Twin Birds Standing Under Leafy Arches Panama Mola

Twin Birds Standing Under Leafy Arches Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Two dark toucans stand in matching frames, each sheltered by an arching branch of leaves, with rows of short bars filling every gap around them. It feels like peeking into a treetop where no one knows you are watching. It is 17 inches wide and 11.5 inches high, a comfortable size for a frame over a side table. Hang it in a sunny breakfast room or a plant filled porch of your own.

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: 17"
Height: 11.5"
SKU: 22051536T