sculpture art

Both Sergio Vinelli Jr., and his brother Raul learned to appreciate the art of woodworking in their father's workshop. Today the two brothers work together to develop decorative designs that are distinct from their father's work, such as this mobile hanging seagull sculpture whose wings can flap

Women are the heart and soul of Cida Gomes's art and she gets inspiration from traditional Brazilian clay "dolls" to craft remarkable ceramic figurines that depict the female form in all its splendor. Painted by hand in fabulous earth tones, this precious figurine will be a unique decorative accent for your home.

Luxuriously gowned in an antique silver hue, a dancer personifies Yemanjá, the goddess of all the earth's waters and mother of all Candomblé orixás.

The Candomblé religion is widely observed in northeastern Brazil. The name derives from kandombele, a Congolese-Angolan word meaning "to pray." Practiced in South America since slaves were brought over from Africa by the Portuguese, it combines Yoruban practices with Roman Catholic imagery. The orixás, or gods, are the forces of the earth; song and dance are a form of worship, and the dance impersonates the god, inspiring myths and legends.

As an homage to the doctrine's cultural richness, Hugo Negrini crafts an image that is both stunning and ethnographically correct. He first carves the image in wood, taking as long as 50 or 60 days, depending on the degree of detail in the piece. When the statuette is ready, he makes a silicone rubber mold and casts the sculpture in resin.

Both Sergio Vinelli Jr., and his brother Raul learned to appreciate the art of woodworking in their father's shop. Today the two brothers work together to develop designs such as this mobile black toucan figure which can flap its wings in the breeze.

Brazil's Cida Gomes promotes women's empowerment through her art and also as the head of the Association of Artisans of Santana do Araçuaí, where she represents female artisans. She dedicates a series of splendid ceramic figurines to the women of her country beautifully painted by hand in the tradition of typical Brazilian clay "dolls."