NOVICA - Supporting Artisans Around The World
NOVICA is an online shop in association with National Geographic. It gives artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. With talented sculptors, painters, jewellery makers, wood carvers and other skilled artists from Bali, Java, Brazil, Central America, Mexico, India, Thailand and West Africa, NOVICA gives us access to beautiful, unique and hard to find items. They use the infrastructure of the internet to create a bridge between the consumers and the talented artisans from around the globe. The beauty of this is that communities in the countries can support themselves supported by the worldwide sales of their hand made products.
I was given the opportunity to buy something from the NOVICA website and from the moment I began exploring the products for sale I was taken aback by the range of beautiful objects and the stories of the craftsmen and women behind them. Everything is divided into sections to make browsing easy and gifts start at under $25.
I was particularly drawn to the sculptures originating from craftsmen in Bali and Java. The stunning, handcrafted treasures are carved from local wood and are simply beautiful. I just had to order one for Ian for Valentine's Day, "Love In Between", a contemporary piece formed by two intertwined figures forming a heart at their centre. A beautiful tribute to an age-old emotion. Hand carved by Kadek Rudyana, who learned to carve as a boy to pay his way through school, it is a wonderful example of how the arts can support poorer communities. This statuette costs $26.96.
I also loved the "Gift of Warmth" which was a scarf woven by craftsmen using Alpaca wool in Peru. It is thick, warm and beautifully made.
The NOVICA site is a US site and prices are in dollars. Shipping is worldwide and you can easily calculate the cost of having your items shipped to the UK direct from the countries they are made in. There is an option to have all taxes pre-paid making it very straightforward to order in confidence. You can choose to upgrade to premium delivery which takes 3-8 business days. Foe example, the cost to ship the statue above with premium delivery is $15.95. Gifts come direct from the countries in which they are produced to your door.
The parcels came beautifully gift wrapped and with a postcard from the artist, connecting you with the hands that made your piece. A printed gift card is also included which completes the gift perfectly. Buying from NOVICA is a complete experience that makes you feel a part of the process. These gifts are really special and Ian was delighted to receive them.
If you are looking for beautiful and original gifts from talented craftsmen from around the world, then take a look at the website www.novica.com.