Ivory Like Sholapith Sculptures from India

In the past, collectors have been fascinated with sculptures of pure white Ivory without knowing the damage it caused to our eco-system. Luckily governments of a number of nations have banned Ivory trade altogether.

Craftsmen from eastern India had been crafting beautiful items of SholaPith (lookaloikes of Ivory) since ages. It is only recently that Sholapith items have got international recognition for its beauty, eco-friendliness and superb craftsmanship. Shola pith is a milky-white sponge-wood that is carved into delicate and beautiful objects of art only in a few states of India. Shola is a plant, growing in marshy waterlogged areas of eastern Indian States commonly referred to as eastern marshy Gangetic plains. It is unbelievable that this plant grows nowhere else in the world. The biological name of Shola is Aeschynomene Indica and it is an herbaceous plant. The Sholapith is the cortex or core of this plant.

The finest examples of craftsmanship are seen on images of gods and goddesses on festivals, especially the massive decorative backdrops made for "Durga-Puja" celebrations. Thousands of craftsmen spend months working on each piece and every details is meticulously worked out.The color of Shola is pure white and beautiful IVORY look alike sculptures have started decorating Western homes in Europe and America very recently. The shola crafts have flowery designs, decorative head-wears of gods and goddesses, garlands etc. You also find exquisite figurines like faces of gods and goddesses, elephants, peacock-boats, palanquins, wall hangings and a number of home decorations made of sholapith.

Needless to say, the items are appealing, they are completely natural and the beautiful craftsmanship brings a pure white ethnic aura at your home.

Where to find these fine Pith Sculptures

Ethnocraft: http://www.ethnocraft.com has some of these fine Sholapith items you could easily order over the web.

About The Author
Free Lance writer of Ethnic Home Decor. This article is a cortsey of http://www.ethnocraft.com where you can get fine Home Decor items and Sholapith Sculptures.
som@ethnocraft.com

How to Decorate Ethnic

FIVE EASY STEPS TO DECORATING ETHNIC

NEW YORK, NY - With all that is happening in the world today - the threat of war, falling stock prices, a recession (in spite of what economists say) - more and more of us are nesting. That is, we are spending more time at home.

While it is hard to control what happens in the outside world, home is where you decide the who, what, where, when and why. Ethnic decor is filled with endless options to spice up your living space. However, you may wonder, what is ethnic decor.

"Ethnic decor is more a feeling than a science," says Marcelo Velez of the interior design firm Velez Hayes in New York City. "When you say modern, country, French, et cetera, an instant picture comes to mind. Ethnic decor is different. Many cannot define it, but know it when they see it."

This open-ended approach is what makes ethnic decorating fun. It's eclectic, inclusive, colorful and most of all, unique. It allows you to fill in blanks for yourself, using an internal palette to satisfy decorating needs.

Here are five handy ideas to get you started:

Pick a room to start: Thinking in terms of one room narrows your scope so the project doesn't seem overwhelming, while also limiting cost as you feel your way into the project.

Decide which ethnicity(ies) you will focus on: African style is different from Middle Eastern is different from American Indian, et cetera. However, don't be afraid to blend elements from several cultures. Again, that's the fun of ethnic decor - the possibilities are endless.

Start with an object as the focal point and decorate around it: This can be an ethnic painting, a sculpture, a piece of furniture, et cetera. The bigger the better. Be careful, though, not to overwhelm your space.

Choose a color scheme: Ethnic decor is very festive, so think outside the box in terms of colors, patterns, surfaces. Soon, you will find yourself drawn to a few colors that work well together.

Listen to your likes and dislikes; your instincts: Many times, an object or color will "speak" to you. And, if everyone insists that this painting doesn't go with that rug, but you like it, go with it. The final product should make you the happiest.

Now, relax and enjoy!

About The Author
Yuwanda & Cassandra Black are co-owners of EthnicHomeDecor.com. Ethnic Home Decor offers soft home furnishings with ethnic themes at affordable prices. For more information or to schedule an interview, send email to media@EthnicHomeDecor.com.
yuwanda@ethnichomedecor.com