A mask of ornate elegance, this work celebrates the traditions of northern Ghana. Abdul Karim Star hand-carves the mask from noble sese wood and applies embossed brass plates to resemble tribal markings. The mask is distinguished by its long hanch ("nose) as well as by a bird on the forehead.
"I was accused of smuggling museum pieces [and] detained… until inspectors… went to the workshop… They realized I had made the pieces…."
"My name is Abdul Karim Star, and I was born in the northern region of Ghana in 1966. Unfortunately, when I was four... years old my parents divorced and my father decided to send me to Accra. I stayed with my uncle, called Mahama Wamzah who performed ritual circumcisions as well as being a beautician. Initially, I stayed with my uncle roaming the streets of Ayalolo until, one day, my uncle sent me to the Ayalolo Timber market school in 1973 where I begun my education.
"During my eighth year with my uncle, I realized that schooling was becoming difficult for me, both financially and intellectually. I often had to stay home from school because my uncle could not afford the tuition. During one of these long absences from school, I made the decision to help my uncle by looking for a job. One morning, while walking aimlessly around our neighborhood, a man I later got to know as Mustapha, called out to me and asked me to buy him food and some wood sanding discs for his job. When I returned, he wanted to pay for my services. I politely and humbly declined the gift, but on his insistence, I accepted a plate of cooked rice and beans. His show of love and appreciation endeared him to me, to the extent that I became his errand boy. With time, a friendship developed and I became fascinated with his craft – he was a wood carver.
"I regarded Mustapha as a very interesting man and believed this transcended into his art. I eventually joined his group of trainees, which required leaving my uncle's house when I was 18 years old. Mustapha trained us well in every area of the woodcarving realm and eventually I became a carver in my own right, working for Mustapha.
"I was soon selling my own pieces and had established an appreciative clientele, but competition was tough. Two of my competitors framed me on route to Nigeria and I was accused of smuggling museum pieces. I was detained for six hours, until inspectors sent by the Ghanaian Consulate went to the workshop and saw myriad objects at various stages of completion. They realized I had made the pieces and I was released. This experience made more determined to pursue and establish other venues through which to sell our wares. Luck began to smile on me and my clientele grew, both nationally and internationally. It gave me the opportunity to exhibit my work in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Togo, Mali and the Ivory Coast.
"When I start to work on a piece, I become more creative and it feels as if I am in a different world where the personal challenges I have no longer exist. I have realized that my imagination goes wild.
"I get the ideas for the items I carve by focusing my eyes on a plain surface for a period of time and I begin to see images of designs. I quickly sketch these designs and make time to try out the designs I have sketched. I work with leather, recycled glass beads and sese wood. I have recently started crafting leather jewelry boxes.
"My dream for the future is to establish an art academy to train people to continue in the carve items as well as African culture. I have trained about 30 people since I started working on my own in 1984. But then I hope to train hundreds of people if this dream comes true.
"Now I train apprentices. My work has enabled me to support my parents, my brother and sisters."
Only valid on the Normal shipping option for shipments to 48 Lower US states.
Discounted shipping price may not be applied to previous orders.
This item ships with a free artist storycard, so you can remember who you impacted today. Customized gift messages are also available with every order.
We want you to be 100% satified with your order, so if you are not completely happy with your item, you can return it within 60 days of receiving it.
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This item is available for backorder and will ship within 2 to 8 weeks. Artists love to get backorders. Placing a backorder ensures that the artisan will do their best to create and deliver your item to our local office for shipment.
Although we cannot guarantee availability, we do expect to be able to fill the order within the timeframe indicated. But sometimes life happens - special materials may not be immediately available to the artist, or there might be some other circumstance beyond our control that could delay the shipment.
If for any reason we are unable to ship the item within the timeframe indicated, we will notify you.
In the unlikely even that we are unable to ship the item within the timeframe indicated, we will contact you and provide an updated delivery window.
This item has a special shipping flat fee which means that due to bulk, duties, or other special requirements, the item will be shipped to you via one of our special one-rate services. Shipping is only available to the United States (lower 48 States only).
WOMEN
S
M
L
XL
XXL
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
BUST
35 - 36
37 - 38
39 - 41
42 - 44
46 - 48
WAIST
27 - 28
29 - 30
31 - 33
34 - 36
38 - 40
HIPS
37 - 38
39 - 40
42 - 43
45 - 46
49 - 50
MEN
S
M
L
XL
XXL
CHEST
36 - 38
39 - 41
42 - 44
46 - 48
50 - 52
WAIST
30 - 32
32 - 34
35 - 37
38 - 41
43 - 45
NECK
14 - 14.5
15 - 15.5
16 - 16.5
17 - 17.5
18 - 18.5
SLEEVE
32.5
33.5
34.5
35.5
36.5
FINDING YOUR SIZE
Take your measurements with the tape measure over your under garments. If your measurements fall between sizes you may prefer the next larger size. Inseam, skirt and dress lengths vary by style and will be listed in the item description. Our sweaters are knit in standard American sizes, however actual measurements vary by style.
BUST / CHEST
Measure around the fullest part of chest under the arms and over the shoulder blades keeping the tape measure level.
WAIST
Measure around the smallest part of the waist keeping the tape measure comfortably loose. Most garments use the low waist measurement noted below.
LOW WAIST
Measure around the body approximately 1.5" below the natural waist (above). This is the area where most pants and skirts actually fit.
HIPS
Standing with your heels together, measure around the fullest part of the body approx 7"-8" below the waist.
NECK
Measure around the base of the neck keeping the tape measure comfortably loose.
SLEEVE
Bend elbow slightly and starting at the center back of the neck, measure across the shoulder, to the elbow and down to the wrist.
INSEAM
Our standard inseam length for women is 32" and 34" for men; however inseam measurements will vary slightly by style.
Belts with buckles are measured in inches that correspond to a waist size however, most people do not wear belts on the waist, they wear them closer to the hips. A buckle belt measurement is take from the end of the "pin" of the buckle to the middle hole on the belt. Generally there are 5 holes for size adjustment, with a 1" space between each, so the middle hole will the be average size of the belt.
For at tie belt (no buckle) measure the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This again is the medium size of the belt.
For a soft fabric tie belt it can be called "1 size fits most" and the entire length of the belt should be measured and listed.
See buckle/tie belt size standards below.
WOMEN
S
M
L
XL
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
inches
26 - 30
28 - 32
31 - 35
34 - 38
38 - 42
cm
76 - 86
81.5 - 91.5
86.5 - 96.5
91.5 - 101.5
96.5 - 106.5
+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm
MEN
S
M
L
XL
XXL
inches
30 - 34
32 - 36
35 - 39
39 - 43
43 - 47
cm
81.5 - 91.5
86.5 - 96.5
91.5 - 101.5
96.5 - 106.5
109 - 119
+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm
Sash tie length
Lay sash/tie out flat away from the garment and measure from end to end.
Belt with buckle
Measure from the end of the pin of the buckle (where it touches the buckle) to the middle hole.
Belt without buckle
Measure from the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This is will give you the medium size of the belt.
Download our printable ring sizing chart to find the perfect fit!
We refer to these items as "discounted wholesale". Such items carry a deeper wholesale discount than other items, and have greater potential to provide your business with healthier resale margins.
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