Tagua Nut + Free Form Peyote

This exquisite little creature was hand carved from a single tagua nut and hand painted by Fernando Memboro. I purchased it five years ago at the Tucson Bead Show. I made a sculptural peyote neckpiece to compliment it (below).

I had wanted a carved tagua nut for many years and decided I would treat myself.

The below photo shows the entire back portion of the tagua. The tagua nut, commonly known as "vegetable ivory", earned its name from its ivory-like color and texture. With the near extinction of animal ivory, tagua nuts have become a highly valued commodity by artisans and consumers alike.

I added some of my polymer leaves along with some various glass leaves.

Above is the third and final design. I worked on the above for the past two weeks and am finally very happy with it.

Above was the second design. I thought the "branches" would add drama and balance, but the focal piece just got lost.

The above photo was the very first stringing. It was strung on jade with jade seed bead fringe. It was OK, but the colors were off and I wanted to re-do it. It sat for a long time. Point of readiness I guess.