Handmade: Treasures of the Hand

Our Commitment to honor and preserve ancient civilizations drove us to write about some of the "Treasures of the Hand" that we've come to cherish. These treasures are the products of those ancient skills so in danger of being lost, and once lost, they can never been retrieved. More and more traditional societies are turning to modern methods to reproduce what was, in the past, made by hand. pressured by tourist demands, they are forced to take short cuts to produce more objects in less time.

Since 2000, Kathleen Fung, Dennis Keser, and Wallace Aron (our late mentor, editor, and dear friend), have developed the concept of Treasures of the Hand™ to focus on endangered traditional arts, and to find ways to support their survival.

As of 2018 we created Far Fung Places Honors™, "Preserving the Living Arts of Bhutan". Finding and funding Bhutan's future traditional art masters.

Our projects are huge, a lifetime of work in which Kathleen, and Dennis intend to devote their time and effort, and those of you who share this love of the preservation of the past, we will highlight in this section a few of our favorite Treasures of the Hand is being produced in traditional ways.

Journey along the route of treasures of the Hand through Bhutan, Vietnam, and West Africa. Experience the beauty, hear the legends, and understand the key roles these treasures fill in the daily lives of the people who craft them.

Also Enjoy Kathleen Fung's personal website "ArtsinTravel". "Arts in Travel showcases the arts and crafts I’ve collected or admired throughout my 40 years of exploring the world, initially as a tour manager, and since 1991, as owner of my own travel company Far Fung Places".