Alann m-a de Vuyst

 I made or have made people to cast some of my tribal design in good luck charms in brass. Some time ago that was in India.  

I was amazed by the craftsmanship of the sculptors in Mahabalipuram, a place by the sea near Chennai. Lots of Hindu deities carved out of rocks, and apparently divers have found that the site was much bigger than what we can see now.   

Underwater is another extension of 100 meters into see of sculptures and palaces of what once was a village.  

Anyway, I had made design of those tribal charms made on paper and had the carvers carryi it out in soap stone. This was the year 2000. I carried the original pieces to Nepal and had them cast in brass by a blacksmith. It took some perseverance to have him start the business. Only with and advance of some money, he agreed.   

The man, who got his first down payment for the start of the production of a 100 pieces, i had 7 different designs. Next day he was supposed to start the work, but instead he spent the money on booze and didn't turn up. When he was back 2 days later, he started, it took him a week, and the very same day I had to leave Kathmandu he was again nowhere to be found, I had paid him the rest I owed him. His colleagues gave me what he had made, but he had also gone with the originals. I though, he is clever and will find some market to produce his own copies...I would never know would I? 
Anyway this is the nice story behind the collection.

 I hope you enjoy them.

Cheers

Alann