Global Crafts
Handcrafted Bird Wind Chimes- Recycled Iron and Glass Beads - Fair Trade-India
Handcrafted Bird Wind Chimes- Recycled Iron and Glass Beads - Fair Trade-India
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The birdhouse chime features two embossed birds perched above five miniature birdhouses. The nine bells make sweet sounds as the birdhouses sway. The glass bead accents add a shimmer. This is a piece of art that can be used as statement wall art decor or a garden chime. Handmade by artisans at a family workshop in Behat, India, the metalworking craft has been passed down from one generation to the next. The workshop was established in 1976 and employs the artisan family and well-trained artisans from the area.
Product Features:
- Type: Wall Art or Garden Chime.
- Colors: Gold Brass and multi-colored glass beads.
- Materials: Recycled Iron and glass.
- Lacquer finish, lead-free.
- Dimensions: Approx. 22 inches from top to bottom and 13.5 inches wide.
- Cone Bells are approximately 1.5 inches tall and just under 1 inch at the base.
- Birdhouses are approximately 2 inches by 2 inches.
- Chains measure approximately 3 inches long.
- Indoor/Outdoor.
Story Behind the Art:
The workshop buys sheets of scrap metal from dealers who collect it door-to-door. But don’t let that make you doubt the quality of their handicrafts; they ensure the scrap comes from acceptable material and transforms the trash into beautiful art. The artisans specialize in a particular type of finishing known as “Rasai”. This is when a layer of brass is added to the wrought iron to give the products a rustic and crude appearance. To learn more about the talented artisans who create these wonderful eco-friendly items and the techniques they use, please read our extended description by clicking on "About the Artisans".
Due to the handmade nature, slight variations in size, color, shape, pattern, or other characteristics may be evident. Each piece is truly a unique work of art, lovingly crafted by hand.
About the Artisans
About the Artisans
Chichicastenango, Guatemala, has become one of the most important heritage centers in Guatemala during the past 10 years, due to its predominant indigenous Maya Quiche population and their traditional textile products. Yet, despite increased tourism and a renewed interest in traditional Mayan crafts, work opportunities remain few for the indigenous population, many of whom are uneducated and otherwise unemployable.
Enter De Colores Art, a local business that levels the playing field for villagers by offering free training to anyone who demonstrates the initiative to learn a trade. The company employs 30 women and 18 men to knit and embroider textile products, with the option of working at home using materials provided by the company. De Colores recognizes the culture of its Mayan employees, and as such allows flexible hours and gives time off for sowing and harvest days.
De Colores also invests in community education projects by funding two local schools in the neighboring towns of Chujupen y Pachoj, and by providing scholarships to qualifying students.
In addition to stimulating the local economy by creating new jobs, De Colores makes a conscious effort to use recycled materials whenever possible. The reason for this is twofold: to preserve Mayan culture, as recycled textiles showcase traditional knitting patterns that aren’t often seen in newer textiles, and to reduce scraps and waste.
Communities collaborate in the production process, as men work on the biggest textiles and women do the embroidery, crochet and macramé seen in smaller pieces. In some cases, in order to be competitive, sewing machines are used to assemble the finished product, although all the components are handmade and hand embroidered from cotton, wool and/or silk.
