What we are working at

While most of GhanArts' workers are toiling at a new ever-increasing jewellery order for our NYC designer client, I'm left to give the finishing touches to what we're going to exhibit at the yearly ATAG (Aid to Artisans Ghana) pre-Christmas bazaar on 26th November.

Unfortunately, I'm not very good at production work. I find it much more fun to come up with new designs. So yes, while I was supposed to actually complete some samples and copy them for the event, my mind drifted again and I ended up trying something new.

It has to do with cocoa jute sacks and batik that is just not good enough to be used as is, but has gorgeous colours. The inspiration was my bedroom carpet... Enough said!

Back to finishing what is already more than half completed. Enjoy a fulfilling and creative day, all of you!

From birdhouses to birds...

It all began with an artist friend of mine (who works mostly with clay and wood) who was asked to produce his own idea of a birdhouse. For some reason I can't even begin to explain, what came to my mind immediately was a northern Cameroon Mousgoum "beehive" mud hut, or tolek.

Not really thinking about his rendition of a birdhouse anymore (which was actually all that mattered in the real world of commissioning, designing, producing and delivering), I started musing about the kind of birds that would visit such an unusual structure as a 'tropical' birdhouse. They, of course, would be colourful, to set off against a clay background. Hey, I suddenly thought, birds might just be another use for all the off-cuts remaining from my sewing activities!

I remembered seeing fabric birds on the Internet. Beautiful. But come on, (1) copying is not creating, and (2) I live in an "exotic" country, and the birds I could see with my no less exotic mind's eye were bright parrots, not tame, reasonably proportioned little birds. My birds would therefore have strong bills, a distinctive egret and an exaggerated long tail. Translating my idea into something reflecting the balance I wanted was a bit tricky.

My friend (of birdhouse fame) liked my colourful birds so much that... He decided he wanted butterflies too (I've never heard of butterfly-houses, have you?). Well, everything in its own good time. Butterflies will be the topic of another post.

And what about the birdhouse itself?

Backstage GhanArts

We are about to embark on a journey in the depths of our creative process. This blog will give you a unique glimpse into what we do, how we do it, and what inspires us.

Grab a seat! why not opt for this Kamo chequered stool, which you can also use as an end-table, a stand for your indoor potted plants, a step to reach a shelf that is too high for you or your children?


All the items in our Kamo range are made of wood and covered with 100% cotton African print, protected with multiple coats of clear varnish to make them dust- and stain-resistant.