Haitian Metal Drum Tabletop Nativity With Barn Animals

About Haitian Metal Drum Tabletop Nativity With Barn Animals

When you visit Croix des Bouquets, the area of town known for Haitian metal art in the capital of Port-Au-Prince, you are met with a cacophony of tink, tink, tink as ball peen hammers strike sheets of steel. The sheets are cut from steel drums colored by oil and other liquids the drums at one time held. The process of turning sheets of metal into beautiful wall art is all done by hand, from cutting holes that become edges of trees and leaves, to accenting each lizard with a texture of scales, to painting or lacquering the final design. The artists are proud of their work, with many of them signing the pieces on the back side, leaving a raised, reversed signature on the front. Artisans have persevered during political turmoil, earthquakes, and extreme poverty. This purchase supports socially responsible sourcing and contributes to poverty alleviation.