handmade statue

Grinning widely, this small skull figurine adds a cultural accent to any space. Miguel Diaz in Mexico crafts the papier mache sculpture in the tradition of Huichol crafts, attaching tiny glass beads in elabourate patterns using beeswax as an adhesive. The Huichol or Wixarika are an indigenous people in central western Mexico.

In traditional Huichol style, tiny glass beads are individually applied by hand to this small papier mache skull using beeswax. Mexico's Miguel Diaz designs and crafts the sculpture, which features peyote flower motifs, a common element in Huichol design. The Huichol or Wixarika are an indigenous people in central western Mexico.

This fun zebra wall sculpture is created by the artisans of Caribbean Craft, who work with recycled paper and locally grown arrowroot starch to create it. The papier mache sculpture has a modern aesthetic to complement any decor. Caribbean Craft strives to create stable, sustainable incomes for individual artisans and grow business opportunities for isolated artisan communities throughout Haiti.

Working in papier mache, Marina Lozano of Mexico creates this beautiful catrina statuette. The skeletal sculpture is elegantly dressed, with flowers in her hair and a macaw at her bosom. Lozano designs the figurine after the original "La Calavera Catrina", a zinc etching created by the artist José Guadalupe Posada in Mexico around 1910. Posada created the character, a female skeleton with an elegant hat, as a satirical portrait of Mexican natives who aspired to European style and denied their own heritage. The catrina has since become an emblem of Mexico's Day of the Dead celebration and a popular folk art subject.

The charismatic salamander known as the axolotl is beautifully captured in the form of an alebrije by Mexican artisan Marina Lozano. The artisan works in papier mache to create the sculpture, which is carefully painted by hand in brilliant colours.

The folk art tradition of alebrijes dates back to the 1930's 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.

Working in papier mache, Marina Lozano in Mexico creates this fanciful alebrije sculpture. The winged cat is carefully hand painted with a dizzying array of motifs in myriad colours.

The folk art tradition of alebrijes dates back to the 1930's 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.

Lifting the hem of her wide skirts, a beautiful catrina in blue launches into a sevillana. Maria Lozano in Mexico crafts the stunning skeletal figurine from papier mache, painting it carefully by hand. Lozano designs the figurine after the original "La Calavera Catrina", a zinc etching created by the artist José Guadalupe Posada in Mexico around 1910. Posada created the character, a female skeleton with an elegant hat, as a satirical portrait of Mexican natives who aspired to European style and denied their own heritage. The catrina has since become an emblem of Mexico's Day of the Dead celebration and a popular folk art subject.

Hovering on whirring red wings, a sapphire blue hummingbird brings beauty and cheer wherever it goes. Miguel Zambrano works in papier mache to create the figurine, which he presents as a hanging ornament to emphasize the little bird's swift flight.