sea decor

Formed of three blue peyote buds, a lighted candle is radiant in this exquisite nierika, or votive beadwork painting by Kupihaute. A butterfly alights on either side in his composition, which takes the shape of a flower with five wide petals.

The artisan, who writes fluently in the Huichol, Nahuatl, Spanish and English languages, talks about this work in his own words. "The nierika is a mirror that is offered to the sea together with the first corn that has been harvested, in order to renew the cycle of rains that will give life to the next crop cycle. As in most of the ancient cultures of our planet, the candle represents our trajectory between being born and returning. For this reason, even today, during the celebration of our birthday, it is customary to light and blow out as many candles as solar cycles have elapsed. The butterflies and spirals are indicating that existence is energy in permanent transformation between arising from and returning to earth."

The intricate images are formed with tiny seed beads. Kupihuate patiently places them one at a time with a needle made of abalone shell onto a huanacaxtle wood backing. Beeswax is used instead of glue.

The process is totally spontaneous, with no previous sketch or design. It is guided by the artist's unconscious to tell the stories that remain in our collective ancestral memory. He signs his work with the symbol of a butterfly on the reverse side of the nierika.

Say members of the Santiago Atitlan Women's Group, "We love nature, its colors, its textures, and the creatures that live in it," and they show this love through a pair of ornaments. In hues of green, yellow and green, two delightful sea turtles are crafted of petite glass beads that are carefully applied by hand. The Guatemalan artisans detail each turtle with intricate designs for a fascinating addition to the tree.

Let the wise nature of these shiny turtles take over your home decor with this aluminium garland presented by Bali's Ketut Darsa. After finishing the embossed details, the artisan adds plastic beads, joining everything with a nylon string.

Attract abundance and prosperity to your home with this set of four shiny fish handcrafted by Yusra in India. Working in wood, the artisan decorates each ornament with acrylic beads and sequins, allowing a luminous look. Then, she adds jute cords for hanging each little fish anywhere.

Make a splash this Christmas with an exquisitely handcrafted octopus ornament that's sure to turn heads. Guatemalan artisans at the Santiago Atitlan Women's Group patiently assemble countless tiny blue, light blue and clear glass beads to create this colourful sea creature, complete with shimmering crystal-beaded eyes. Let this unique accessory bring joy and wonder to your holiday celebrations.