OUR VISION · To promote peace, knowledge, and respect both for our cultural differences and for the common humanity we share.

OUR ROOTS · The seeds of MacroSun were planted in 1990 when Gil returned from volunteer projects in Tibet, Nepal, and India. This work-pilgrimage included an environmental project in Tibet near Lake Nam T’so and work at a hospital in Kathmandu. In India, he studied at the Gandhi Peace Foundation, as well as the Tibetan Government-in-Exile and various ashrams and monasteries in India

In the course of travel, Gil made many personal friendships with artists, craftspeople, and families. Traditional pieces were gathered in various villages in South Asia and given as gifts to family and friends in the States. Gil was searching for a way to keep the intercultural connections alive, and share this beauty and artistry with others. One thing led to another, and the initial vision of MacroSun was created: to directly bridge the cultures of the Himalayas and South Asia with America through the medium of art.

MacroSun was born in the summer of 1991 with a dedicated buying trip through Thailand, Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka. Though we had no formal experience in international trade or retail business, we did have deep friendships with artists in Asia, the support of local friends, and an unwavering commitment to our vision. The first actual storefront was opened in a tiny space in the Central West End of St. Louis, Missouri later that year.

The response from the local community was heartening, and MacroSun International has grown and evolved through the years. We moved into larger retail/gallery locations in St. Louis and will be expanding into New Mexico and Texas. We now offer our pieces throughout the world via our online catalog. We also sponsor traditional South Asian dance, music, and performance art. We support major cultural events such as the Tibetan Opera and the North American tour of the Buddhist Ritual Dance of the Kathmandu Valley.

As the years have passed, our connections and friendships with the artists and craftspeople overseas have deepened. We have witnessed many changes in their families and in environmental, economic, and political/human rights situations.

We have also expanded our connections. They include artists, craftspeople, co-ops, ‘cottage’ industries, refugee camps, and hospitals throughout India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. We work directly with Afghani, Burmese, and Tibetan refugees.

We remain committed to the original vision that inspired us. Our goal is to provide unique, authentic pieces at prices fair to both artists and collectors, and to make the pieces directly accessible to all. We seek to promote global peace by respecting both our cultural differences and our common humanity – by making individual connections heart-to-heart, family-to-family, not just “nation-to-nation.”