Four Long Snouted Creatures In A Grid Mola

Four Long Snouted Creatures In A Grid Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Four square blocks each hold a stylized head with one dark eye and a long tan snout, divided by orange and yellow bands that were cut away to show the layers of cloth beneath. They seem to be sniffing the air, and you half expect one to turn its head. At 16 inches wide and 12 inches high it hangs well as a single framed piece. Try it in a study, a reading nook, or beside your desk.

Molas are built by stacking several layers of colored cotton, then cutting down through one layer at a time so the colors underneath show through, and turning every raw edge under and stitching it closed by hand. The technique is called reverse appliqué, and a good panel is judged by how fine the stitches are and how many layers deep the cutting goes. This one came from Guna Yala, the San Blas islands off Panama's Caribbean coast, where the designs draw on the birds, fish, plants and geometric patterns of the islands and rainforest. It is ready to frame, mount, or sew into a pillow or a quilt panel, and no two are ever alike.

Founded in 1991, TraderBrock celebrates the handcraft of Latin America's indigenous peoples. Every piece comes from Guna, Wounaan and Emberá artisans we know by name, and all profits are reinvested in their communities for education, tools and the teaching of ancestral techniques. Buying from TraderBrock helps keep their culture and their traditions alive.

Width: 16"
Height: 12"
SKU: 21082639E

MACHINE WASHABLE To clean, machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle tumble dry on low, do not bleach or iron