I initially learned about this craft through Ruth Asawa's blog in 1968, when she created her first piece of realistic art: a fountain in San Francisco. The artwork, which featured two mermaids and a "merbaby" with a recording of frogs croaking, sparked a debate about feminism and public art, which piqued my interest in wire weaving which led me to Sumba's artisans.

More than simply a string of steel, these artisans weave wire for a career. The process and intricacy of this unique art is the weaving process, which requires crocheting metals to create an abstract or object. Every art piece is meticulously crafted and unique.

I began studying this craft with a group of artisans in one of Sumba's small settlements, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, where people occasionally go without electricity.

Life is difficult but simple there, and some of their livelihood is reliant on this dying skill.

As a craftsman, I strongly advocate for indigenous and cultural art to be valued and protected in order to preserve the region's creative and cultural history. We need to create an eco-system to promote these crafts and increase their demand and alleviate poverty in these communities.

This eco-system serves to preserve, protect, and promote a proposition of indigenous craft through exhibits, participatory workshops creating awareness and increased demand for contemporary authentic handmade and handcrafted products. It’s obvious that creative education should be offered as part of regenerative tourism and this eco system fulfills that need.

I can sense this return is going to be soooo exciting as we pay attention to the return of indigenous and cultural arts with paying attention to reducing waste recycling whatever MATERIALS, and revamping them in certain shapes and colors.

Trendsetting art and culture integration should also be endorsed in future collaborations where the trend now is community collaborations.

DREAMS DO COME TRUE.

Sumba Artisanal Wire Woven is a FAIR TRADE ACCESSORY brand with principles of community empowerment.