animal wall art

Artisan Emmanuel Atiemoh Yeboah of Ghana creates a lovely artwork of a rhinoceros bathed in the colors of dusk. The artisan embellishes calico cotton fabric with purple and black paint to create a batik look, cuts from that fabric the pieces that form the rhino and glues them to an off-white fabric panel speckled with red for the land and blue for the sky. The artisan adds details to complete the scene, such as grass drawn around the rhino's feet. The collage is backed with heavy cardstock paper and framed with dark ceiba wood.

Wise and serene turtles swim in a charming creation by Java's Retno Pratiwi. The artisan pays homage to the regional ocean with this pule wood wall art, whose turtle shape symbolizes wisdom. Painted with diverse batik motifs in a palette of brow hues, this exquisite accessory is also equipped with a hook for easy setting.

Seated on a tiger, Shiva lifts a hand in blessing. Regarded as the celestial overlord of deliverance through destruction, Shiva has his customary trident by his side as a show of divinity. The hissing cobra that slithers around his head symbolizes his potent divine destructivity, and his matted hair is thought to contain the flow of the Ganges River. Shiva is one of the most complex gods of India, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. He is both the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger. Unaffected by the whims of the world, he is innocent and guileless, pure of mind and heart. He does not adorn his body with jewels or flowers — he mats his hair and dresses in animal hide.

Ida Bagus Lawa Bargawa is a master of the batik technique, sketching the figures by hand and applying the wax resist freehand, which requires great skill. A different dye bath is required for each separate color in his elegant and complex batik "painting."

Inspired by the magical Javanese sea, this pule wood hand mirror will add majestic beauty to your days, all thanks to its sublime batik pattern. Crafted by Retno Pratiwi, the accessory features a fish-inspired shape painted in blue hues, enhancing the classic details that go around the piece, made in honor of the region's rich ocean.