In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World

A beautifully photographed documentary of 90 female artisans on four continents in 12 countries throughout the world, In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World reveals the diverse lives & cultures of women in places ranging from South Africa to India, from Bali to Peru. Seventeen case studies focus on particular areas of the world & their indigenous or imported crafts. Included are the knitters of Bolivia, the weavers of Guatemala, the mirror embroiderers of India, the batik artists of Indonesia, the painters of Poland, the rug weavers & doll makers of Turkey, & the Ndebele beaders of South Africa. Also shown are the craftswomen of Panama, Peru, Zimbabwe, Thailand, & the Czech Republic. The artisians; individual voices are presented in engaging & personal texts. In addition to a discussion of the crafts traditions, the authors have interviewed the women about their families & their lives. A fascinating aspect of the story is the common ambition of the craftswomen throughout the world: to offer better nutrition & education to their children. Many of the women have formed cooperatives & credit associations to promote themselves & the productions of their hands.Paola Gianturco is the author of 'In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World', published 2000 under ISBN 9781580930680 and ISBN 1580930689.