Here at the International Folk Art Market what we're trying to do is make sure that we have a good mix of returning artists Some come many years in a row.
For others it may be the first time they have been out of their village.
Yes, it's my first time.
I am a basket weaver for about 15 years.
We are women from different communities from Eswatini.
It is in the southern part of Africa so I'm just here to represent them.
Many of the artists represent women's collectives and that may be because craft has been passed down through the the women in the family for generations.
It may be that they come from a society where that's one of the few jobs available to them and they eventually excel it that.
I learned it from my mom and my children also are learning.
We use sisal from a plant.
Then we dye them.
This color we use tea to dye just this color, the sandy color.
Our mission is to create economic opportunities for folk artists from around the world so that we can help them succeed.
We use this money to pay school fees to put food on our table.
It change our lives, change our lives.
