Thank you to Novica for providing a gift code for us to shop online from artisans all around the world and for providing a second gift code for our contest prize. All opinions expressed are my own.
I have always appreciated artistic talent, regardless of the subject matter or medium. But I have always had a special appreciation for sculpting. There is something about an artist's ability to create in 3 dimensions that really awes me. It is hard enough to judge scale and proportions in 2 dimensions, let alone 3!
A few years ago we were turned onto Novica.com, an online retailer that specializes in bringing art from all over the world to one place for the world to see and buy. Novica gives artists, from big cities to remote jungles, an audience for their talent, in many cases showcasing talent that would otherwise stay hidden from the rest of the world.
Not only does Novica give a platform for artists worldwide to showcase and sell their goods, they practice in fair trade and even offer microloans to help artists get their works out to the world. It is good to shop at a retailer that is helping artists and small business owners as much as they are themselves. As a consumer, the prices are pretty fantastic as well.
Over the last couple of years we have procured 8 or so pieces from all over the world through Novica, some for ourselves and some for gifts. I love opening the authentically wrapped packages and reading the handwritten cards from the workshops and artists they come from. It truly connects you with the artist and makes the art personal, as if they made it just for you.
Recently I was sent an Eagle Bust, hand carved by Pande Made Anom of Bali. Pande included a handwritten card as well as carving his name and the piece number on the bottom of the bust. The Eagle was larger than I thought it would be (even though the dimensions were provided) and the wood grain was amazing. The scaling and proportions are spot on and the attention to fine detail is stunning.
Even after owning many pieces from Novica I am always amazed at the quality and talent that awaits me in every package. It's funny how something that you carefully picked after seeing pictures and detailed descriptions can also be such a surprise when its time to open it. It is always exciting to see a package from Novica. I feel as if another part of the world is being sent to me (it quite literally is!).
The only other way to be exposed to these artists would be to travel the world and search them out. The odds of me meeting Pande in a small Bali town are about zero, but here I am the owner of a fine piece he carved, signed, and sent to me. I will never meet Pande, but I stare at a piece of his passion every day while sitting at my desk in my office.
Visit Novica.com to see some of Pande’s work as well as that of many other artists from all over the world. If you are gift shopping, you could find everything from unique brooches from Peru to West African kente cloths and everything in between. If you end up choosing something, let me know about your experience opening it when it arrives!
Good luck in the drawing!
This giveaway is open to Worldwide entries. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random number drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.
