Global Crafts
Praying Angel Soapstone Sculpture - Natural Stone
Praying Angel Soapstone Sculpture - Natural Stone
Couldn't load pickup availability
Hand-carved from a single piece of Kisii soapstone by African artisans, this angel sculpture's sleek and modern style is perfect for every decor.
- Measures approximately 5-inches tall by 3-inches wide.
- Natural soapstone finish; colors can range from cream to pink to grey in any single piece.
- Soapstone is a soft, natural mineral from the earth, making it easy to carve into many forms. Handle with care to avoid breakage.
- Each piece has gone through multiple stages of sanding and waxing, giving the soapstone a satiny finish.
- Socially responsible products that empower consumers to purchase according to their values and help alleviate global poverty.
- Fair Trade is an alternative business model that values safe workplaces, fair wages and community investment for factory employees.
Story Behind the Art:
Each sculpture is artfully hand-carved from a single piece of Kisii soapstone, found only in the hills of southwestern Kenya. Mining the soapstone from surface hills is a labor-intensive process, using little to no machinery. Laborers works with shovels, picks, axes and machetes to carve out large soapstone chucks, which are then carved into beautiful art.
About the Artisans
About the Artisans
In 2006 Elaine left the company under the ownership and supervision of five of her employees
who were master craftsmen from Mali. These five craftsmen are led by Fatim Bouare. Fatim’s innate business sense and entrepreneurial skills helped Mali Chic to grow into a successful business today. Currently, the organization has 14 employees and about 200 member artisans. The organization sells its products through a boutique store in Bamako city. Mali Chic has partnered with various international agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), West African Trade Hub, and Aid to Artisans. Aligning with such agencies has helped Mali Chic to expand the reach of its handmade and fair trade products internationally. With the increased demand for handmade and fairly traded products, Mali Chic has been able to contribute to both the social development and the advancement of its artisan members.
The organization strives to work closely with the artisans to produce high-quality and unique products. As a result, the artisans have learned to meet the increasing demands of the international as well as domestic market. Mali Chic adheres to the fair trade principles, the artisans work from home or in their workshops, and this gives them the freedom to choose their work environment. Because Mali Chic is a fair-wage organization it provides its artisans with an advance against each order of their handmade products.
Materials
Materials
Dimensions
Dimensions
Care information
Care information
