oaxacan alebrije wood carving

This little monkey just knows he will make a great gift, even if the receiver is the buyer! He is an alebrije, part of a folk art tradition that carves animals and paints them in bright colours and wild designs. This one is crafted by Gerardo and Teresa Ojeda of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Add a unique touch to your holiday ornament collection with this detailed alebrije heart by husband and wife duo Jesus and Roxana. They hand-carve it from copal wood and hand-paint it with joyful geometric designs in turquoise, cyan blue, and purple.

Jesus and Roxana Hernandez come from a Zapotec community in Oaxaca where a large number of the residents work crafting alebrijes. Jesus takes care of the carving part while Roxana works her magic creating the colorful patterns that decorate them.