paintings

A myriad shades of blue conjure a cool and soothing universe in this elegant nierika, or votive beadwork painting by Kupihaute. Scorpions scuttle purposefully around the center of the composition, which takes the shape of a flower with five wide petals.

The artist, who writes fluently in the Huichol, Nahuatl and English languages, talks about this work in his own words. "From the focal center of the nierika, the precious flower arises in spiral movement as the culminating expression of the deepest roots. The blossom is keeping in its entrails the seed that will disseminate the power of creative energy. This is symbolized by the scorpions that, in their wonderful body symmetry, show the essence of the power itself, since any imbalance in its mating dance, any missing the target, will cause its own poisoning and thus its own death. Therefore the symbol of cosmos, of order is shown in their mouths and the tails."

The intricate images are formed with tiny seed beads. Kupihuate patiently places them one at a time with a needle made of abalone shell onto a huanacaxtle wood backing. Beeswax is used instead of glue.

The process is totally spontaneous, with no previous sketch or design. It is guided by the artist's unconscious to tell the stories that remain in our collective ancestral memory. He signs his work with the symbol of a butterfly on the reverse side of the nierika.

A delightful piece of decor, this alebrije camel figurine is handcrafted by artisans Jesus and Roxana Hernandez of Mexico. The artisans paint the camel stone grey with intricate multicolored accents on the legs and face.

Ready for monkey business, this colourful figurine is a fun addition to any space. Esteban Hernandez in Mexico works in the Oaxacan folk art style of alebrijes to create the small sculpture from copal wood and paint it by hand.

This beautiful alebrije figurine is from Gerardo and Teresa Ojeda in Mexico. They carve the sculpture by hand from copal wood, painting it in careful detail. Alebrijes are a traditional Oaxacan folk art, typically crafted from papier mache or wood.

This beautiful alebrije figurine is from Gerardo and Teresa Ojeda in Mexico. They carve the sculpture by hand from copal wood, painting it in careful detail. Alebrijes are a traditional Oaxacan folk art, typically crafted from papier mache or wood.

Mexico's Day of the Dead festivities are unlike any other country's, but skulls are part of the national shared imagery and are a favorite subject for artisans all year. After this hand carved copal wood skull from Jesus and Roxana Hernandez of the Mexican state of Oaxaca is covered in navy blue paint with tiny sky blue dots, it is further decorated on the tops and sides with circles containing geometric figures and curving lines. Yellow, black, green, purple, and pink tones are utilized to hand paint the fanciful designs. Around the blackened eye sockets are outlines in yellow and red; the nasal cavity is delineated in purple. Two straight rows of white teeth give the skull a sober expression.

This cute little porcupine invites you to experience the rich artisanal history of Mexico, crafted of copal wood with maguey plant fiber spines. Mexico's Zeny and Reyna work together to craft this wonderful alebrije sculpture, painting it by hand with hues of bright green, yellow, red, and blue for a vibrant look.

Embrace the radiant splendor of blooming prickly pears with Alejandra Gallardo's enchanting pair of wooden ornaments, echoing Mexico's captivating folk art traditions through meticulous hand-painting. Bursting with a lively spectrum of colours and equipped with ribbons for effortless hanging on your Christmas tree, these accessories infuse a touch of charm into your holiday décor, celebrating the rich heritage of Mexican art.

The Oaxacan folk art form of alebrijes dates back to the 1930s. A Mexican artist named Pedro Linares had dreams while ill, in which fantastical creatures rushed towards him shouting the nonsense word, "alebrije! alebrije!". When he woke from his fevered sleep, he was compelled to recreate the unusual creatures that he had seen in his dream. This excellent quetzal alebrije is the original creation of Mexico's Gerardo and Teresa Ojeda. They carve the bird and its long feathers by hand from copal wood and paint them in meticulous detail.

This excellent quetzal alebrije is the original creation of Mexico's Gerardo and Teresa Ojeda. They carve the bird and its long feathers by hand from copal wood and paint them in meticulous detail. The Oaxacan folk art form dates back to the 1930s. A Mexican artist named Pedro Linares had dreams while ill, in which fantastical creatures rushed towards him shouting the nonsense word, "alebrije! alebrije!". When he woke from his fevered sleep, he was compelled to recreate the unusual creatures that he had seen in his dream.

This marvelous quetzal alebrije is the original creation of Mexico's Gerardo and Teresa Ojeda. They carve the bird and its long feathers by hand from copal wood and paint them in meticulous detail. The Oaxacan folk art form dates back to the 1930s. A Mexican artist named Pedro Linares had dreams while ill, in which fantastical creatures rushed towards him shouting the nonsense word, "alebrije! alebrije!". When he woke from his fevered sleep, he was compelled to recreate the unusual creatures that he had seen in his dream.

This stunning alebrije sculpture is the original work of Esteban Hernandez in Mexico. Carved by hand from copal wood, the statuette is painted in meticulous detail with elabourate patterns and bold colours.

The folk art tradition of alebrijes dates back to the 1930s in Mexico City. A man named Pedro Linares was taken ill, and in his fevered dreams he saw a strange land populated with curious creatures--a donkey with wings, a rooster with bull's horns, and a lion with the head of a dog. The beasts all ran at him, shouting the nonsense word, "alebrije! alebrije!". Upon his recovery, Linares began recreating the fantastical creatures he had seen in his dream in papier mache. The art form gained popularity, and alebrijes are now made of wood as well as papier mache. The same style of painting can also be found on other (non-animal) items.