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Read the Reviews

Sognali Village now holds the patent on Soganli dolls

Inside BayArea: "Indigenous Women Artists Celebrated at Pleasanton Event" February, 2005

Marie Claire Article, February, 2004

Marie Claire Taiwan, April, 2004

New university course is based on In Her Hands (pdf)

Photographs by Paola Gianturco opens in a new IN HER HANDS GALLERY at the Carol Ann Read Breast Health Center Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, April 15, 2008 (pdf)

"This richly beautiful collection of photos
and stories..."New York Times
 

 

"This is an important book...each chapter vividly captures both the techniques used and the social context in which the women's wares are crafted...a lushly illustrated volume with a political message...The book opens with a thoughtful foreword by Alice Walker...recommended as a valuable addition to most library collections...."
Library Journal

"Their book is a stunning tribute to women artisans...Gianturco and Tuttle draw us along on their journeys...Gianturco's narrative takes the reader beyond statistics on poverty and literacy to create vivid portraits of the women micro-entrepreneurs...Accompanying the text are hundreds of dazzling color photos which bring the women to life..."
Women's Review of Books

"This incredibly rich book is filled with photographs and stories of women...Tuttle's contribution to each chapter is an entry from her journal, making us feel we are a part of the authors' remarkable experiences...Alice Walker says, "I knew these women to be ancestors and mothers and sisters, girlfriends and aunts; I knew they had been with me forever." We can all feel that connection with the women in In Her Hands."
Bloomsbury Review

"Sweeping in scope, In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World combines stunning photography of artisans and their work with equally compelling and poignant text about the determination of poor women to transform the future for themselves, their children, and yes, even the world. With tremendous sensitivity and a knack for engaging the reader with their vivid storytelling, Gianturco and Tuttle document these and countless other courageous acts."
Fiberarts

"The result of their dramatic journey is In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World, an important and lovingly produced 256-page book that tells in words and 260 powerful color photos, the stories of 18 communities of women on four continents in 12 countries..."
Interweave Knits

"A glorious celebration of poor women in a variety of cultures...The kaleidoscope of photographs is truly amazing...Gianturco and Tuttle succeed at bringing these women to life."
Chicago Sun Times

"The scope of this project is staggering-but what Gianturco and Tuttle have done, via journal entries, text, interviews and 260 color photographs, is to coherently document the impact of micro-enterprise on women around the world."
Center for Photographic Projects, What's Happening

"A stunning collection of color images and stories..."
San Francisco Chronicle

"...captures the art and the dauntless spirit of the world's poorest women, making what could be a grim tale into one of hope and admiration."
Denver Post

"stunning photographs..."
Chicago Tribune

"Take a good long look at In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World, a striking new book photographed and written by Gianturco and Tuttle..."
Business Week

In Her Hands is a powerful photographic celebration of courageous women around the world. We rejoice in their hopes and dreams and in the beauty of their work. This book will inspire all of us to support them in their struggles to bring better lives to their children through the crafts they create.
Susan Fisher Sterling, Chief Curator
National Museum of Women in the Arts


In Her Hands is an original look at how creative craftmaking can enrich and beautify life while improving social and economic conditions. But this is only the beginning. Everything about this book is an inspiration. The stories and the work of these craftswomen worldwide inspire wonder and admiration for their diverse skills and their humanity; and the accomplished photography and personal text by Paola Gianturco and Toby Tuttle are a moving testament to the power of love and belief.
Lean Bendavid-Val, Senior Editor,
National Geographic Books;
author of Propaganda and Dreams

I am excited about In Her Hands, an extraordinary book whose scope is international but whose beautiful photographs and stories are intimate. The book, inspired by the 1995 United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, highlights women artisans' lives and contributions and shows us all how to value their creative expression, which is essential to ensuring their participation in a globalizing economy. In Her Hands demonstrates how critical women artisans are to the diversity, culture and the economies of their countries and to the world.
Joanne Sandler, Chief, OLRD
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)

In Her Hands is a personally and sensitively written book illustrated by beautiful, intimate photographs. It is a tribute to the many strengths of women worldwide and to their ability to overcome tremendous negative odds by asserting themselves and harnessing their potentials to create better societies and improved conditions for their families. Gianturco and Tuttle take us directly into the lives of these people, giving us glimpses of their lifestyles, their passions and their hopes...with an addendum that suggests ways in which direct action can be taken to help these women and others, In Her Hands is essential material for opening minds to the ethical demands of our new millennium.
Stephen P. Huyler, anthropologist and author
Painted Prayers: Women's Art in Village India and
Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion

Through vivid photographs and moving observations, In Her Hands brings into clear view the ingenuity of the world's craftswomen. Their creativity is inspiring not only in the beauty of their products but also for the way these women sustain their local cultures while supporting their children's journeys into literacy and greater opportunities. A spirit of female community shines though in these pages, which document how collective efforts can empower women and their families. Their crafts, like this book, provide a gift for all the world to treasure.
Estelle Freedman, Chair
Feminist Studies, Stanford University

This is a book of hands and stories they tell. The authors give us a graceful and unadulterated glimpse into the lives of distant women in far away countries. We see their colors, taste their foods, hear their voices. We see how they take their destinies into their own hands and weave a web of greater privilege for their children as they spin and span their tradition. The elegance of their spirit filters through the pages as their crafts filter through their hands. They call out to us and we answer. In Her Hands is two hands up to the sky.
Alev Lytle Croutier, author
Harem: The World Behind the Veil
Palace of Tears

Seven Houses
La Poupee

In Her Hands takes the reader on an amazing journey to Bolivia, Guatemala, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia. As I read, I felt I was visiting the women of these and other countries, watching them paint magnificent flowers on their houses, create dolls, purses, and jewelry with beads, knot fantastically rich rugs, dye clothing, weave finely colored fabrics. The book's pages burst forth at every turn with the vibrant colors of the women's crafts and their lives. The photography is stunning. Most moving of all to me was the deep commitment on the part of the craftswomen in all the countries to use their earnings for the education of their children, and in particular, their concern for the advancement of their female children. This is a book I plan to keep by my side to look at for inspiration for my own work, a gift I will give to friends, a treasure trove; and more than a book on marvelous crafts, it is a study of the economic ingenuity and priorities of women.
Susan Krieger, sociologist and author
The Family Silver: Essays on Relationships among Women