An Instagrammer is Reviving Khokhloma, a Near-Extinct Folk Art

From Russia with love…gems, beads, pearls, and a complete and total explosion of color. These studded and sparkling plates, and their insanely intricate embellishment work, are the ultimate in bedazzling.

These decorative plates are the handicraft of a Russian artist named Daria. Daria, who goes by the Instagram handle @dahhhanart, is getting noticed on the social network for her ornately-designed decorative plates which put a modern twist on the once-nearly defunct Russian folk art tradition, known as Khokhloma—an ornamental painting of wooden tableware.

The Khokhloma style dates back to late 17th century Russia and is traditionally known for the gilded appearance of its painted leaves and floral patterns in red and gold colors against a black background.

Daria’s work departs from traditional Khokhloma in her use of color (and the fact that she also paints on white backgrounds). Her work utilizes a wider range colors, including frequent uses of purple, blue, and green hues which is, of course, perfect considering Pantone’s pick for 2017 color of the year. She also applies this same decorative technique to create vibrant, embellished clocks.

An up-close view of these before and after photos of her work allows you to truly appreciate just how many and dots of paint and appliquéd beads and gems are involved in the process of creating the mandala-inspired geometric patterns and peacocks, with full plumage, that grace her work.

The plates are available for purchase, however prices do vary depending on the plate. That’s likely because the time it takes to finish one of these intricate works, says Daria, can sometimes be two days, and sometimes be weeks. I’d love to see a time-lapse video of that process.

Check out these design ideas for a little inspo on how to incorporate these decorative plates, and others, into your decor.

h/t Martha Stewart