which was found in the Hubei province in 1982 dates back about 2,300 year ago to the Warring States period.

Early fans were made of bamboo "spokes" arranged in a half circle with silk wrapped around them. These fans did not fold up, as we know them today. Fans were primarily reserved for the member of the royal court and it was not until the Han dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.) that fans became widely available among the general population. Fans became so wildly popular that in the Jin dynasty (317 - 420 A.D.) the emperor forbade them to be made out of silk since so many fans were being made that silk production could not keep up! Chinese fans were made in many different forms. For example, a fan's base could be square or round, or shaped like a familiar object, for example a duck's beak or fish tail.

Here is an interesting fact you probably did not know. The Chinese did not invent the folding version of the fan most commonly known. This type of fan, or Zhe Shan, was brought to China from Japan in the 11^th century. Today, Chinese fans are made of many materials such as palm tree leaves, bamboo, and paper. Other materials include bone, feather, ivory, carved lacquer ware, paper, and silk. Additionally, you will find fans made of precious materials such as mother-of-pearl.

Chinese fans grew beyond the realm of being ordinary household artifacts as fans became integrated with traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy to become works of art. Chinese fan culture developed hand in hand with Chinese history until the modernization of the mid twentieth century. Of the hundreds of fan artisans in historical Shanghai - only two remain today. The main allure of the Chinese fan today is its value as a collector's item, especially for two types of Chinese fans - the Tuan Shan (reunion fan) and the Zhe Shan (a plaited fan that can be folded).

Tuan Shan fans are made of silk and can be round as well as square, or rectangular with rounded edges. They were carried by both men and women until the Ming dynasty when they became identified as a fashion accessory for women. The Zhe Shan became popular in China during the Ming dynasty, reaching a peak of popularity during the Qing era (1644-1911). This is the time when the folding fan became known as a symbol of social status. It was also during this time that the culture of using fan gestures as a way to express moods developed.

The most valuable examples of Zhe Shan fans are those which are decorated with art and/or calligraphy. The shape of the fan - narrow at the bottom and wide at the top - made them a challenge for artists to decorate. One method used by calligraphers was to alternate short and long sentences on the panels of the fan. That way, the writing did not look crowded or cramped and remained artistically appealing. Writing was done both horizontally and vertically, depending on the preference of the artist and the patron.

While art and calligraphy were the main means of decoration, there are examples of fans that have gold or other precious stones added to their faces. The extra time and effort required to work on this type of medium is why decorated fans are the most prized. The Qing dynasty was also a time when the Chinese fan was first brought to Europe. Traders imported fans made of ivory which became popular with European women. As Chinese Fans grew in popularity, Chinese manufacturers made and exported fans made of a variety of material.

We are still intrigued by fans today. They are a great way to cool off to be sure but there is more to it than that. There is something special about holding a fan. Maybe it is a reminder of history or that slightly exotic feeling you get when you unfold a fan. In any case, the Chinese fan is likely to enjoy a timeless popularity.

Cloisonné

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Cloisonné is a famous traditional enamelware with a history of over 500 years. Cloisonné is one of the famous arts and crafts of Beijing. The making of cloisonné requires rather elaborate and complicated processes: base-hammering, copper-strip inlay, soldering, enamel-filling, enamel-firing, polishing and gilding. Base-hammering of body is the first step in the making of cloisonné. The material used for making the body is copper, because copper is easily hammered and stretched. This step requires a sound judgment in the shaping and uniformity of thickness and weight. It is in fact the work of the copper-smith. The only difference is that when an article is shaped, the copper-smith's work is finished, whereas the cloisonné craftsman's work has just begun. The second step is filigree soldering. This step requires great care and high creativeness. The artisan adheres copper strips onto the body. These strips are of 1/16 inch in diameter and of lengths as the artisan desires. The strips of filigree thus adhered make up a complicated but complete pattern. The artisan has a blueprint in mind and he can make full use of his experience, imagination and aesthetic view in setting the copper strips on the body. The third step is to apply color which is known as enamel filling. The color or enamel is like the glaze on ceramics. It is called falang. Its basic elements are boric acid, saltpeter and alkaline. Owing to the difference in the minerals added, the color differs accordingly. Usually one with much iron will turn gray, with uranium, yellow, with chromium, green, with zinc, white, with bronze, blue, with gold or iodine, red. The colors are ground into minute powder and applied in the cells separated by filigree. The fourth step is enamel firing. This is done by putting the article, with its enamel filling, into a kiln. After a short moment, the copper body will turn red. But after firing, the enamel in the little compartments will sink down a bit. That will require a re-filling. This process will go on repeatedly until the little cells are filled. The fifth step is polishing. The first polish is with emery. Its aim is to make the filigree and the filled compartments even. The whole piece is again put to fire, then polished once more with a whet-stone. Finally, a piece of hard carbon is used to polish again so as to obtain some luster on the surface of the article. The sixth step is gilding. This is done by placing the article in fluid of gold or silver, changed with electric current. The exposed parts of the filigree and the metal fringes of the article will again undergo another electroplating and a slight polish.

Kalagas of Burma

2006-02-08T12:10:00.001-08:00

Kalagas, which are embroidered Burmese tapestries, have been around for about 150 years. Some of the techniques used in making kalagas are much older. For example, the techniques of attaching gold thread and jewels called "shwe-chi-doe" were known to have existed in Burma over 1,000 years ago. Items made using the "shwe-chi-doe" method were and still are rare because they were made from real gold and jewels, making them prohibitively expensive for the common person or every day use.

Kalagas evoke in us a sense of the exotic and- for good reason. Originally developed in the Mandalay court, they reflected the designs found at that time in the palace and in the pagodas. Popular design themes for kalagas included art typically seen on temple walls. Interestingly, these types of designs are still popular today. This is one reason it is common for people to think that the kalaga art form is much older than it is since the most popular subjects illustrated on these tapestries are taken from tales and legends of ancient history.

By the way, a word of caution for the collector. Even though the kalaga art form is only 150 years old, you may come across kalagas that may be misrepresented to you as antiques. The authenticity of these pieces is doubtful. The materials used to make kalagas 150 years ago were not designed to withstand the test of time. Some folks selling them distress them to make them look old in the hopes that the kalaga will fetch a higher price.

The most popular stories illustrated on kalagas have some sort of religious significance. One popular theme is astrology; another is auspicious animals. Elephants, especially white elephants are common. You will also find the Burmese symbol for purity and good character, the hintha (often confused with a duck), depicted. Another popular animal is the peacock, which is a symbol of beauty and also represents the sun.

Burma had both Buddhist and Hindu influences throughout its history, and so stories from both traditions such as the Hindu epic Ramaya stories and the Buddhist Jataka tales, often grace kalaga art. The kalagas we see today were influenced by several factors of the time. The extensive use of sequins comes from the influence of artisans brought from Thailand after the conquest of Ayuthaya in 1767. The materials used to make kalagas, which include wool, glass, beads, and sequins were readily available then, resulting from trade with British merchants. Therefore, as kalagas became more popular, it was relatively easy for artists to respond to the demand.

Kalagas are still made in the traditional mode. Access to higher quality materials has improved overall quality of the finished product as evidenced by neatly cut glass, sequins that are rust and tarnish resistant and durable backing cloth. A kalaga begins by stretching a backing onto a frame and attaching it. Next, cloth is cut in the shape of the figures that will be included in the design. The figures are decorated and then attached to the backing. The figures are raised by stuffing them with cotton or a similar material, giving them a quilted quality. The last step in making the kalaga is to fill in the background. Kalagas are famous for having backgrounds crafted in beautiful swirled patterns of sequins.

If you have the good fortune to acquire a kalaga during your travels or as a gift from a considerate friend - here are some suggestions on how to best display your treasure. If you wish to frame your kalaga, do not put glass or plastic over it. One way you can display a kalaga is to hang it between a pair of curtain rods, top and bottom. One feature of this art form that really stands out is how the sequins and metallic thread reflect light. This will create a wonderful effect, no matter where in your home you place your kalaga.

Snuff Bottles

2006-02-08T12:10:00.000-08:00

Both Chinese snuff bottles, as well as the tobacco powder contained by the Chinese snuff bottles were at the very core of a fashion whose popularity had never before been experienced in China’s extensive history. Due to it’s exceptional versatility of style, technique and material, all in one small object, as well as the fine craftsmanship, these tiny masterpieces quickly became one of the most notable representations of the use of artistic skill throughout the Qing Dynasty.

There are many different beliefs as to who introduced the use of tobacco to the Chinese. I have read that the Russians, Manchu, Portuguese, and the Jesuit Priests brought tobacco to China. I would venture to say that it is likely that different people, around the same time, introduced it in different regions. That time would be the early to mid 1600's.

Although legally, the smoking of tobacco was not permitted, its use as snuff was considered perfectly acceptable, as it was thought to have valuable medicinal applications. Tobacco was thought to be a great way to treat colds, headaches, stomach disorders and many other symptoms and illnesses. Powdered tobacco, as well as the majority of other Chinese medications, was dispensed in bottles, as opposed to the boxes that were used in Europe.

Though snuff was originally only a luxury experienced by the elite of the new Qing Dynasty house, its popularity, along with the popularity of the snuff bottle, became much more available in and around the Beijing court by the close of the seventeenth century. The heart of the recognition of snuff and snuff bottles remained in and around Beijing’s court until the end of the eighteenth century, developing the use of snuff into a common social ritual for the upper classes. The snuff therefore had to be contained in something that would contribute to this newfound fashion, and therefore, large amounts of art, taste and money were spent on the acquisition of attractive snuff bottles. Snuff bottles also started being used for the attainment of favors, positions, status as well as advancement in government.

During the 1700's snuff increased in popularity among the Chinese, which created a great demand for Snuff Bottles. They became conversation pieces and collectable items almost immediately. Collecting snuff bottles became the newest nationwide habit, and it spread to all of the social classes with the actual snuff-taking, at the very end of the eighteenth century. The finer the snuff bottle, the more respected was its owner.

Snuff bottles were made out of every material of which the Chinese knew. This included glass, porcelain, jade and other hardstones, ivory, coral, lacquer, amber, wood, etc.

Asian Lacquerware

2006-02-08T12:09:00.001-08:00

Asian lacquer ware is well known to art collectors worldwide, and is the result of some of the finest craftsmanship techniques in the world. Lacquer ware is created by applying lacquer to wooden objects to give it a fine finish and luster. Although the craft was developed in both China and Japan, Japanese craftsmen are generally credited with taking Chinese lacquer techniques and maturing them to create the highly regarded art form that lacquer ware creation has become today.

The History of Lacquer Ware

Evidence indicates that the practice of lacquering objects began over 4000 years ago, where it was used to coat common objects like furniture, and personal items like earrings and combs. This type of lacquering was more functional in nature, as the lacquer added sturdiness and smoothness to the objects. It was an important technique however; important enough for lacquer tradesmen to form a guild called Urushi-he to help develop their techniques.

At the same time, Chinese artisans were developing lacquering techniques along more artistic lines, they added color to their lacquer and were using lacquer to make items more aesthetically pleasing. These techniques were introduced to Japan in the 5th and 6th centuries, and Japanese craftsmen not only incorporated Chinese lacquering techniques into their works, but also improved and matured them into a true art form.

One improvement the Japanese created was the technique of Makie (gold and silver lacquer finishes). Makie was a very high-caliber artistic form that surpassed any artistic techniques developed by the Chinese up to that point. Because most objects were still being made from wood and not ceramic (glaze had not been developed yet), Makie techniques became an extremely popular method of adding both beauty and sturdiness to common household objects such as tables and utensils. Items with Makie finishes were especially sought after by the upper class. Thus, lacquer ware objects quickly became much more than common household items. They evolved into highly sophisticated art pieces and status symbols.

The Process of Creating Lacquer ware

Lacquer comes from the sap of the tree species, Rhus Veniciflua, commonly known as the Varnish Tree. This tree can be found throughout China and Japan, but it originated in Central Asia. It is a member of the Anacardiaceae family, and shares relations with the cashew, mango and pistachio tree.

Harvesting lacquer from the Varnish Tree is relatively simple: The technique varies depending on what region of Asia you are in, but generally, in Japan, five to ten horizontal cuts are made in the tree’s trunk parallel to one another. As the sap oozes out of these cuts, it is scraped and collected.

After being treated to remove impurities, the lacquer sap is called crude lacquer. Crude lacquer is used as a primer on most lacquer ware. To increase the quality of the crude lacquer, it is heated between 35 and 45 degrees Celsius. It is then known as Kurome lacquer. Another type of lacquer can be created when crude lacquer is heated at 60 degrees Celsius, this is called Hosezu lacquer and will not dry and harden. Hosezu lacquer is mixed into Kurome lacquer to help speed up or slow down the drying process. The speed of the drying process can vary, depending on lacquer quality, heat and humidity.

Color can then be added to the lacquer by mixing oil or color pigments, and then it can be used as a top layer, giving the object a sturdy and glossy shine. If color is not added, the natural state of lacquer gives the object a transparent, rich brown hue.

Satsuma Porcelain

2006-02-08T12:09:00.000-08:00

Satsuma porcelain has been traced to 17th century Japan, taking its name from the southern province of Kyushu Island. Interestingly enough, this type of pottery was actually developed by Korean potters. You will hear Satsuma referred to alternatively as "pottery" and "porcelain" but it is actually somewhere in between. This type of porcelain is produced at lower temperatures than porcelain but higher temperatures than you would typically use to make pottery.

Following Japan's invasion of Korea in the 17th century, the Prince of Satsuma brought potters from Korea, where they established a now famous kiln for making pottery. The ongoing patronage of the prince's family, the Shimazu family was the daimyos (feudal lords) at the time that resulted in the great popularity of Satsuma porcelain.

Production of Satsuma pottery is no longer limited to one area of Japan. In fact, you will find three major yakis or kilns, which includes a famous one in Kyoto. Satsuma was and still is made from brown clay, and the pottery today retains the cream colored body and crackled gaze. Many pieces include a trademark deep blue color, calls "Goso blue". Experts share that you can tell where a particular piece of Satsuma pottery was made by certain characteristics.

For example, the Satsuma that is made in Kyoto will be lighter in body color, which was close to the color of cream whereas the Satsuma made in Kyushu is darker in tone. All Satsuma pottery has what is called 'crackle', which are fines lines crisscrossing the pottery in a random matrix pattern, the result of the glazing and kiln firing process. Satsuma pottery made in Kyushu has more pronounced crackle that is darker.

The Shimzu family introduced the world to their beautiful earthenware pieces at the Paris International Exposition of 1867. Attracted by their fine craftsmanship and gorgeous designs, Satsuma porcelain was an instant hit and their debut at the Paris International Exposition created a demand for the pottery in Europe. It was not long before a strong export market developed.

Old Satsuma pottery retains great value and antiques are highly prized. If you are shopping for antique Satsuma porcelain, be sure to consult and expert to make sure you are truly getting what you paid for! The first Korean potters made simple but elegant clay pottery that was used in the highly structured Japanese tea ceremony. The pieces tended to be small, which is why they were used as incense burners and boxes, jars for water, and vases for use in the Ikebana, the Japanese art of floral arrangement.

The first vessels were characterized by a cream-colored body, covered by a glaze, usually yellow in color. The potters of Satsuma began using decorative approaches to their art in response to competition from Imari porcelain. Imari porcelain was also made on the island of Kyushu, in the Arita area. Near the end of the 18th century, tot wanting to lose consumers to the Imari potters, a famous Japanese potter named Ninsei learning the Imari techniques. He in turn taught the Satsuma artists how to decorate their plain pottery using different colors of enamel as well as gold.

Satsuma porcelain of today displays strong, thickly applied colors. Popular patterns originally included floral designs, geometric patterns as the ever popular phoenix and dragon designs. With the advent of the 19th century, landscapes and life-like figures became more common.

The characteristics of the body are sometimes helpful in determining where a piece of Satsuma was made. The products of Kyoto often show a lighter creamy-white body whereas the Satsuma from Kyushu bears a somewhat darker tone and stronger crackle lines in the glaze.

Cinnabar Lacquer

2006-02-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

Lacquered art pieces have been produced in China for many centuries. Lacquer is produced from the sap of the lac tree, which is commonly found in central and southern China. Various pigments are added to the resulting lacquer to change its color, and then the lacquer is applied in many coats to an art object. After many coats, the lacquer is carved, producing unique designs, patterns, and subjects. On lacquer, which was prominent throughout China, was cinnabar lacquer, which was made by mixing a seemingly innocuous mineral called cinnabar with lacquer. Cinnabar lacquer was used on a wide variety of pieces ranging in size from jewelry pieces to large ceramic or metal vases.

Cinnabar is a mineral that appears near volcanoes or hot springs. It is rich in mercury and, when ground into a fine powder, produces a deep red tint. It was believed at one point that the mercury's toxic effects could be neutralized with heat, but it appears that science has proven this theory incorrect. However, Cinnabar lacquer was produced and carved for many years before the toxic effects of mercury were discovered.

The production of a cinnabar lacquer piece is a fascinating and time consuming process. First, the base work was produced, whether it was a vase or a brooch. Next, layer after layer of cinnabar lacquer was applied. Often layers would alternate in color to achieve a multicolor effect in the design, and some pieces would feature more than 300 coats of lacquer. Each layer would have to dry before a new one was applied, so some pieces could take almost half a year to prepare some larger pieces could take years! Once the lacquer layers had reached the correct depth, the carving process could begin.

Carving a cinnabar lacquer piece was a very delicate process, and could take the artist many years to complete. Care was needed, since a slip could require filling with many new layers of lacquer or could necessitate a complete re-do of the entire project. Once the carving was finished, another layer of lacquer would be added to seal the carving. Clear lacquer with no cinnabar was often used in this final step to keep the piece from spreading mercury to the skin this was especially important for jewelry pieces.

Many cinnabar lacquer pieces are still available at auction, and are highly prized for the richness of color and intricacy of carving. Minimizing exposure to these older pieces is essential to prevent any contamination, but pieces kept behind glass can still be a valuable part of any collection. While true cinnabar lacquer pieces are hardly ever produced today, many carvers work with simulated chemical cinnabar in their lacquer. This has allowed carved lacquer pieces to remain in production, without the harmful effects possible when working with cinnabar.

Japanese Lacquer

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Lacquer in its natural form actually comes from the sap produced by the Rhus verniciflua tree found in Japan. Interestingly, lacquer has been used for more than 1,500 years as a material to coat objects. Although lacquer was originally used for preservation, it later became a substance used to decorate and enhance furniture and accessories.

For maki-e, which is gold lacquer, the designs are produced by a variety of small gold flecks that are applied. The gold is sprinkled from a tube that has a tiny screen cover on the top so the design is created only in the top portions of the lacquer. Once this is done, a layer of translucent lacquer is brushed over the gold speck layer, which is then polished after it hardens to show the magnificent decoration.

Keep in mind when using lacquer that in between each layer, it must cure in a humidor for the hardening to be achieved. Once the lacquer is hardened, the surface is then polished. This process is repeated for each layer used until the final goal is met. The one challenge with lacquer is that this material has a natural toxic component that is very similar to poison sumac.

Depending on how the lacquer is used, it can resemble a painting, incorporating pictorial imagery. However, lacquer is different from painting since the images are made from precious metals. As mentioned, lacquer is commonly made using gold specks, silver, or other types of metal particles. The lacquer works with these particles to adhere to them and once hardened, the two materials create an amazing, lustrous adamantine image.

In addition to the metal, another method was used, consisting of the use of Paper Mache. For this, a box made of Paper Mache was primed with a specific type of glue along with stone powder. The next step involved putting a layer of burn clay on the wood or frame with wet lacquer and water. Once dried, the surface was scrubbed using a pumice stone. Finally, the surface was polished using delicate powder of whet. From there, the color tone was determined by the ingredient added, which could be cinnabar, gum-gut, or Indian ink.

The nice thing about lacquer is that not only is it beautiful but extremely strong. Because the lacquer pieces designed in Japan are so intricate, they would fit nicely into any décor and because of the material used, they are durable, providing you with years of enjoyment.

Chinese Health Balls

2006-02-08T12:06:00.000-08:00

The word, “Komboloi” is a type of Chinese stress ball designed to reduce and eliminate stress. In today’s society, things move at sonic speed. Between work, school, raising kids, and just day-to-day living, stress mounts quickly. By using Chinese stress balls, you can have some peace and quiet in your life rather than constant chaos.

These stress/health balls have been in use for around 2,000 years. Although they started out primarily to be used in martial arts training, today they can be used everywhere you go and for all purposes and levels of stress.

To use the Chinese stress/health balls, you can hold them in your hands while closing your eyes and envisioning a harmonious world. The goal is to bring your mind and body into unity so that calmness can be achieved. To achieve this, you must focus on something subconscious, something that does not preoccupy your mind or body.

The stress balls used back in history were used in pairs and were actually very exotic in design. In fact, the Chinese saw these balls as a form of art. These balls were designed for wearing all the time and were difficult to break. Although the balls are a bit on the heavy side, they are constructed with a bell type mechanism on the inside, which produces a therapeutic sound when using.

Chinese stress balls are available in a number of sizes so whether you have a small, dainty hand or a large, muscular hand, you will find stress balls that fit perfectly. The benefits of using the Chinese stress/health balls are many. In fact, the Chinese will tell you that using these balls is similar to acupuncture of the hands in that they exercise the same points. This stimulation is what helps reduce the stress and promote good health. Other benefits include:

Improves memory
Stimulates blood circulation
Relaxes muscles and joints
Relieves joint stiffness and muscle soreness
Relieves stress
Promotes sleep

Chinese Calligraphy

2006-02-07T13:33:00.000-08:00

Calligraphy literally means ‘Beautiful Writing’ and has been accepted and acknowledged as an art form in various cultures throughout the world. But the ancient Chinese Calligraphy is unparalleled. Chinese calligraphy is a unique oriental art form to Asian cultures with a brilliant tradition as ancient as the culture itself. It is similar to painting and makes use of Chinese characters as an elementary vehicle to communicate and spread the divine world of the artist. All the way through, Calligraphy uses a basic media, brush handling techniques, scripts, presentation and style to express the emotions, culture, artistic/creative feelings, and moral principles of the artist to the readers who are overwhelmed by the power of application and the pleasure of beauty. Calligraphy is not just another way of writing Chinese characters, but also a beautiful, elaborate and a stylish art of interpretation and a branch of learning.

The origin of Chinese Calligraphy is not very precise. According to a tale in ancient Chinese history, Chinese calligraphy is approximately 4000 years old and originated during the reign of the Yellow Emperor a man named Cang Jie. Earlier periods of the Chinese history reveal that calligraphy was viewed as a matchless and independent visual art form rather than merely an ornamental art and was highly regarded over painting and sculpture, and paralleled alongside poetry as a means of self-expression and cultivation. Calligraphy became an art during the reign of Qin Dynasty and started to blossom in the Han Dynasty. Jin Dynasty saw the emergence of some great calligraphers, including Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi. Achievements in the field of calligraphy were also seen in the North and South Dynasty and the calligraphy works in this period were called as Wei Bei. During the rule of Tang dynasty, calligraphy was taken more seriously; hence a lot of great calligraphers appeared during their reign, including Yan Zhenqing. With the fall of the Tang Dynasty, the decline of calligraphy began and the worst period was Ming Dynasty.

A brush, ink, paper and ink stone are the basic tools required to learn calligraphy. In order to learn calligraphy and to become a calligraphy expert, it is necessary to learn about these tools, select them carefully and take care of them and practice word by word and stroke by stroke. Chinese language has a set of different writing styles and scripts. The writing techniques basically revolve around the ways to hold and use the brush to write characters. The Chinese term qi bi implies beginning your stroke and the term shou bi means end your stroke. To write characters each stroke involves qi bi and shou bi.

The most effective and the traditional way of practicing handwriting comprises of three basic steps: mo, Lin and xie. Mo means tracing and to practice holding the brush. While practicing calligraphy, the main areas of focus should be stroke, structure and style of calligraphy. The next step, Lin is to put the model on the desk for you to copy and take a conscious approach to understand because mere copying never helps. After a few months of detailed study, the next step lin xie follows, wherein you have a specimen on a stone tablet of which you are required to make a copy on paper. It also involves studying the specimen ad memorizing strokes. To learn the rudiments of calligraphy is not too difficult. To become an expert calligrapher, the learner must spend at least a few years in learning and detailed study.

With a history in between four to five thousand years, Chinese calligraphy is rich, thoughtful, and far-reaching in content and has been admired and has received the utmost attention of the artists worldwide. Most recently, industrial art has adapted the elements of traditional calligraphy. The best example of application of Chinese calligraphy in modern times is the Lucent logo, a red circle done with a Chinese brush denotes the 0-bit of machine language. In this era of supercomputers and artificial intelligence, it is heartening to see the free form calligraphy reign

More about Batik

2006-02-07T13:32:00.000-08:00

Batik is an ancient art that reached its peak of development on the Indonesian island of Java. Dutch traders were so impressed by this craft that in 1835, they brought Batik artists back to Holland with them when they returned from trading trips. These 'imported' batik artists taught the process to factory designers and workers so the beautiful Batik fabrics could be produced to meet the European demand for it.

The batik process was modified for use in textile factories and quickly adopted in Europe since there was a great demand for this beautiful and exotic fabric. As production methods became more advanced, Europeans mastered the art and soon the Swiss and Germans were mass producing batik fabric. Modern batik patterns and processes can now be controlled by computers, a development that is giving rise to interesting, new and never before seen geometric designs.

We have evidence of batik being practiced over 2,000 years ago in the Far East, Middle East, Central Asia, and India. Historians believe the art traveled along the caravan trade routes. Batik fabrics have been found in China that date to around the time of the Sui dynasty (581 - 618 AD) and also in Japan from the Nara period (710 - 794 AD).

What is Batik? It is a textile art that involves a specialized method of applying dye to fabric, usually cotton or silk. There are about 3,000 recorded batik patterns, some of which include flowers, plants, birds, animals, insects, and geometric forms are all popular motifs. The use of computers in developing batik designs promises to add many more new and exciting designs to this library.

Think of batik as the reverse of painting. Instead of painting an area where you wish there to be color or a design on a piece of fabric, wax is applied to the area to keep it color free. The fabric is then immersed in dye, coloring all the areas of the fabric that are wax free. The fabric is dried and then the wax is heated in order to remove it.

The intricate and colorful batik we normally see is a complicated, multi-step process. The more colors a batik fabric has, the more times it has been through the process of applying wax, dying, and drying, then removing the wax. The process has to happen in a precise order that will produce the pattern or figures that are desired. Additionally, the order of which colors to apply also has to be followed.

The old method of batik involved drawing on the cloth with a wooden pen that could be filled with wax, calling a "canting". Because the art of batik, as well as wearing items made from batik fabric were reserved for the upper classes and royalty, this art used to be a pastime of female courtiers.

As a result of the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, batik crafters developed large copper stamps, or "caps" that allowed for larger scale application of wax. This also meant that the batik industry was able to keep pace and compete with the textile fabrics of Europe. It might not have been much of a competition, though given how popular batik fabrics were, and are today!

Batik fabrics and garments made for them were originally reserved for the upper classes, for example royalty or highly placed government officials. The designs that were created at the time had significance. One motif called "Satrio Wibowo" means "man with dignity". That pattern would be reserved for a gentleman who was suitably qualified to wear it.

Over time, the fabric became more available to the general population, being used in home decoration as well as in wearable garments. Today, batik is widely available, and something we can all enjoy!