Global Crafts
Zodiac Soapstone Hearts, Pack of 5: LIBRA
Zodiac Soapstone Hearts, Pack of 5: LIBRA
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Libra (September 23 – October 22)
Hand-carved from a single piece of Kisii soapstone by African artisans, the soapstone hearts are brightly painted and feature the zodiac sign on one side and the zodiac name on the other. A great giftable for a birthday or as keepsake reminder to share the love with your family and friends.
- Measures approximately 2.25-inches and under 1 inch thick.
- Hand-painted.
- Soapstone is a soft, natural mineral from the earth, making it easy to carve into many forms. Handle with care to avoid breakage.
- Each piece has gone through multiple stages of sanding and waxing, giving the soapstone a satiny finish.
- Socially responsible products that empower consumers to purchase according to their values and help alleviate global poverty.
- Fair Trade.
Story Behind the Art:
Each sculpture is artfully hand-carved from a single piece of Kisii soapstone, found only in the hills of southwestern Kenya. Mining the soapstone from surface hills is a labor-intensive process, using little to no machinery. Laborers works with shovels, picks, axes and machetes to carve out large soapstone chucks, which are then carved into beautiful art.
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About the Artisans
About the Artisans
Our Soapstone is carved by the artists of SMOLArt; a group of artists who live in the rural village of Tabaka, Kenya, the heart of Kenya's soapstone carving region. The name, a shortened version of Small, Medium, and Large Artists, refers to the size of the soapstone products the artisans make, not their stature. Established in 1990, SMOLArt is a member of the WFTO, and as such assures that the artisans are paid a fair price for their work. In addition, the organization supports community development by contributing to projects that improve the living conditions, education, and health of their members and the village at large.
Soapstone is mined from great pits in the area surrounding Kiisi, Kenya. The mined soapstone is then delivered to carvers who hand carve sculptures from the natural stone for the wholesale market, the color of which ranges from warm cream to pink, to brown, to yellow, to black, to a marbling of all of them. Once carved, the craftspeople smooth the rough edges of the soapstone with sandpaper dipped in water and polish the piece to a high gloss or paint on African motifs in brilliant colors with etched accents.
