Smithsonian Folklife Festival Artists at NOVICA Canada

Azatuhi and Anna Stepanyan

From Armenia

hand-painted silk batik scarves

Sisters Azatuhi and Anna specialize in hand-painted batik scarves, using floral and fruit motifs, like tulips and pomegranates. Their shop, Sunny Art, is based in Yeghegnadzor, Armenia.

Tsolak Koshtoyan

From Armenia

handcrafted sterling silver jewelry

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Tsolak is a fourth-generation silversmith in Gyumri, Armenia. He uses century-old tools and molds inherited from his grandfather to create bracelets, belts, rings, and earrings.

Armen Ohanyan

From Armenia

wood sculptures

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A participant at the 2018 Folklife Festival, Armen has spent his life creating wooden crafts, using custom-made whittling tools, often found in a traditional Armenian home.

Ocean Sole

From Kenya

recycled flip-flop sculptures

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In 2014, Ocean Sole brought its lively eight-foot-tall giraffe to the Folklife Festival’s Kenya program. Its artisans transform flip-flop waste from the shores of Kenya into vibrant works of art.

Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco

From Peru

traditional handwoven Andean apparel and decor

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Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez represented the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco at the 2015 Folklife Festival. An expert weaver, she preserves traditional Andean textiles and supports several weaving communities in Peru.

Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Tradition

From Mexico

handcrafted beaded jewelry

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This nonprofit organization based in Jalisco, Mexico, supports the endangered Wixárika (Huichol) tribe through language education, ethnographic documentation, and traditional craft production.

Eda Arroyo

From Peru

handcrafted gold and silver filigree jewelry

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“Embroidering” silver and gold filigree threads, Eda creates beautiful jewelry and accessories for Peruvian Marinera dancers. Her fine metalwork mesmerized visitors at the 2015 Folklife Festival.

Canto Sisters

From Peru

engraved mate gourd art

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For sisters Katya and Blanca, mate burilado (carved gourds) are a way to preserve local customs in the Andes and stories of their family. They presented this intricate Peruvian artform at the 2015 Folklife Festival.

Porfirio Gutierrez

From Mexico

handwoven Zapotec wool textiles

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Featured at the 2018 Folklife Festival and the National Museum of the American Indian, Porfirio has dedicated his life to revitalizing traditional Zapotec dye techniques through masterful and innovative textiles.

Isabelle Collins

From Mexico

traditional Talavera-style pottery

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Isabelle’s work is inspired by historical motifs, seen in tiles around her birthplace of Puebla, Mexico, while also playing with influences from other traditions, including Moroccan or Chinese designs.

J. Borges

From Brazil

original woodcut prints

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José Francisco Borges depicts scenes of Brazil’s natural world and cultural traditions in whimsical woodblock prints. Born in Pernambuco, he made a living selling prints and cordel leaflets.

Ivan Borges

From Brazil

original woodcut prints

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The son of artist J. Borges, Ivan continues the family tradition of woodblock printing scenes of everyday life in Brazil, from fishermen at work to town dances and young lovers.

Pataxó Indigenous Community

From Brazil

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Folklife Festival featured artisans from the Pataxó community from Bahia, Brazil make crafts from native trees. They carve, design, and build wooden bowls, animal sculptures, and instruments collectively as a community practice.

Tohõ Pataxó

From Brazil

original paintings

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Tohõ Pataxó is a painter, teacher, and leader in the Pataxó Indigenous community, living in the Pé do Monte Pataxo village in Bahia, Brazil. On canvas, he recreates traditional body painting in a bold color palette.