oaxacan art animals

"Feeling proud of my Mexican roots and wishing to raise consciousness regarding Mexico's beautiful endemic animals in danger of extinction, I designed this series of 10 coloring postcards. They are inspired by the multicolored alebrije sculptures of Oaxaca representing magical and fantastical creatures with wings and antennae," explains Alejandra Aceves. This set of postcards includes: a grey wolf, a West Indian manatee, an axolotl fish (Mexican salamander), a red macaw, an armadillo, a tapir, a loggerhead turtle, a pronghorn, a jaguar, and a California Gulf porpoise.

The set of 10 postcards arrives in an acrylic box with information about Aceves' project. Inspired by the illness she lives with, she realized that the symptoms diminished when she concentrated on drawing. Her wish is for others to enjoy being able to relax while coloring her postcards.

This cute cat tags along on every literary journey, always keeping track of where to start next time. Just like every good story, the existence of this cat arises from a dream - that of Pablo and Lucy Mendez, artisans from Oaxaca, Mexico who specialize in the art of alebrije. Working with wood that regenerates from their copal tree plantations, Pablo and Lucy create this feline-themed bookmark using techniques they learned from their parents, aunts and uncles.

The brainchild of the famed Mexican artist Pedro Linares, alebrije blossomed in 1936 as his reaction to the fantastical world imagined while drifting in and out of consciousness during a battle with serious illness. Animal characters rule Linares' imagined world, existing in forms not witnessed in our reality.

Build motivation to read through that stack of must-reads with this cute butterfly-adorned bookmark. Oaxaca-based artisan couple Pablo and Lucy Mendez carve, polish and paint this bookmark based on their own design inspired by the emblematic alebrije style synthesized by famed artist Pedro Linares in 1936. Hand-painted in vivid orange, yellow, green and purple swirls and arched curves, this bookmark demonstrates the beauty of alebrije art.