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Dazzling Daze
Our Annual All Jewelry SALE from March 1st through March 30th!
Come see the jewelry art of six exceptional contemporary designers and our newest 'Spirit of Pearl' collection with some of the finest pearls in elegant natural colors. Up to 50% OFF on your favorite jewelry art!
All Galleries
Sonoma, Sausalito, St. Helena, Healdsburg & Berkeley
A Tisket, A Tasket
It's A Swaziland basket
A-Tisket, A-Tasket,
A green and yellow basket,
I wrote a letter to my love,
And sent it in a Swazi Basket!
It takes loving hands and many hours to make every fine Swaziland Basket. As each one tells a unique story, the artists begin by creating the perfect weave and sentiment - personalized on each basket - a woven rhythm of color to best express your Friendship, Love, and Best Wishes for the Easter Holiday.
Let us make it easy for you: We'll hand customize your gift card and send it in a colorfully woven Swazi basket Just call and let us know who it is for, when it is needed and we'll take care of the rest!
All Galleries
Sonoma, Sausalito, St. Helena, Healdsburg & Berkeley
The New Spirit of Safari!
With our roots at Spirits In Stone so deeply tied to the beauty and the promise of Africa, our customers often ask us to conduct or recommend a new kind of "safari" that can include the great cultural and artistic treasures of that cherished continent. Finally, we have found just such a source with Carolyn and David Tett of "Bushtracks". (www.bushtracks.com)
Carolyn and David's sensitivity and passion for Africa mirrors our own, and now they have arranged to offer Spirits In Stone clients a variety of travel options that promise to redefine the term "Safari" forevermore! Here's a sampling of the experiences that could fill your upcoming travel itinerary:
* Cultural art safaris that include visiting ancient monuments and the sources of art forms that include African sculpture, ceremonies, masks and more?
* Nature safaris that include astonishing landscapes rich in natural splendor and up-close views of wild game, conducted with the sensitivity and respect that is their due?
* Combination art-and-nature safaris that include personally designed private air tours you arrange in advance with your hosts?
Bushtracks' client list includes Stanford University Alumni Travel and the Smithsonian Museum, among many others. Our collectors Bill & Pennie Needham related an extraordinary experience to us of a Bushtracks tour throughout Africa. Now, Carolyn and David Tett have joined the extended Spirits In Stone family to offer you travel options that will deepen your understanding and appreciation of African life. Bushtracks promises special consideration for all Spirits In Stone collectors. Visit their website for more information, then call or visit us at one of our gallery locations below to arrange for initial discussion of your custom travel expedition to magnificent Africa!
Come Visit Our Galleries!
Berkeley Gallery
877 5SHONA5 (877-574-6625)
Healdsburg Gallery
877 7SHONA7 (877-774-6627)
Sausalito Gallery
888 8SHONA8 (888-874-6628)
Sonoma Gallery
800 4SHONA4 (800-474-6624)
St. Helena Gallery
800 9SHONA9 (800-974-6629)
Internet Gallery
spiritsinstone.com
 Fanizani Akuda - Featured Artist View all works |
Born in Zambia in 1932, Fanizani Akuda arrived in Zimbabwe in 1949 as an itinerant farm worker. He was first introduced to sculpture when he was hired to dig stone for the sculptors at Tengenenge Sculpture Community. He became fascinated with their skill and the process of changing the stone from a raw rough form into a smooth highly polished image. This changed his life and his heart.
Enthused with energy, Fanizani jokes, "The stones are my friends, I sleep with the stones, I eat with the stones and I sleep with the stones, they are my friends."
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As part of the original cadre called the 'First Generation', Fanizani Akuda contributed a truly distinct creative style and vision. The First Generation is the important cadre of Zimbabwean men who were first recognized for their sculpting talent and contribution to the renaissance of Shona stone sculpture. These artists established themselves as a creative force and benchmark by which inspired all later generations.
Fanizani has participated in exhibitions throughout Europe, Zimbabwe, and the United States and his works are in many important private collections.
New Sculptures Added To Website!
We've just added 42 new sculptures to the web site. View all 42 in one list.
"Bush Telegraph" - Bravo to Botswana!
 Festus Mogae, President of the Republic of Botswana, addressing the special session on HIV/AIDS |
President Festus Mogae is leader of one of the countries worst affected by HIV/AIDS.
This is a disease that has devastated Botswana. Botswana is in many ways a very fortunate country - it has enormous mineral wealth and a stable democracy, up until recently it had the highest income and the highest life expectancies in the region. Now unfortunately it has another distinction - it has got the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS in the world. Up to a third of the population are believed to be HIV positive.
Most African countries, including South Africa, have turned a blind eye to the rampant HIV/AIDS epidemic galloping through their countrymen and women. Some African leaders have said that HIV/AIDS is over stated and not really a problem, others claim that no such disease even exists. South African President Mbeke stunned international audiences and press by stating their was no correlation between HIV and AIDS.
Botswana tells the truth. It took a lot of courage for this small country to step forward and reveal the true statistics and not hide their numbers in political obfuscation. For years, the World Health Organization has been obstructed from true data and local African doctors jailed for reporting AIDS cases to the World Health Organization.
But Botswana, Africa's truly successful democracy and free economy, took a hard honest look and proactive stand. They took stock of the true nature of the disease and its rampant path through their population. Already one-third of Botswana's people are infected with HIV and states President Mogae "There is no correlation between income level and HIV/AIDS. I'm saying to you that we are losing our young professionals. The most affected population group is 15 to 49."
DeBeers, the giant cartel, is heavily entrenched in commerical diamond mining in Botswana. As one of the biggest employers they joined forces with the Botswana government to start an aggressive educational campaign to save their highly trained work force. Some critics call it self serving, but we are pleased that they have stepped forward with their formidible resources to combat the disease.
We applaud President Mogae for speaking out boldly. His leadership has been exemplary and courageous in the area of HIV and AIDS. Neighboring leaders, including Zimbabwe's Mugabe, have been in total denial and displaying ignorance. And the heavy price is paid by the country's population. So, Bravo to Botswana.
Valentine's Day Uncrating A Success!
 Emmanuel, Tony and Truth |
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