Glossary

A decoration or ornament, as in needlework, made by cutting pieces of one material and applying them to the surface of another.

Batik is a technique of hand-dyeing fabrics by using wax as a dye repellent to cover parts of a design, dyeing the uncovered fabric with a color or colors, and dissolving the wax in boiling water.

The process of making Chulucan pottery starts with the pottery being formed from clay using a potters wheel. It is cured for a few days, and the "green ware" piece is glazed a solid color, that is burnished to a brilliant shine. It is then "bisque" fired to 1100 degree F. and after it has cooled a pasty mixter of clay and water are applied in designs and patterns all over the piece. It is then fired a second time in a kiln where mango leaves are the tinder. The leaves create smoke that resinates to the surface of the pottery and after cooling the pasty mixture of designs and patterns are removed to reveal the beautiful shiny underglaze.

a soft, white, downy substance consisting of the hairs or fibers attached to the seeds of plants belonging to the genus Gossypium, of the mallow family, used in making fabrics, thread, wadding, etc.

The process of creating decorative or ornamental designs using threads of silk, cotton, gold, silver, or other threadlike material, on woven fabric, leather, etc., using a needle.

Wool that has been washed and subjected to repeated scrubbing, pounding and agitation until the tiny, naturally occurring barbs on the hairs of the wool open up and lock on to one another. The result is a strong, seamless and cushy-soft material.

The hard-shelled fruit of any of various plants, esp. those of Lagenaria siceraria (the white-flowered gourd or bottle gourd), whose dried shell is used for bowls and other utensils, and Cucurbita pepo (yellow-flowered gourd), that is used ornamentally.

A tall, course plant that is native to Asia but naturalized or cultivated by many parts of the world ans is the source of valuable fiber to make rope, or fabric.

An elaborate process of tying bundles of silk thread in a particular way to prevent certain areas from being dyed. There are three main types of ikat: warp ikat, whereby the dyeing proces is applied to the warp; weft ikat, whereby the weft threads are dyed; and double ikat, the most elaborate form, whereby both warp and weft threads are dyed.

Made from salvaged telephone wire, the imbenge baskets of South Africa are a modern day take on baskets that were traditionally made of ilala palm leaves. Sometimes referred to as beer pot covers, the almost flat, shallow baskets were originally made as lids to cover the tightly woven palm leaf baskets made for storing beer.

Primarily created by the Zulu, the brightly colored imbenge baskets have evolved into a highly collectible art form.

Mayólica, is a specific method of glazing earthenware pottery that conceals the natural color of the clay under a white opaque layer and allows the surface to be easily painted. With roots in the Middle East, this ceramic knowledge traveled to Spain and eventually to Spanish colonies in America. These two forms of Mayolica pottery depict great insights into the culture of Mexico and Spain in their beautiful imagery.

A pair of panels that include several layers of colorful cotton cloth that are hand stitched together in a reverse appliqué. The top layer of the fabric is slit, exposing the layer beneath or allowing a small piece of colored cloth to be inserted. The edges of the fabric are turned under, and tightly stitched. Once these panels are assembled they are placed on both the lower front and back of a traditional Cuna blouse. Once they tire of the blouse it is disassembled and can be made into a number of things, such as: pillows, quilts, framed artwork, etc.

Papel Picado is the Mexican art of cut paper. Artists use a hammar and chisel to "punch designs out of stacks of layered tissue paper--up to 40 layers thick. Designs can portray people, animals, flowers and lettering. Papel picado made especially for the Day of the Dead include skeletal figures engaging in human activities of the living. Individual banners are strung together to create festive and colorful decorations for the celebration.

The art of sculpting Pineapple pottery consists of a number of steps. First, two types of clay are mixed together, "tepetate" which prevents the pineapple from cracking or exploding in the oven and "barro fuerte" (strong clay) , which keeps the pineapple from caving in on itself. After these clay's are mixed, the body of the pineapple is formed through the use of a mold. The stem, leaves, and skin are shaped by hand. Next, a layer of "tierra blanca" (white earth) or "pasta blanca" (white paste) is applied forming a base for the colored glazes that are applied later in the process. The pineapple is then fired in the kiln for five hours, cooled and then glazed with a copper oxide that gives it a rich color. Silica is also used, giving it a glassy luster. The pineapple is then placed in the kiln a second time and fired for an additional five hours. The final result is an intricately detailed, smoothly glazed pineapple with tones of blue, green or yellow.

Silk is the soft, lustrous fiber obtained as a filament from the cocoon of the silkworm.

A soft metamorphic rock composed mostly of the mineral talc. It has a schistose texture and has a soapy or greasy feel to the touch. It is used for hearths, washtubs, tabletops, and carved ornaments.

Silver is an element known for its purity, malleability and bright shine. Because pure silver is relatively soft, it is usually alloyed with a small amount of copper to make sterling silver.

Any of a number of thick, woven stalks of straw of uniform dimensions. In Cambodia, the tallest grasses spring from the fertile Mekong River Delta. After selected cutting and drying, the stalks are hand-dyed and woven into beautiful color texture combinations.

Telephone wire has become an exceptional material used by African artisan's in their basket weavings. Said to be "As thin as the finest grass, stronger than the ilala palm leaves, and more colorful than the best dyes obtained from local roots and leaves.." The most duarable and beautiful basketry has been created using this once discareded scrap metal.

Their are two types of basket making techniques using this material: The "soft-wire" technique and the "hard-wire" technique. The hard-wire technique involves the structure of the basket to be based around a thick wire that spirals around from the center of the basket with thinner telephone wire wrapped around it in tight loops to hold it together as it gets bigger. The soft-wire technique requires a bowl or plate mold that the telephone wire is braided over. A hard thick rim is made and strapped with extra pieces of wire to the mold. Long lengths of colorful wire are attached to it and the braiding of the wire begins for the outside to the center of the piece. When the basket is done the mold is removed. The hard-wire technique is said to be more durable, but is limited in design and the soft-wire technique allows more freedom for designs, yet is not as durable.

An artist hand stiches several thousand sequins and beads onto fabric that is stretched across a hollow wood frame table. This process covers a span of ten days to complete with the assistance of helpers. Most images depicted on a Voodoo Flag honor the Iwa, but a large amount of the artwork displays influences beyond the Voodoo belief.