Kisii Soapstone Products

The Kisii natural stone products are decorated and finished in Nairobi, Kenya for Kwaze-Kwasa [USA] Inc. under fair trade contracts supervised and managed by Kwaze-Kwasa [East Africa]. The talented artists from many different tribal backgrounds work in several studios and workshops located throughout greater Nairobi. The talented people are versatile and can make product with your design on any of the common shapes. For example, any plate, vase, etc can be produced with your company logo or artwork of your design.

All products start out as raw soapstone quarried in the Tabaka region of Kenya. The soapstone varies in color from white (the easiest to carve) through various shades of pink to a deep lustrous red (the most difficult to carve). The stone is rough-cut then shaped by Kisii and other tribes’ people to produce a range of home décor products. Different families, co-operatives, or villages specialize in producing one or more of the various products in a range of sizes. The production process is almost entirely without utilities relying mainly on labor-intensive human power. Most products are carved out of the stone by hand or with simple hand or foot-powered tools.

Some of the product is finished locally. Those offered by us are transported to Nairobi where the local urban artists produce these stunning works of art. They finish the raw carvings with very fine wet sandpaper. The product now resembles what may be best described as an object similar to ceramic bisque before firing. Made of natural stone these products require no firing.

The artist then visualizes a design and using sponges or cloths daubs a selection of dyes to form the base pattern of the abstract artwork. At this stage, the design looks like an out of focus photograph or smudged watercolor painting. The dyes are allowed to dry and the artists finish these original works of art by etching the outlines of the design using a knife or similar sharp metallic instrument bringing the design into focus. Often they will finish the detail with some subtle geometric patterns.

The abstract shape, colors, and detail of the etched finished artifact are very imaginative and unique to these Kenyan artists. Each item is a unique, handmade art piece with no two being the same, however similar the theme.

The finished products should be treated and used as you would similar ceramic-made items. The impervious stone makes vases leak proof and suitable for wet or dry arrangements. However, we recommend hand cleaning with a damp cloth or sponge rather than in the dishwasher. Cold-water wash cycles are recommended for machine cleaning, as the colors are not protected with any seal to resist any of the warm and hot cycles especially when combined with high-pressure jets. The lack of seal also places any food in direct contact with the dyes that may spoil or damage the artwork. The origins of the dyes used are not controlled and should be considered not safe for all wet or freshly cooked foods. It is recommended that products be restricted to dry foods like snacks or for decorative purposes only.