oaxaca arts and crafts

Mexico's alebrije tradition inspires this gift box with the whimsical creatures. It began in 1936 in Mexico City when Pedro Linares became ill and fell into a coma. He dreamed he was caught between the land of the living and the dead in a forest-like place, populated with fantastical hybrid creatures. They repeatedly cried alebrije! After recovering, the artisan recreated these figures in bright papier mache and called them alebrijes. Today, artisans in the state of Oaxaca carve copal wood alebrijes, beautifully painted by hand.

A Oaxacan alebrije sculpture takes centre stage with its brilliant colours and intricate motifs. A set of ten alebrije colouring cards invites your own creativity, and a box of colouring pencils of recycled paper completes the set for hours of artistic fun.