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We transform natural beauty in unique objects which can be made after a process of transformation and study of materials, forms and techniques. The goal is to use nature and its elements as inspiration to create elegant and functional designs.

Our Inspiration

Tree of life

Our Inspiration Tree of life The tree of life in this case represents the â€œCeibaâ€? that is the national tree in Guatemala. For mayan culture this represents the fourfold nature of a central world tree. The brand was born with the inspiration of the tree of life for it would be the one who houses and cares for the unprotected.

Our Concept Natural Art represents the natural beauty of all its components from the materials, to the hands of the artisans and the people who makes this possible. We are all united to expose a little bit of Guatemalan culture to the world. We are committed to preserve native heritage, stabilize local economies, and highlight designs that are both sustainable and representative of the allure of Mayan art and culture.

Our HISTORY - Natural Art was founded in 2013 by Ingrid Gamboa and it all started when the previous company where she was working closed and all her workers began immigrating to other countries leaving their wife and children behind.

On 2014 Andrea Benavente made an internship developing a line of products for Natural Art. Since they met, Ingrid and Andrea had so good chemistry that continued working together doing design consultancies and taking Natural Art to the next level.

In parallel the providers were worried because they would not have the income of the materials they sold to them so they left several seeds and crusts. They began with the research of posible applications developing a new technique with the Shell of the tecomate fruit.

Their focus is to do sustainable, exclusive, authentic but over all handmade home decor products to show the beauty of mayan techniques. This is reflected on the designs and story behind each process. On 2015 and part of 2016 a 2nd Home Decor collection was developed presenting it exclusively at NY NOW.

On 2016 they won $4,000 in capital seed and started exporting to the United States. 6

All our products are

100% handmade in guatemala

3 cultural handmade techniques are being rescued tecomate, maguey and wool.

Direct Impact of Natural Art Natural Art works with a varied number of artisan communities giving them new work opportunities and economic income. . We work with 9 different artisan communities in rural Guatemala.

Each women is home head Participating women can work from home and take care of their family. The women are trained with administrave costs, design, materials and quality control.

Meet our artisan communities

1 QuichĂŠ Nebaj, San Juan Cotzal, Chichicastenango. 2 TotonicapĂĄn Momostenango 3 Quetzaltenango Xela 4 Chimaltenango Comalapa

Each product comes through a creative process in which the materials, forms and functions are studied by our expert design team which determines which is the best solution according to techniques, materials and trends.

SIGNATURE

MATERIALS Mixed with 100% cotton fibers these two artisanal materials make extraordinary texturized handmade pieces.

The wool we use comes from the guatemalan highlands of Momostenango, Totรณnicapan. Momostenango's cold weather and altitude favors the quality and resistence of the wool. In the summer the sheeps are sheared and it is washed to take out all the grease and dirt of the material. Then the wool is picked which is the beginning of the process of opening up the locks of wool and turning them into yarn.

wool

The wool then is combed several times, this process is called carding. Plush is obtained from this carding process. The wool is roved to obtain yarn and a thread cone is made. The natural colors you obtain from sheep are beige, light brown, dark brown and black. Dyed colors are possible. These dyes are obtained from bark trees and flowers of the region.

Maguey is a succulent plant from which various raw materials are obtained. These are used to make textile fibers, ornaments, alcoholic beverages, gourmet dishes, among others.

maguey

The maguey plant is cut from root and leaves are used to make textile fibers, the thorns of these leaves are removed and then the leave is a flatened, the cuticle of the husk is removed, then combed to remove the remaining cuticle, the resulting fibers are washed and dried in the sun and with this final step the fibers are ready to use.

throw pillow

PTP - 001 a

PTP - 001 c

PTP - 001 d

PTP - 001 e

Maguey is wound between 2 sticks, then the natural wool is interwined between maguey to create a braided visual look. Made in San Juan Cotzal by artisan women. 16" x 16" 18" x 18" 20" x 20"

Customization available in color and dimensions

PTP - 001 f

throw pillow

PTP - 002 b

PTP - 003 b

PTP - 003 c A unique and interesting highlight for your spaces. Made with 100% cotton fabric mixed with hand woven maguey thread. 16" x 16" 18" x 18" 20" x 20"

PTP - 003 d

Customization available in color and dimensions

throw pillow

sTP - 001 a

sTP - 001 b

sTP - 001 c

sTP - 001 d

Enjoy a beatiful throw pillow made in backstap loom. The wool is treated atisanally to create a smooth and delightful sensation that gives an inviting feeling to any room. Worked by artisan women in Chichicastenango, QuichĂŠ. 16" x 16" 18" x 18" 20" x 20"

Customization available in color and dimensions

sTP - 001 e

throw pillow

sTP - 002 a

sTP - 002 b

sTP - 002 c These throw pillows are made in backstrap loom with 100% cotton threads and natural wools. Worked by artisan women in Chichicastenango, QuichĂŠ. 16" x 16" 18" x 18" 20" x 20"

Customization available in color and dimensions

throw pillow

sTP - 005 e

sTP - 005 f

sTP - 005 g

sTP - 005 h

This striped throw pillow combines cotton and wool to make a unique combination for your different house spaces. Worked by artisan women in Comalapa, Chimaltenango. 16" x 16" 18" x 18" 20" x 20"

Customization available in color and dimensions

throw pillow

sTP - 012 a

sTP - 012 b

sTP - 012 c

sTP - 012 d

This striped throw pillow combines cotton and wool to make a unique combination for your different house spaces. Worked by artisan women in Comalapa, Chimaltenango. 16" x 16" 18" x 18" 20" x 20"

Customization available in color and dimensions

throw pillow

STP-008A

STP-008F

STP-008E

STP-008G

This textured throw pillows are made with 100% natural wools in backstrap loom. Worked by artisan women in Nebaj, QuichĂŠ 16" x 16" 18" x 18" 20" x 20"

Customization available in color and dimensions

STP-008H

throw pillow

STP-010A

STP-010b

STP-010c

STP-010d

This textured throw pillows are made with 100% natural wools in backstrap loom. Worked by artisan women in Nebaj, QuichĂŠ 16" x 16" 18" x 18" 20" x 20" Customization available in color and dimensions

STP-010e

STP-010f

throw pillow

STP-009A

These throw pillows are made in backstrap loom with 100% cotton threads and natural wools. Artisan women from San Juan Cotzal, QuichĂŠ twist different colored wool threads to make the particular visual texture. 16" x 16" 18" x 18" 20" x 20"

STP-009B

STP-009C

Customization available in color and dimensions

throw pillow

STP-011A

STP-011B

STP-011C

Customization available in color and dimensions

Runners

ct-001 Runner made in backstrap loom with 100% cotton threads. 16" x 36" - 72"

ct-003 This new runner will hightlight special furniture of your home spaces by its soft colours and special technique. Made in backstrap loom by women artisans in QuichĂŠ. 16" x 36" - 72"

ct-002 Runner with twisted coloured wool details, made in back strap loom by women artisan.

Customization available in color and dimensions

16" x 36" - 72"

Rugs

sr-001

The rugs are made in backstrap loom by women artisans using 100% cotton fabrics and natural wools. The weft colour is changed to create different patterns. Wools are worked by artisans in Momostenango, Totonicapรกn, Guatemala. Made by artisans from Comalapa, Chimaltenango, Guatemala. 2x3 ft

sr-001 A

Customization available in color and dimensions

Rugs

sr-002

The rugs are made in backstrap loom by women artisans using 100% cotton fabrics and natural wools. The exposed weft colour is changed to create different patterns. Wools are worked by artisans in Momostenango, Totonicapรกn, Guatemala. Made by artisans from Comalapa, Chimaltenango, Guatemala. 2x3 ft

sr-002 A

Customization available in color and dimensions

Rugs

sr-005 a

sr-005 b Exquisite handmade rug made in foot loom by women artisans of Tzalbal, QuichĂŠ. The artisan winds the wool in a stick and then passes the weft to finish the line. 2x3 ft

Customization available in color and dimensions

Rugs

sr-006 a

sr-006 b Exquisite handmade rug made in foot loom by women artisans of Tzalbal, QuichĂŠ. The artisan winds the wool in a stick and then passes the weft to finish the line. 2x3 ft

Customization available in color and dimensions

tecomate Is a tree native to tropical and subtropical Latin America.

Direct Impact of Natural Art In Guatemala this tree grows mainly in the Corredor Seco area. The fruit is used to make medication and has an almost licorice flavor.

The shell is used to make household utensils, musical instruments like chinchines and crafts because it has a hard, woody consistency.

Natural Art developed with over 2 years a technique to apply the tecomate shell for Interiorism, giving it a new use. Artisans in the dry corridor are responsible for cutting down the tecomates, remove the inner fruit to use it for medicine, washing, drying and immunizing the tecomates.

The Corredor seco Is a region of Guatemala that covers part of the deparments of: 1 Baja Verapaz 2 El Progreso 3 Zacapa 4 Jalapa 5 Chiquimula 6 Jutiapa 7 Santa Rosa It is very vulnerable to drought, and some parts do not have food security and has a high degree of extreme poverty.

We saw that there was an opportunity with the tecomate shell so we started working with artisans in Zacapa (3) providing them an income and economic growth for them to sustain their families.

handmade PROCESS Art Teco is worked and adhered on different bases of rubberwood. Tecomate shell is cleaned, dried and immunized to achieve the required quality standard to ensure adherence to the wood.

The bonding process is a handmade craft in which several craftsmen are involved. They create extraordinary mosaics full of magic.

Inspired by

Mayan ceremonial masks get make an amazing pattern

Art Teco has a natural finish with beeswax and stucco giving it a lasting shine.

technical description

COVERING ART TECO

SOLID BASE

Species: Crescentia alata Treatment: Hydrogen Peroxide Drying: Kiln Dry Humidity Content: 8% (+/- 2%)

Species: Hevea brasiliensis Treatment: Pressure Tank with Borax (BBA) Drying: Kiln Dry Humidity Content: 10% (+/- 2%)

Comercial Names Shell Tecomate, JÃcara, Morro.

Comercial Names Tropical Maple, Asian Maple, Parawood, Hevea Wood, Rubberwood, Hule.

home

Measurements

MEASURES X: Strips of 3" Y: 3 ft long Z: : 1/2 Inch

MOSAIC PIECES

A. Tongue and groove Rubberwood

12" X 12"

Finish Beeswax or stucco

Colors available Natural (brown) or Ivory

Measurements

MEASURES X: 48 Inch Y: 96 Inch Z: 1/2 Inch Mosaic pieces: 12 x 12 Inch Custom made

B. Finger joint Rubberwood

Finish Beeswax or stucco

Colors available Natural (brown) or Ivory

Measurements

MEASURES X: 4 Inch Y: 4 Inch Z: 4 mm

c. Rubberwood veneer

Finish Beeswax or stucco

Colors available Natural (brown) or Ivory

IN HOME DECOR ACCESORIES

CAT-001

CAT-002

We are proud of an excellent job which brings new opportunities, new friendships, a chance to improving others lifeÂ´s.

This encourages us to be better every day and improve the conditions of the ones making it and the country that is part of.

Luxury and style merge with the perennial tradition of the Maya creativity.

We respect nature while we use their resources making sure all used items are sustainable and environmentally friendly.

www.naturalartdesign.com

naturalartdesigns info@naturalart.com.gt