Over the years I have accumulated many angel figures from around the world. My family: Tony, Caz and Nicki, who travel extensively, have given me many wonderful angels from the fabulous places they have visited. I am delighted to be able to share them with you, so you to can see their diversity. Just click on the country name or angel picture to be taken to information and pictures from that part of the world.
South Africa
I have recently been fortunate enough to visit South Africa, where I came across many different angels, crafted in different materials and showing a great variety of styles.
Most of the angels I came across were made in the townships.
To the left are a set of angels from painted wood and were made as Christmas ornaments.
Amongst my favourite South African Angels were these lovely ones made from disused drink cans. You can clearly see that one had come from a 'Red Bull' can, another from a 'Coke' can. The card that accompanied them said:
"These little Angels, made from recycled cool drink cans, are handcrafted by a group of Zulu school children as an extra-mural activity. These teenage students live in an area of Northern Zululand where the AIDS epidemic is very high, and are themselves orphans who have been left destitute.
Your individual contribution in purchasing an Angel will impact directly on the students, assisting them to feed, clothe and educate themselves, and at the same time giving them a sense of pride and self worth.
It is hoped that, in a small way, this project will empower the youths with an entrepreneurial spirit, and to know that their future lies in their own hands."
Please see www.ilala.co.za for more information and products.The work is promoted by an organisation called Angels against Crime - please visit their web site www.angelsagainstcrime.co.za for more information.
There were many bead angels in Cape Town. Again being made as Christmas ornaments.
Many were only a couple of inches (5 cm's) tall. 2 tiny brooches were only 1 inch (2.5 cm's).
The ingenuity of the makers was shown in some that had beads threaded on to safety pins to make the skirt of the angel.
The right hand picture shows the angel's dress made from safety pins.
In the Pan African Market in the centre of Cape Town - a maze of craft stalls, wooden carving, ornaments, fabrics etc, I was delighted to come across a small trellis table with a young African man sat along side. He sat quietly threading beans on to thread, making bead angels. All he sold were these lovely little angels, in gold and silver beads. I asked him his name; "Proud", he replied - he certainly looked very proud when I told him I collected angels and his were going all the way back to England.
During 2007 I was fortunate enough to visit USA, spending time in Mount Shasta, California, then Phoenix and Sedona in Arizona.I came across a number of angels.
The one to the left is a pottery one about 6 inches (15 cms) tall.
The one to the right is a native Indian angel also made from pottery
