We bring you to Kenya to meet our carver Christopher Ndolo, who lives in the small village of Kivuthini-Kibwezi, about 190km from Nairobi Kenya and is specialized in artisanal work of kitchen articles in olive wood for more than 25 years; art that allows him to feed and school his family composed of 5 children.
Because of its high density and resistance, olive wood is very convenient for kitchen items that will keep for a very long time. It’s perfect to realise beautiful utensils such as salad cutlery, bowls, trays and cutting boards. In Kenya, artisans add decorative elements such as the polished, sanitized cow bone, which can be dyed with Batik or not. Because the sculptures are made from solid olive wood, each piece is unique thanks to the unique nature of veins of each tree. The care of olive wood articles is quite simple. Simply wash them by hand, dry them immediately and from time to time, coat them with food oil (ideally olive oil) to restore the wood’s radiance and guarantee its impermeability. Do not wash them in the dishwasher or soak them in water.
As for many African artisans, Christopher’s achievements barely exceed the framework of his native region; therefore we wished via this website, to highlight these beautiful items of our daily life that are at the same time perfect gift ideas.
I can comment for excellent work done by Christopher Ndolo from Kenya.