Hand-carved from a single piece of Kisii soapstone by African artisans, this sculpture features an angel with a dog in her arms.
This is a sweet tribute to anyone beloved dog who has crossed the Rainbow Bridge and makes a thoughtful Holiday gift.
This particular design is labor intensive in order to draw out the detail of the dog wrapped in the arms of the Angle.
This angel makes a special gift for someone with a beloved pet or to gift to someone who's beloved pet has crossed over the rainbow bridge.
Carved images of dogs may vary in shape and size, based on the artisan who has created the sculpture.
Expect some variance in designs, which speaks to the handmade nature of each piece.
Product Features:
- Measures approximately 5-inches tall by 3-inches wide. Due to the hand-carved nature, exact size may vary.
- Color variations will range from cream to pink to gray to earthy gold in any single piece due to the nuances of natural stone.
- Soapstone is a soft stone, making it ideal for carving into many forms. Use care when handling 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 is an alternative business model that values safe workplaces, fair wages and community investment for factory employees.
Story Behind 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 soapstone crafts.
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 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.
