Author: Daniela
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Kalamkari Travels Between Worlds
This article was originally published as part of the AAJA Voices program. It can be read here. In a bright Brooklyn apartment, young professionals gather around a large wooden table, learning to work with natural dyes and the bamboo pens traditionally used in making kalamkari, an ancient artform from rural Andhra Pradesh in southeastern India. Artisans…
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Traditional Japanese Marbling Techniques Create Dreamy Wallcoverings
Natascha Maksimovic wants to bring people closer to nature. Using centuries-old techniques, the Margate, England–based artist, also known as Nat Maks, paints expansive marbled landscapes that immerse the viewer in mesmerizing organic motifs. “In a time when digital tools and AI are reshaping our lives, I feel it’s more important than ever to hold on to…
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Province of Fars, Iran’s Celebrated Handicrafts Center
Fars province in southern Iran hosts 120 of Iran’s 370 active handicraft disciplines, showcasing immense cultural and economic potential. UNESCO honors and global museum showcases affirm Fars’s artistic excellence, sustainable craftsmanship, and international market appeal. Qashqai carpets, woven from memory using natural dyes, symbolize tribal heritage and drive exports despite external economic pressures. The southern…
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Christmas Jars Cookbook
Jason and Kodi Wright share family recipes, crafts and stories to extend the global movement that changed millions of lives If you’d told us twenty years ago that a jar of spare change would one day lead to a cookbook, we probably would’ve laughed—right after asking if that cookbook came with coupons for takeout.” —…
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Lantern Festivals Worth Crossing the World to See
Known for their breathtaking illuminated displays, lantern festivals serve as celebrations of community, good luck, and new beginnings. Although particularly common in Asia — especially during New Year’s celebrations — lantern festivals occur worldwide. These scenic and often lively events usually feature live performances, tasty eats, and local artisans. The lanterns are often handmade, culturally…
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Former Timber Merchant Revives Ancient Art
In Jianghan district of Wuhan, Hubei province, Wu Youquan, an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of traditional guqin making, has spent over two decades transforming himself from a timber merchant into a master luthier, a maker of stringed instruments. Born in 1972 in Tuanfeng, Hubei, the craftsman has adhered to the philosophy of “approaching…
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Isle of Wight Autumn Hedgelaying Event
This sounds like fun – and it’s free! A countryside tradition will take centre stage at an event this autumn. The Isle of Wight Steam Railway at Havenstreet will host the Autumn Isle of Wight Hedgelaying competition on November 8, with the first event taking place earlier this year. Thomas Cowley, trustee of event organiser…
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Digital Meets Traditional Art
Khushi Chauhan is a visdev artist and illustrator from India. She enjoys narrating stories and capturing emotions through both digital and analogue tools, such as pencils and watercolors. “When I want to warm up for work, I draw on my iPad. And when I just want to sketch and chill, I draw in my physical sketchbook,”…
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Tasting With the Eyes
The artificial display foods known as shokuhin sampuru that fill restaurant windows across Japan represent a fascinating innovation with nearly a century of history, showing how a uniquely Japanese craft evolved into an entire industry and pioneered a revolutionary form of visual communication. Sampuru first originated in the 1920s, when rapid modernization in Japan drew masses of rural…
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Every Year Crow Agency Becomes the “Teepee Capital of the World”
Every year in the middle of August the small community of Crow Agency, Montana becomes the “Teepee Capital of the World.” Thousands gather for the Crow Fair and set up over 1,000 teepees for a week-long celebration of tradition and culture.
