Both Tanager Birds Arrive At The Same Flower Panama Mola

Both Tanager Birds Arrive At The Same Flower Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Two tanagers turn toward a flower whose cup holds a leaf inside it, and the outline around them folds into maze corners. It has the sweet comedy of two guests who arrive at a party in the same outfit. At 15 inches wide and 10 inches high, it sits well above a garden bench, a potting table or a small dresser. The top edge is left unbound, so you may want a frame with a mat or a simple hanging rod to finish it.

Molas are built by stacking several layers of colored cotton, then cutting down through one layer at a time so the colors underneath show through, and turning every raw edge under and stitching it closed by hand. The technique is called reverse appliqué, and a good panel is judged by how fine the stitches are and how many layers deep the cutting goes. This one came from Guna Yala, the San Blas islands off Panama's Caribbean coast, where the designs draw on the birds, fish, plants and geometric patterns of the islands and rainforest. It is ready to frame, mount, or sew into a pillow or a quilt panel, and no two are ever alike.

Founded in 1991, TraderBrock celebrates the handcraft of Latin America's indigenous peoples. Every piece comes from Guna, Wounaan and Emberá artisans we know by name, and all profits are reinvested in their communities for education, tools and the teaching of ancestral techniques. Buying from TraderBrock helps keep their culture and their traditions alive.

Width: 15"
Height: 10"
SKU: PM3618T