Novica Handmade African Beaded Wood Mask

Ghanaian artisan Awudu Saaed crafts this noble African mask by hand from local sese wood to depict a parrot atop a man's head. He adds a sheet of embossed aluminum to the forehead, decorating the mask with multicolored recycled glass beads beneath the eyes. Saaed names the mask Adom, meaning 'help from God' in the Akan language. Product Features: Story Behind the Art: I am a friendly but quiet person, and when I was a kid I used to follow some friends back home after school. Their parents had a workshop where carvers, designers and finishers were always busy working, and I loved watching what they did and how they did it. Noticing my interest, I was given the opportunity to try my hands at sandpapering the carved items by observing the older people. As I improved, I began learning how to design and finish a product. I had to drop out of school due to financial difficulties- mother was alone looking after us six children. I wanted to be able to help her, and so I decided to join the workshop full time. My younger brother also joined me, and together we decided to work very hard so we could send the rest of our siblings to school. The master at the workshop knew of our situation and allowed us to sell some of the works we were able to finish by ourselves. That way we could make some money and take it home to add it up to the little money mother was able to make.'Our situation began to change gradually as I improved designing and finishing carved items. I was also taught how to carve masks, but I prefer designing and painting. I see myself more as a designer and a finisher. After serving a while under master Abdul Karim Star, I started to work on my own since 1996. Starting on my own was not easy at all, but what helped me was that while working for my master, the little money I made I used it to buy the basic tools that I needed. I used to travel by road to Senegal, Mali, and Burkina Faso to sell my work at fairs. I was determined to make it and also be able to take care of my siblings. The long travel paid off, my works were selling well, and I was able to put my siblings through school. However one day, on route with a friend to an artisan fair in Dakar, we were traveling by bus and we had quite a few carvings we intended to sell. But the bus could not climb the hill between Burkina Faso and Mali. The driver decided to reverse down and we somersaulted into a ditch. We picked our belongings, rescued the carvings that hadnt been damaged and we hitched a ride into Dakar. Our client there got in touch with other people and they bought all the remaining pieces, and that was just about enough for us to be able to get back home. At first it was hard to stop thinking about the accident, but through carving I know I have overcome it. 'I have exhibited my work in Ghana's Trade Fair, and now I also train people as designers and finishers. Now three of these apprentices work with me while others have started their own workshops. 'My dream for the future is to further my education and expand my workshop to be able to train more people.' Please allow 10 business days for the product to leave our warehouse and to receive tracking information.You should expect to receive this item within 15 business days. Weight:1.2 lbs Dimensions:13.5" H x 5.25"" W x 2.4"" D Material: Wood, Glass, Aluminum Intended as wall decor Color: Multi, Black Made in Ghana"