wood craft

Handcrafted of sleek Thai mango wood, this elegant vase is adorned with pewter. Jaifah Aksornsri evokes a coral reef with this exquisite design.

Inspired by the ocean waves crashing into the rocks, this splendid vase by Bali’s Made Sadia is sure to impress anyone who lays their eyes on it. The fabulous vase exudes the beauty of jagged rocks represented by the natural gamal wood base while the clear blue hand-blown glass captures the essence and movement of the waves. Whether used as a vase, a sculpture or a small fish tank, this unique decorative piece can elevate any setting.

Masterfully hand-carved by Balinese artisan Sarwaedi, this decorative mahogany vase depicts the mythical Javanese creature Anantaboga. Ancient legend maintains that when Bali was created, the dragon god Anantaboga entered the bottom layer of the earth and thus became the support of the island. The artisan gives the vase an antiqued look with the application of paints in brown, black, green and gold.

Crafted of Guatemalan alder wood, this decorative vase is sleek and modern. Patricio Coroy designs the piece to showcase the wood's natural tones veins.

Evoking the spirit of Bosumtwi Lake, Ali Ibrahim crafts a beautiful decorative vase. He carves the piece by hand, adding rich repoussé textures with embossed aluminum and brass, and accentuating the contours with colors. Deep enough to hold silk flowers or foliage, the vase can stand alone as a sculptural work of art.

A triangular stand crafted from teak wood holds a glass tube for displaying natural or artificial floral arrangements. Guatemala's Teo Hernandez designs a unique vase of geometric inspiration and contemporary style that allows for removing the glass vessel when cleaning or changing the water is needed.

Balinese artisan Citra combines minimalist trends and traditional motifs to create a sublime home accent, ready to add a refreshing touch to your environment. Crafted from albesia wood, this round decorative vase features a classic pattern as an homage to Gianyar's culture. Furthermore, the piece comes with a rustic finish enhanced by white accents, creating a unique aura reminiscent of the serene landscapes of the region.

Delicate snowflakes flutter to earth in deep, soft drifts. The exquisite mosaic adorns a mango wood vase, finished in lacquer. Working with ancestral techniques, Nantana Sompamitre crafts the beautiful piece by hand. Once the wood is carved into the desired shape it is coated with lacquer. Once dried it is polished, and another coat is applied – up to twenty times – before as many six coats of pure lacquer are present. The final layer is polished with powdered fired clay. Next, eggshells are cleaned and cracked into small pieces. Sompamitre arranges them in the desired pattern on a fresh coat of lacquer. The piece is lacquered twice more and sanded in water until the eggshells appear.

Achieving the illusion of wood with skillfully applied glazes, Matilda Elizabeth Amissah crafts a beautiful vase. It flairs gracefully from a narrow neck to form a V-shape. Neatly woven rattan adorns the border.

Like an ancient vessel found on temple altars, this handcrafted vase preserves an aura of rustic elegance. Presented by Nantana Sompamitre, the mango wood vase features a carefully affixed eggshell mosaic - evidencing Thailand's sumptuous lacquer ware legacy. Not watertight.

To craft a piece such as this one, mango wood is carefully hand-shaped upon a lathe and then a mixture of lacquer - obtained from trees and ashes of burnt rice paddy husks - is applied. Upon exposure to air the mixture dries to form a watertight seal which is polished before another coat is applied. This process is repeated until a rigid base is formed, and a final polishing is executed with sandpaper and several coats of pure lacquer are painted on the object, with drying periods in between each coat.

Next, chicken or duck eggshells are thoroughly cleaned and finely cracked to be patiently arranged in a mosaic pattern upon a fresh coat of lacquer. The work again lacquered twice, and when dry it is sanded in water until the eggshells slowly appear. The piece is finally rinsed with water and polished with powdered fired clay, resulting in an alluring distinctive gleam.

Care Instructions: Lacquerware is not dishwasher safe. When cleaning is needed, simply clean with a damp cloth and never use any type of abrasive cleaner.

Styled after wood-look "faux bois" decorative wares, this pretty vase is perfect for holding a small flower or two. Duangkamol in Thailand crafts the vase using the traditional methods of celadon ceramics. The vase features celadon's characteristic cracked green glaze.

Golden lotus blossoms flourish in a sleek black garden. Perpetuating Thailand's ancient lacquerware tradition, Subin Tositarat presents this beautiful decorative vase, crafted and painted by hand.