Tapered Vessel Floral
A tall graceful floral piece with clusters of colorful flowers. Each of the sides portrays a different scene: a column of clustered flowers in fuchsia and pink and yellow, followed by a scene of hummingbirds in-between open flowers. Outlined green leaves in different shades of pale and bright greens set underneath the floral scenes.
Pictorial motifs are called natura due to the fact that they are inspired by their natural surroundings. In fact, these designs often include local flowers, trees, birds, ocelots, jaguars, iguanas and other flora and fauna native to the Darién rainforest.
8" W x 10" H by a Panamanian Wounaan master weaver
Wounaan Rainforest Baskets gain their inspiration from the nature that surrounds them and the geometric patterns of pre-Colombian body painting. The talented women who weave these baskets often incorporate ancient pottery designs and renditions of exotic plant and animal life surrounding them in the Darién rainforest.
Using needles to sew only the supplest of fibers from the native Werregue palm (also called Chunga) and Naguala palms, each basket can take months, or even years, to complete. The pieces reflect an impressive range of colors, stemming from the natural hues of local seeds, roots, berries, fruits, flowers, leaves and other native flora. Learn more.
Stitched over many months and years from natural fibers and organic dyes, your handmade woven art should be displayed proudly, away from any windows and skylights. The ultra-violet rays of direct sun and strong light can cause the saturated natural dyes in textile and fiber art to fade, and can even damage the fibers themselves.
If your woven art resides with you in the desert or other dry environments, you may feel better occasionally misting it (as often done to wicker or rattan) inside with distilled or non-chlorinated tap water. Using a paper towel, gently pat any excess moisture from the interior.
From the most diminutive baskets, scarcely larger than a thimble, to magnificent creations spanning three feet in width, painstakingly crafted over the course of eight years, RFB proudly imports an expansive range of woven masterpieces.
In collaboration with our esteemed local partners, we undertake extensive journeys to personally engage with weavers. These voyages involve meticulous inspections of works in progress, as well as the evaluation of recently finished pieces prepared for shipment.
also known as
Rainforest Baskets, from the Darien
months and years to create
Revered works of art
traditional techniques
