This month, I am delighted to interview Melissa Ventosa Martin, founder of Old Stone Trade (OST), a gorgeous brand elevating artisanal apparel and accessories to another level. She is paving a new way for artisanal goods to be presented as luxury items. Throughout our conversation, we dive into her founding story and learn more about the unique niche she is helping to spearhead.

This week, I'm delighted to share an inspiring conversation with Stacey Edgar, a long-time colleague who now serves as Executive Director at the International Folk Art Market (IFAM). IFAM, the world's largest juried folk-art market, is situated in the heart of Santa Fe. This year's show brought together 167 artisans from 51 countries, showcasing the finest folk art from master artists worldwide. It's both a retail show and a celebration of people, crafts, traditions, and cultures – it’s an incredible must-attend event. I spoke with Stacey about highlights, stand-out artists, discoveries, and how IFAM's experiential nature contributes to its great success.

This week, I am delighted to share an interview with Julie de Halleux of Lisbon By Design Fair, who was kind enough to share highlights from this year’s show, which took place in May.

Lisbon By Design Fair is an annual craft and design fair that celebrates the uniqueness and craftsmanship of Portuguese design. Each year, they feature pieces that are created specifically for the event that they have never seen before.

This week, I am delighted to spotlight Zuahaza’s NEW collection launch called Buchua. For those that aren’t familiar, Zuahaza is an innovative brand working with artisans throughout Colombia.

This fresh line of home décor is perfect for spring and summer. The colors, textures, and patterns found within this collection were inspired by the diverse landscapes of Colombia. All textiles are hand woven, hand dyed, and made using organic cotton and hand-spun wool, sourced entirely in Colombia. Within the collection, they also have a gorgeous line of wall art and hand-painted earthenware.

This month, I am delighted to share an exciting opportunity to travel to Oaxaca from May 15 to 22 alongside filmmaker and professor Carolyn Kallenborn and Ana Paula Fuentes, Founding Director of the Textile Museum of Oaxaca.

It's an interactive journey through which you’ll explore the rich textile culture of Oaxaca, meet talented artisans, participate in hands-on activities, bond with like-minded travelers, and eat some of the best food in the world. This is a unique opportunity to be immersed in Oaxaca's culture, beauty, and craft.

I’ve known Ana for years and her depth of knowledge for artisans and the region second to none. I have no doubt this will be an unforgettable experience and a memorable way to explore this part of the world.

This week, I am delighted to share an interview with Robbie Stewart of Mbare, a long-time colleague of AOW. We enjoyed working together on an artisan project for West Elm a few years back and I have loved following his work ever since.  Robbie has been running his import business since 1997, which supplies a unique collection of handcrafted products from Africa. He also offers warehousing services that are a growing demand for artisan enterprises. He's filling an important niche in this sector and has vast experience so let's dive in! I hope you enjoy!