Two Spectacled Owls In An Illusion Kuna Mola

Two Spectacled Owls In An Illusion Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Look at the two owls joined at the shoulder, then let your focus drift, and the outline around them turns into one larger bird with its wings spread. Once a guest spots the trick, they tend to point it out to everyone else nearby. At 16.5 inches wide and 10.5 inches high, it is wide enough for that double image to read from across the room. It would be a fun conversation piece in a living room or a home office.

Molas are built by stacking several layers of colored cotton, then cutting down through one layer at a time so the colors underneath show through, and turning every raw edge under and stitching it closed by hand. The technique is called reverse appliqué, and a good panel is judged by how fine the stitches are and how many layers deep the cutting goes. This one came from Guna Yala, the San Blas islands off Panama's Caribbean coast, where the designs draw on the birds, fish, plants and geometric patterns of the islands and rainforest. It is ready to frame, mount, or sew into a pillow or a quilt panel, and no two are ever alike.

Founded in 1991, TraderBrock celebrates the handcraft of Latin America's indigenous peoples. Every piece comes from Guna, Wounaan and Emberá artisans we know by name, and all profits are reinvested in their communities for education, tools and the teaching of ancestral techniques. Buying from TraderBrock helps keep their culture and their traditions alive.

Width: 16.5"
Height: 10.5"
SKU: PM1080T