The plate is hand carved out of natural soapstone then painted and then etched to produce the final product. Each plate is an original work made by artisans in Kenya.
For this item, the artisan drew a cat to represent the cats and birds of the African savannah. (Please read below the production process to create objects of art).
The plate is great as a standalone decorative ornament but can also be used in many ways, aperitif dish or soap dish in the bathroom.
 
Background: The plate starts out as raw soapstone, ‘Kisii stone’ is mined in the Kisii area,  a specific type of soapstone that can range from 300 to 400 million years old. The stone is rough cut then shaped by the artisan. 
After sanding to a smooth finish the artist sketches the design and paints colours.
Finally, abstract shapes and details are painted to make a unique Kenyan product.