Comfort Handmade Crosses-Set of 4

Description

Hand carved from soapstone by African craftsmen, this hand cross is shaped to fit in the palm of a hand and offers comfort to those in need. Perfect for sharing with those you care about the most, to keep each other close when you can't be with them.

Each cross measures approximately 2.5-inches high by 1.75-inches wide.

Due to the handmade nature, each will have some variations in color and actual size. Colors can range from cream to pink to gray to earthy gold in any single piece.

Each piece has gone through multiple stages of sanding and waxing, giving the soapstone a satiny finish.

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. ​

Our Soapstone is carved by the artists who live in the rural village of Tabaka, Kenya, the heart of soapstone crafts. Established in 1990, a member of the WFTO, and as such assures that the artisans are paid a fair price for their work. In addition, the organization support community development by contributing to projects that improve 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 carve sculptures from the natural stone for the wholesale market, the color of which ranges from cream, to pink, to brown, to yellow, to black, to a marbling of all of them. Once carved, the craftspeople smooth rough edges of the soapstone with sandpaper dipped in water and polish the piece to a high gloss or paint African motifs in brilliant colors with etched accents. All of the soapstone products we sell are completely handmade. The tools consist of household items from screwdrivers, hand drills, to switchblades. "Pangas," sword-like tools usually used for cutting down vegetation, are used to cleave the stone in the mines.