This book uses a feminist approach to analyzing gender relations in the production and distribution of folk art in four different cultures. It examines examples of women's creativity within male-dominated societies and offers an analysis of different art forms, including clay figures, baskets, lacquer work, and dolls.

This book is a mosaic or quilt of folk art around the world, from polychrome clay figures made in Izúcar de Matamoros, Puebla (Mexico) to the baskets Maori women create in New Zealand, from Japanese lacquer work and decorated paddles to black dolls in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The creative impulse found in three continents, four countries, and four geographical regions are juxtaposed to make up a harmonious whole. The book carries out a detailed dissection of a variety of ethnic, racialized, and gender representations in their contemporary forms.