cool sculpture

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. 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 Calo gypsy word for "something difficult, tangled, confusing or fantastic."

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

Wearing bright red lipstick, a whimsical blue cat lifts her tail in greeting. Zeny and Reyna transform found pieces of copal wood into a delightful alebrije. 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 Calo gypsy word for "something difficult, tangled, confusing or fantastic."

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

I don't know what this monkey is thinking, but I bet his mother taught him to be discreet. This sculpture is an example of a Oaxacan alebrije, a copal wood carving hand-painted in various bright colors and intricate patterns. This monkey is the work of Jesus and Roxana Hernandez, noted alebrije carvers whose work has won awards and media attention. The slender tail is removed for shipping.

This colorful little monkey cannot believes his eyes! This sculpture is an example of a Oaxacan alebrije, a copal wood carving, hand-painted in bright colors and intricate patterns. This image is the work of Jesus and Roxana Hernandez noted alebrije carvers whose work has won awards and media attention. The tail is removed for shipping.

From the fantastic fever dream of Pedro Linares, a loyal alebrije dog comes to life thanks to the talented artisan Esteban Hernandez from Mexico. Working with advanced techniques, he hand-carves this figurine from sturdy copal wood and paints it in a colorful combination of cyan and ochre hues arranged in a geometric pattern.

This poor monkey cannot bear to see the chaos that reigns all around him. This sculpture is an example of a Oaxacan alebrije, a copal wood carving painted in various bright colors and intricate patterns. This monkey is the work of Jesus and Roxana Hernandez noted alebrije carvers whose work has won awards and media attention. The tail is removed for shipping.

Carved of copal wood, a watchful fox is depicted in this charming alebrije figurine. Mexican duo Zeny and Reyna design this figurine, which is hand-painted with metallic motifs over its stark black body. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

The alebrije tradition started with Mexico City papier mache artisan Pedro Linares (1906-1992). When he was 30, he fell into a coma due to serious illness. While he was unconscious, he dreamed he was caught between the land of the living and the dead; the place looked like a forest and was populated with creatures with body parts belonging to different animals. The beings repeatedly uttered the word alebrije. Upon recovering, Linares recreated these figures in bright colors using papier mache techniques and called them alebrijes. His work became famous and was one of the main influences of artisans in the state of Oaxaca who began crafting alebrijes of their own using traditional wood carving methods.

Husband and wife duo Zeny and Reyna from Oaxaca grew up with the tradition of carving alebrijes (fantastical figurines of real and imagined animals); both of their parents were master carvers in that region's traditional folk art. Here they create a wildly colorful dragon in a contorted, acrobatic pose. The dragon is carved by hand from copal wood and painted in a rainbow of psychedelic colors.

Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.It is said that Oaxaca's alebrije tradition descends directly from Mexico City artisan Pedro Linares (1906-1992). When he was 30, he became seriously ill and fell into a sort of coma. While he was unconscious, he had a most fantastic dream. He was caught between the land of the living and the dead; the place looked like a forest and was populated with creatures with body parts belonging to different animals. The beings repeatedly uttered the word alebrije, and when Linares woke up, he recreated these figures in vivid colors using papier mache techniques and called them alebrijes . His work became famous and eventually influenced artisans in the state of Oaxaca who decided to craft alebrijes using traditional wood carving methods and according to that region's world vision.