art pieces

Hovering on whirring wings, a whimsical hummingbird seeks out the sweet nectar of flowers. Zeny and Reyna transform found pieces of copal wood into a delightful alebrije painted orange, red, yellow, green, white and black. These fanciful sculptures are a traditional folk art in Oaxaca, once based on twenty totems but today representing all kinds of animals. They take their name from a Caló gypsy word for "something difficult, tangled, confusing or fantastic."

Includes a thread for hanging.

Because each alebrije is individually created work of folk art, shapes will vary slightly. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

A playful little cat has taken over a bench in this unique sculpture from the Zapotec Dream Family Workshop in Mexico. Crafted in the style of alebrijes, a folk art style traditional to Oaxaca, the cat and bench are carved from copal wood and painted in vibrant colours.

The folk art of alebrijes dates back to an old tale from Mexico City. In his fevered dreams, a man called Pedro Linares saw an endless number of curious and fantastic creatures. Inspired by that incredible vision, Pedro recreated those magical beings with papier mache, naming them after the word those creatures shouted in his dreams: "alebrije! alebrije!"

What ancient wisdom does this little man have to share? Handcrafted by Chorotega pottery artisan Elpidio Chavarría of the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, this ceramic statuette of a seated man with headdress and glasses is the natural sand color of the clay with details painted in dark orange and brown.

Chorotega pottery is completely handmade with traditional techniques passed down through the generations for 3,000 years, and one of the last surviving cultural elements of the Chorotega people indigenous to Costa Rica’s Guanacaste region and Nicoya Peninsula. Chorotega pottery is made from local clay mixed with a very fine freshwater sand. The artisans shape the clay on hand-operated pottery wheels and hand-polish the art piece to give it a smooth texture and luster. Designs are etched by hand and the pieces are painted with natural pigments made from pulverized local colored rocks mixed with water, then fired in traditional wood-burning brick kilns. The result is a beautiful, earthen pottery unique to this region.

The famous Catrina—an icon of femininity and tradition in the celebrations held in honour of the Day of the Dead—arrives in a wondrous floral dress that evokes the tropical side of Mexico's summer season. Master artisan Jorge Escamilla captures the icon's enigmatic and playful beauty in a ceramic sculpture painted by hand in a palette of orange hues. The piece also arrives with a little monkey climbing its dress, symbolizing fun and youth.