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The human body and the home inspire the creation of an immense array
of objects that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Handmade
clothing in Florida ranges from brilliantly colored Seminole patchwork
skirts to Anglo-American palmetto stem hats and complexly patterned Ghanaian
garments that carry proverbial messages. In homes around the state, there
are African American, Anglo-American and Hawaiian quilts; and intricately
embroidered tablecloths and framed wall pieces in Norwegian, Hungarian,
Palestinian and other traditions. Baskets are made from white oak splints,
sweetgrass and pine needles. Some domestic items that were once utilitarian
are now primarily decorative. Baskets, for example, are no longer a common
form of container but are popular items of beauty both in the communities
that produce them and among collectors of handmade objects.
Other types of items found in homes and yards have traditionally had
a decorative purpose. Domestic environments provide spaces in which individuals
can express their aesthetic visions and talents. Japanese homes may be
graced with folded paper designs (origami), balls laced with colored threads
(temari) and elaborate flower arrangements (ikebana). Animals and symbols
of community life are carved in wood in various cultural traditions. In
their spare time, metal workers sometimes fabricate sculptures that represent
their unique views of the world. Decorative items vary in the degree to
which they are based on artistic models shared by a community. All, however,
are intended to be forms of expression within the interpersonal relationships
of community life.
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