Our store launched last week and we are so grateful for everyone’s support. We couldn’t do this without you, whether you are local to Nashville or not, and so we wanted to share some photos of our Spring/Summer Line as seen in our store, that is now available on our website. Do you have a favorite picture or piece? Leave us a comment and let us know!

We are so excited to share our Spring/Summer 2012 line with you all and the amazing work of all our artisans. Thank you from all of us at Red Earth Trading Co. If you are in Nashville, please come say hi and visit us in Hillsboro Village until April 21st.

Our pop-up store officially opens today and we’re so excited for everyone to see all the new stuff!  Here a quick behind-the-scenes look at the Red Earth team from our trip to Kenya this past January.  Many of the products you’ll see in the design stages from our trip are available now at the store, so be sure to stop by and see us in Hillsboro Village!

-AJ
Red Earth Team

The Red Earth Team visited the coastal city of Mombasa to see our friend and affiliate Peter Ochiel at Action Ministries. He is helping meet the needs of individuals in his community. If you would like to help him meet those needs we have opportunities to get involved here and here.

-AJ

The Red Earth team visited Raymond’s workshop to work on all the new designs coming up for Spring 2012.

-AJ

Here is a behind the scenes look at some of the new products we’ve been working on with Tom & Mutua.

-AJ

Here is some behind the scenes footage of the Red Earth team visiting the workshops of Douglas and Benson in Nairobi, Kenya.

-AJ

Where to begin…

I feel like I have lived more in the last two weeks than I have in the last year. Kenya is fascinating. Try as you might to prepare your head and your heart to receive it, you will be surprised in a thousand ways. There is something about the feeling here that is so familiar, something you knew when you were a child and forgot along the way. More joy, more life, more dignity, more gentleness – these in excess it seems!

This is one of those experiences that I am savoring. Like memories of my grandparents whom I love and miss so much, I’ll keep this time carefully wrapped up inside myself and allow it to continue to change me through the years that follow.

I cannot adequately explain to you what it has been like to work with the artisans of RETCo., except to say that I am deeply honored to have been a part of this process. They have each sharpened their talent, grown their own businesses out of the most impossible situations, and taken great pains in training a younger generation. They have been exceedingly patient and enthusiastic in this trial-and-error process.

I am excited to stand behind them as we introduce our spring line. The quality of the products they produce is outstanding and the creativity by which they have developed their individual techniques is quite remarkable. They have one request it seems: collectively, they ask that you enjoy what their labor has produced and think of them as you do so. I hope the pieces that you select to purchase from RETCo. would serve as beautiful reminders of people a world away who still take great pride in what they craft by hand. We take great pride in introducing them to you.

-Ev

Team RETCo.

The Jaw necklace from sketch to prototype. Working at Benson’s shop was so inspiring and his enthusiasm over each project is incomparable!

Travis and I reviewing a necklace that Raymond completed. He is a true master artist and carefully guides his several employees in the discipline of brass work.

Working at Raymond’s beautiful workshop in Karen

A handmade mold of sand for the Abacus Necklace hardware. We were lucky enough to see the whole process!

Raw casts of brass bangles before and after the filing and finishing process.

We started off the morning by tracing a few patterns

It was then time to make the trek to Tom and Mutua's shop

Edwin carrying our leather to the shop

Mutua, Tom, Travis, and Evan looking over ideas

Mutua gets right to work on one of the samples

Mutua is an amazing craftsmen

One of the new designs coming together

-Team RETCo.

Evan and JaneRose working on a few new products

This is James who works with Peter at Action Ministries in Mombasa. He also helps us get around in Nairobi!

JaneRose loves making Evan model

Travis crunching numbers. We are really excited to show you all of our new designs!

-Team RETCo.