Cotton and ceramic dolls, 'Northern Hill Tribes ' (set of 7)

An extraordinary ensemble representative of Thailand?s hill tribes, these enchanting dolls by Suwit Suthamtha are truly captivating. Suthamtha is masterful at capturing every minute detail of their customary attire, where color and detailed embroidery denote place of origin as well as their attitudes towards beauty and life. Graceful and charming, these dolls are certain to enthrall the admirer of custom and tradition. Yao women belong to a tribe that places great value and decorum, whereas the Lahu are independent people and love entertainment and the easy life. The Akha are highly spiritual and see themselves as a link in the chain of life. The Lisu women are always embellishing their attires and have the best one, and the Karen are renowned for their colorful weaves, which distinguish each subgroup within the Karen population of Thailand and Burma. The Hmong create wondrous elaborate weaves and are fond of wearing their silver ornaments during ceremonies. They are devoted to the sky spirit who they believe has created their own ancient way of life. And the Paduang are a group within the Karen, and believe the longer the neck, the more beautiful the woman. Suthamtha made a number of trials before achieving the hand-crafted perfection that characterizes his work and that of the artisans that collaborate with him. "I begin by molding the shape of the head, arms and legs in clay, and kiln the pieces at 1472?F. I then paint in the skin as well as the facial features. I use wire for the body, and shape it into a human posture, I wrap it with raw cloth and use kapok seeds for stuffing. I attach the ceramic limbs and face so that they may move. Then, women working at my workshop sew their clothes, I teach them how as well as about the different hill tribe costumes. Finally, I add jewelry items made of aluminum and zinc to authenticate what I see in real life."

Cotton dolls, 'Working Women' (pair)

Crafted by hand, these charming dolls depict working women from Puno. Maritza and Ros?o dress the dolls in traditional clothing that emulates the region's hand-loomed wool. Both wear flirty earrings, and felt hats crown their long braids.

Cotton and porcelain dolls, 'Lahu in Love' (pair)

Renowned as hunters, the Lahu dress in colorful garments for special celebrations. The women wear a red and black sarong and a white cloth on their head. Silver and beaded jewelry complement their captivating attires. The men wear loose shirt and pants, usually with blue motifs. Suwit Suthamtha masterfully recreates the Lahu dress code for this exquisite pair of dolls. The Lahu, or also Musur, live in northern Thailand and take pride in their hunting abilities. The Lahu are animists and believe one spirit controls all the others, although 30% of them have converted to Christianity. Lahu are independent people and love entertainment and the easy life. Due to economic hardships, Lahu women have improved their skills in weaving on back straps and on foot treadle looms. Lahu weaves are characterized by the fact that the pattern solely appears on one side of the cloth. Lahu women also produce delicate and colorful patchwork appliqu?, banding and scalloping, and embroidery; they use silver half-sphere buttons to embellish their attires. These dolls are entirely hand-crafted by Suthamtha. They feature a wire skeleton and a ceramic body to facilitate movement into a desired pose. The woman's face is shaped of porcelain while the man's is made of ceramic. Their expressive faces are delicately painted by hand. The clothes are recreated from cotton and Dacron cloth; the jewelry is made of aluminum and colorful plastic beads. 70% cotton, 30% Dacron. Please note, that since the flowers are made with whatever material is available, their color may differ to the one viewed in this picture.

Cotton and porcelain dolls, 'White Hmong Couple' (pair)

This handsome, elegant couple is dressed in the tradition of the Hmong, one of Thailand's hill tribes. Suwit Suthamtha is extremely careful in the reproduction of their garments and accessories, ensuring a faithful depiction. Both dressed in black, the woman wears shiny aluminum jewelry akin to the original silver accessories. Embroidered sashes with exuberant colors feature patterns of genuine Hmong inspiration. There are two groups within the Hmong, the Blue Hmongs and the White Hmongs. For centuries, the Hmong have sustained themselves through the cultivation of the opium poppy. However, most people are now seeking alternative markets, such as the fabrication and selling of exquisite needlework. Women traditionally sew by hand the family's clothes, which are usually made of cotton or hemp. Their garments are richly decorated with magnificent embroideries, and they are fond of wearing silver jewelry. These dolls are entirely hand-crafted by Suthamtha. They feature a wire skeleton and a ceramic body to facilitate movement into a desired pose. The woman's face is shaped of porcelain while the man's is made of ceramic. Their expressive faces are delicately painted by hand. The clothes are recreated from cotton and Dacron; the jewelry is made of aluminum and colorful plastic beads. 70% cotton, 30% Dacron. Please note, that since the flowers are made with whatever material is available, their color may differ to the one viewed in this picture.

Cotton and ceramic dolls, 'Northern Charm' (pair)

Young and beautiful, a couple in ethnic dress represents the charm of Northern Thailand. The handsome man boasts red pants favored by the hill tribes, while his jacket is sewn from central Thai textiles. He wraps his head in the style of Myanmar. Shy and demure, the girl combs her hair into a smooth chignon to show off her aluminum earrings. Her green sarong is northern in style, while her shirt shows hill tribe motifs. Suwit Suthamtha crafts the dolls by hand with expressive ceramic faces.

Cotton and porcelain dolls, 'Hmong Lai' (pair)

Suwit Suthamtha replicates the elegance of the Hmong hill tribe in these endearing dolls. Mainly dressed in black, the woman wears a colorful striped skirt, hence Suthamtha calls this couple Hmong Lai (Striped Hmong). Their attires feature colorful embroidered motifs, unique to this Thai hill tribe. To ensure a faithful depiction, Suthamtha adorns the doll with the same type of glistening jewelry preferred by the Hmong woman. There are two groups within the Hmong, the Blue Hmongs and the White Hmongs. For centuries, the Hmong have sustained themselves through the cultivation of the opium poppy. However, most people are now seeking alternative markets, such as the fabrication and selling of exquisite needlework. Women traditionally sew by hand the family's clothes, which are usually made of cotton or hemp. Their garments are richly decorated with magnificent embroideries, and they are fond of wearing silver jewelry. These dolls are entirely hand-crafted by Suthamtha. They feature a wire skeleton and a ceramic body to facilitate movement into a desired pose. The woman's face is shaped of porcelain while the man's is made of ceramic. Their expressive faces are delicately painted by hand. The clothes are recreated from cotton and Dacron cloth; the jewelry is made of aluminum and colorful plastic beads. 70% cotton, 30% Dacron. Please note, that since the flowers are made with whatever material is available, their color may differ to the one viewed in this picture.

Cotton and ceramic dolls, 'Ethnic Couple' (pair)

This handsome couple is dressed in the tradition of northern Thailand, with the woman wearing a beautiful sarong. Hill tribe motifs adorn her short jacket. Her partner wears the red pants of the hill tribes and wraps his head in the style of Myanmar. Suwit Suthamtha crafts a beautiful couple that melds ethnic dress, as cultural styles cross political borders. The hand-crafted dolls wear shiny aluminum jewelry and boast expressive ceramic faces.

Cotton doll, 'Country Girl'

This charming country girl wears a straw hat and long blonde braids. Anita Espinoza crafts the smiling doll by hand, clothing her in a red dress and shoes. Fibers from the agave plant form the hair.

Wood doll, 'Serene Woman'

Her face exudes enviable serenity while her eyes express wisdom. Her cotton dress features the legendary ikat weave of Indonesia. Gusti Ngurah Semarajaya carves her image from crocodile wood, creating a decorative doll that lures with vivid realism. The doll can be posed in a variety of positions.

Wool finger puppets, 'Playful Farm Animals'

Farm animals make for fascinating characters in tales of fantasy and myth. Virginia Apaza Ticona transforms them into admirable finger puppets to entertain young children. Hand-knit by hand of wool, the set includes a sheep, a rabbit, a dog, a horse and bright pink piggy.