Soapstone White Menorah - Handmade Fair Trade (SMOLArt, Kenya)

Description

Fair Trade Product
This product is offered in partnership with Fair Trade organizations around the world, creating opportunity for marginalized artisans, producers, and distributors. Thank you for helping us make the world a better place.
Product Details
Hand carved from soapstone by African craftsmen, this menorah is an elegant way to illuminate each night of Hanukkah.  Each piece is mined from the Kisii hills of Kenya, and then chiseled and carved into shape. Because the artisans use rudimentary carving tools following traditional methods passed down through the ages, each piece will have differences in size, exact shape and texture.  Candle holes may possibly not be symmetrical. These nuances attest to the unique, one-of-a-kind beauty of each piece.
Product features:
Measures 12 x 2.5 x 6 inches. Due to the hand-carved nature, exact size may vary.
Weighs approximately 15 lbs.
Natural color stone. Colors may range from cream to grey to earthy gold in any single piece.
Soapstone is a soft stone, making it ideal for carving into many forms. Use care when handling to avoid breakage.
Each piece has gone through multiple stages of sanding and waxing, giving the soapstone a satiny finish.
Fair Trade, socially responsible products that help alleviate global poverty.
Story Behind the Art:
Each sculpture is artfully hand-carved from a single piece of Kisii soapstone, found only in the hills of southwestern Kenya. Mining the soapstone from surface hills is a labor-intensive process, using little to no machinery. Laborers works with shovels, picks, axes and machetes to carve out large soapstone chucks, which are then carved into beautiful art. ​