Wounaan Primitive White Toucan Bird Tagua Carving-Panama 15110417L

Folks, the next dozen or so tagua carvings are White or natural. They are classic examples of why Tagua is called vegetable ivory. I call them primitive because when artists started carving tagua these white carvings is what they made. The trick is a whole lot of polishing.

Just like ivory it gets darker with age.

Today these carvings are rare. The artists love painting them with inks because they can make the animal look real. For you aspiring artists try painting one yourself. Ten years ago a young artist in Panama asked me to let her paint a few of my white carvings. She was as good as any Wounaan artist out there. I was pleasantly surprised and invited her to sell her painted carvings alongside me at a fair. All her carvings sold. I recovered my costs and the rest went to her.