Paired Parrots In Sky Blue Framed Panels Panama Mola

Paired Parrots In Sky Blue Framed Panels Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Each parrot gets its own rounded window edged in pale sky blue, so the hooked beaks and layered wing feathers stand out sharply against the tangerine ground. The pair seems to be mid conversation, and it is hard not to grin back at them. At 17 inches wide and 12 inches high, it suits a single frame or a matted display over a desk. Hang it in a sunny breakfast nook, where your morning coffee gets some cheerful company.

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: 12"
SKU: 22051551T