Product Description
It's Cactus - Haitian Upcycled Oil Barrel Art
Small Circle Tree with Bird Ornament, Home & Garden Decor, Handcrafted Haitian Metal Art
Size: 5.75"x5.75"
This piece is hand cut from recycled 50 gallon steel drums. Both ends of the drum are removed and placed inside of the remaining cylinder along with scrap paper, dried banana or sugar cane leaves. It is set on fire, to burn off any paint or residue. When cooled, the drum is cut down the side and flattened out to create a "metal canvas" of approximately 3' x 6', upon which the design is drawn. Using hammer, chisel and various primitive tools, the shape is cut and the various decorative patterns are pounded into the metal, creating a unique and treasured piece of primitive art. The finished design is coated with a protective finish. Can be hung indoors or outdoors.
Care of Sculpture: Made of recycled steel, this sculpture will rust over time if it is exposed to the elements. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, some people like the look of a weathered patina. If that isn't you, don't despair. Taking five minutes once a year to apply a spray-on enamel clear coat will keep your sculpture looking exactly the same as the day you bought it.
**Although we try our best to photograph in a way that best represents the color, due to the nature of photography, lighting, computer resolution, other factors, colors may vary slightly in person.
Artist Bio
Unsigned
Having worked in Haiti for over 20 years we have had the pleasure of working with as many as 120 artists cultivating business relationships, and building long lasting friendships. There is a lot of good that comes from Fair Trade because every sale we make makes a positive impact on the artist who produces it. This piece of art is work of many hands. From the laborers who begin the process by removing the residue from discarded steel drums, cutting off the tops and bottoms, splitting them down the side sanding and pounding them flat to the artist who then takes over drawing his design and uses only a hammer and chisel to do the heavy cut work and intricate detailing giving this piece form, dimension, and its distinct character that you see. As you can see, it really takes a village! That is why the benefits flow from the whole workshop and create prosperity for the artist and their families, their workers/apprentices, and, ultimately, the entire village. We are proud to be a part of that, and so are our artists! That’s why you will notice that 99% of our art is signed by the artist. However, sometimes because of the large orders they receive, these artists are working quickly and might forget to sign their art. It happens! But rest assured that, whether or not their piece of art is signed, they got paid for their beautiful piece of art.
