VirtuArte.com

In an earlier post I said many beautiful products made by artists/artisans in the developing world are located in countries and often in remote areas where their work is seen only by locals or a few tourists. Many of these items are being made by women who live in rural areas that are trying to earn an income to support their families and improve their quality of life. These products are frequently expressions of traditions and customs that are slowly dying out because there is insufficient incentive -- economical and cultural -- to pass these traditions/customs on to the next generation. I also said it was my belief that through the increased awareness of their art and the ability to generate an income, artists/artisans (men and women) would be encouraged and have an incentive to continue their traditional weaving, carving, sculpting, and painting and pass their skills onto the next generation.