praying hands

Artist Arlen Estrada lost most of her hearing when she was young, but this served to help her find her real path in life, the visual arts. Her work focuses on clay and painting, such as this beautiful angel figure. Hand-molded and hand-painted, the celestial messenger represents the Angel of Light.

Bali’s Anak Agung Ary designs an alluring sculpture depicting a praying monk sitting on the lotus meditation bench. Hand-carved from albesia wood, the remarkable decorative accent is painted in gold, red, blue, yellow, black and white and beautifully completed with a distressed finish.

This heartwarming home accent is designed and crafted by Maria Estela Perlera de Portillo in El Salvador. The wall art is crafted from pinewood and painted by hand with a praying guardian angel under a night sky.

A testament of faith can also be a wonderful accent to hang at your favorite spot at home like this precious decennary rosary handmade from onyx and nylon cords featuring a resin-coated brass medal of St. Benedict. Crafted by Costa Rican artisan Omayra Jaramillo, it is designed to show on the wall or be held in the hand while praying.

Smooth natural stone shows its sleek allure in a pyramid by Cesar Gonzales. Sculpted of a beautiful combination of gemstones, the piece is designed to attract the positive and repel negativity. Blue-green chrysocolla, warm brown aragonite and white calcite crown the pyramid while jasper is the central stone. Beneath, green serpentine, chalcedony with leopard spots and black onyx complete the sculpture.

Holding her hands together in prayer, a lovely angel wearing a floral dress is depicted in this reverent sculpture from Nicaragua. Guatemalan duo Juan and Carolina create this sculpture, which is carved from pinewood and diligently painted by hand with colorful floral motifs.

Balinese artist Made Pasek Kusuma Wijay chooses to express his plea for world peace in a painting depicting a woman's prayer. "The state of the world is not fine, given the many wars, conflicts between countries and very heartbreaking human tragedies," says the artist. "Let us pray sincerely that the world situation will return to peace as we strive to live a more simple, carefree life with mutual respect and tolerance between our existing differences. Despite the conditions of the world, we always yearn for peace itself.

"Galloping across a surreal mountain landscape, a team of horses carries forward the hope of an entire society from the lofty reality of the highlands to the life of the commoner below. Riding on the back of a bird resembling the Hindu god of strength, Garuda, a faceless woman prays to the divine spirits, having passed through a period of blood and turbulence. Garuda also prays with his human-like hands as if to encourage himself to continue his mission of vigilance.

"Reflected in the grass of the mountains, the woman's prayers mirror above and below the path of the raptor, symbolizing the transverse support from across the country for her mission. A handshake arises from the woman's mind in a floral accord between two immortal parties.

"In a world plagued by conflict and the horrors of violence, the woman's prayer, the subtle handshake and the impressive flight of the god of strength prescribe peace for all of humanity. Realism cannot deliver this humane desire to reality.

"Scaled to surreal proportions, the woman's prayers make multiple appearances in increasing size, while the mighty bird soars above an entire team of horses, with various hands apparent."

Immerse yourself in the holiday cheer with the charming influence of this glazed ceramic ornament duo, a tribute to the craftsmanship of Armenian artisan Tatevik Ghaltakhchyan. Carefully crafted and painted by hand, these decorations portray two angels adorned in vibrant blue and red hues, hands gracefully clasped in prayer. Each angel wears a distinctive brown halo, casting a gentle glow over their serene, smiling faces. Easily hung from your Christmas tree with jute cords, this exceptional pair of ornaments emanates a tranquil and spiritual essence, making it a meaningful enhancement to your festive décor.

Hand-embossed brass gleams on a colorful African mask by Ralph Kwasi Agudze. Red and green embellish the handsome face and the personage opens his mouth as if to pray. An original design, the mask is named Atorna Wo, which means "God will respond" in the Ewe language.

Sitting on her knees, an African angel offers a prayer in this wall sculpture from Ghana. Winfred Korley creates this wall sculpture, which he carves by hand from a single piece of sese wood and treats with a rustic finish.

Eyes closed in prayer, Lord Buddha graces the cover of this handmade journal from Asha Prabha. The journal features 48 unlined pages of handcrafted paper, bound with khaki-colored cotton. Keep it handy for recording your dreams, thoughts, or even just your grocery list.

Artisan Maria Estela Perlera de Portillo elevates a grateful prayer to heaven with this gorgeous creation that pays honor to El Salvador's enchanting nature and culture. Painted by hand, this exquisitely crafted pinewood wall cross portrays the region's fauna, flora and history in colorful hues, capturing these blessed lands' joyous nature.