Paper Birds Take Flight: Lindblad Expeditions Expands Artisan Fund Training Program
Lindblad Expeditions is proud to announce the completion of its latest Artisan Fund training program in the Galápagos in collaboration with Indian wildlife artist Niharika Rajput just in time for World Artisan Day.
Inspired by her experience joining a 10-day Exploring Galápagos expedition on board National Geographic Endeavour II last month, Rajput hosted a week-long artisan workshop for a dozen Galapagueños in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Ecuador.
As part of the program, she shared her knowledge and skills crafting detailed, realistic bird sculptures from upcycled wastepaper to artisans from Santa Cruz and Isabela Islands to grow their skills and product lines.
“Niharika brought more than a new art form to the islands; she brought possibility. This hands-on knowledge exchange represents the next chapter in the Artisan Fund’s Adaptive Reuse program, which aims to repurpose waste materials while fueling economic opportunity in the destinations the National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions co-brand explores,” said Amy Berquist, Vice President of Conservation, Education, and Sustainability, Lindblad Expeditions.
“As we expand our presence in the Galápagos with two new ships, it’s more important than ever that we listen to the aspirations and needs of the community and contribute meaningfully and responsibly to those who make this place so extraordinary.”
“When you truly become one with pristine nature your creativity blossoms in an unprecedented way; that was Galapagos for me,” said Rajput. “It was an honor to work with the artisans, to see their honest, unfiltered dedication towards the project and desire to learn a new skill. I learned a lot from them in terms of how each one approached the project with their unique set of skills and techniques.”
The “Paper Birds” workshop is an evolution of an Artisan Fund initiative that began in 2011, when Ugandan artist Sarah Akot led a series of “Paper to Pearls” workshops for local artisans of the Galápagos.
Rajput’s sessions built on that foundation, introducing new techniques to transform wastepaper into high-value sculptural pieces.
With time and practice, workshop participants may add novel wildlife-inspired upcycled products to the selection of high-quality artisan goods already sold in the Global Galleries on board all four of Lindblad Expeditions’ owned and operated vessels in the Galápagos—including the recently launched National Geographic Delfina and National Geographic Gemini. These items connect guests directly with the hands of the local community and the natural history of this special place.
Launched in 2007, Lindblad Expeditions’ Artisan Fund positively affects the communities where the pioneering expedition cruise brand explores by supporting and empowering local artisans. Guests can find a robust selection of handmade goods—from beaded jewelry to woven baskets—for purchase in the fleet’s shipboard Global Galleries.
A percentage of all sales—including non-Artisan Fund goods—are earmarked for the Fund, which goes towards artisan training programs, equipment, sponsorships, and other educational projects, creating a renewable cycle of support.
(Paper Birds Take Flight: Lindblad Expeditions Expands Artisan Fund Training Program)
