Collection: SMOLart

The soapstone by SMOLart is carved by a group of artists who live in the rural village of Tabaka, Kenya, the heart of soapstone crafts. Their name, a shortened version of Small, Medium, and Large Artists, refers to the size of the soapstone products the artisans make, not their stature. Established in 1990, SMOLart is a member of the World Fair Trade Organization, and as such assures that their artisans are paid a fair price for their work. In addition, SMOLart supports community development by contributing to projects that improve living conditions, education, and health of their members and the village at large. The soapstone they use in their sculptures is mined from great pits in the area surrounding Kiisi, Kenya. The mined soapstone is then delivered to carvers who carve sculptures from the natural stone, the color of which includes cream, pink, brown, yellow, black, or a marbled mix. Once carved, the craftspeople smooth the rough edges of the soapstone with sandpaper dipped in water and polish the piece to a high gloss or paint African motifs in brilliant colors with etched accents. All of SMOLart's soapstone products are completely handmade.

Brand Values: Eco-Friendly, Handmade, Social Good, Fair Trade Cooperation