Bring the wild outdoors in with this funky lion carved from soapstone. Made by artisans in Kenya, this lion has a brilliantly bright green color with whimsical patterns. Perfect for any space in your home, this lion measures 3 inches long.
- Handmade in Western Kenya
- Carved from soapstone
- Bright green
Story Behind the Art:SMOLArt is a group of artists who live in the rural village of Tabaka, Kenya, the heart of soapstone crafts. The name, a shortened version of Small, Medium, and Large Artists, refers to the size of the products the artisans make, not their stature. Established in 1990, SMOLArt is a member of WFTO, the World Fair Trade Association, and as such assures that the artisans are paid a fair price for their work. In addition, the organization support community development by contributing to projects that improve living conditions, education, and health of their members and the village at large. Soapstone is mined from great pits in the area surrounding Kiisi, Kenya. The mined stone is then delivered to carvers who carve sculptures from the natural stone, the color of which ranges from cream, to pink, to brown, to yellow, to black, to a marbling of all of them. Once carved, the craftspeople smooth rough edges with sandpaper dipped in water and polish the piece to a high gloss or paint African motifs in brilliant colors with etched accents.All of the products are completely handmade. The tools consist of household items from screwdrivers, hand drills, to switchblades. 'Pangas,' sword-like tools usually used for cutting down vegetation, are used to cleave the stone in the mines.
The handcrafted touch of artisan skill creates variations in color, size and design. If buying two of the same item, slight differences should be expected. Note: Color discrepancies may occur between this product and your computer screen.Imported
