Museum Store Holds Special Exhibition and Sale of World Arts and Crafts

The Dennos Museum Store invites you to share in an exciting opportunity to support artists from around the globe. Visit the Dennos Museum Center on May 18, 19 and 20 during the NMC BBQ to see exciting work from six countries representing media of wood carving, textiles and painting.

Hamilton Banda is a wood carver from Malawi. His work comes to the Dennos via his friendship with Dr. Terrie Taylor of Traverse City. The Dennos is the only U.S. site to sell his work. His work is carved from beautiful native woods. Hamilton uses some of the proceeds from his sales to teach skills to disabled people so they will not have to beg. He has also worked to build a residential facility for disabled so they have a warm, dry place to live.

Red Dirt Road designs are lovingly created by women in their remote Cambodian village from hand loomed, richly textured Cambodian silk. Each item is precisely constructed by hand using treadle sewing machine and a coal heated iron. Profits from sales are returned to the women.

On the walls of the gallery will be an impressive collection of Pictorial Korhogo mud cloth from the Ivory Coast. This cloth is produced by the Senufo people and is named after their village. The hand woven cotton cloth uses striking imagery and symbolism to tell stories.

From Ecuador the sale will feature hand-woven tapestries with wild life scenes and geometric patterns. Beautiful hand painted wood plates by artisans Olmedo and Delfina who have worked as a team since they married and are now teaching the craft to their children.

After two past Dennos exhibitions featuring Cuadros of Peru they seemed a natural addition to the sale. The pieces are embroidered and appliqued fabric pictures made in Pamplona Alta, a shantytown south of Lima. The making of Cuadros has become a way for women to support themselves and their families. Proceeds from the sale are sent back to Peru to support the women and their families.

Sale hours are Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday during the NMC BBQ from 11 a.m.–5 p.m.. There is no admission charge. For additional information call (231) 995-1586.