12/16/2020
I first met Gladys on my first visit to Capetown, S. Africa at the African Craft Market in downtown Capetown near Green market square, a very popular tourist destination. The African Craft Market was a 4 story building crammed with small vendors who sold African art from all over Africa. Gladys and her husband Mustafa owned one such business, a small space but loaded with masks and other fine works of art. And so each time I would visit Capetown her shop was a must do stop. Then came the corona virus. I soon realized that with no tourism that all of the vendors that I bought from were forced to close their shops and of course…No tourist meant no income! Gladys reached out to me and asked if she could send me pictures of the African art that was now stored in her home, I said yes and thus began our transcontinental relationship. Gladys not only receives art from Kenya, her childhood home, but also from W. Africa, Uganda and Mozambique. I’m helping her to survive until the world rights itself and in return she ships wonderful pieces of original African art, handmade by craftsmen in villages spread all over Africa. I feel truly blessed to be able to offer this collection online at smallworldafricanart.com and at the Afri-Soul Marketplace in historic downtown Phoenix. Your purchases help not only Gladys in S. Africa who supports 8 small shops and Kofi in Accra, Ghana who supports 6 small shops there and Jimmy in Mombasa, Kenya who provides assistance to a group of disabled ladies. Come on in and enjoy the 20% discount on all African Art until Jan. 31st. 2021.
