cross art

Carved in the shape of a dolphin, this copal wood sculpture is hand painted in the traditional style of alebrijes, a folk art form originating in Oaxaca. Jesus and Roxana Hernandez cover the sculpture with a dizzying array of motifs in red, orange, aqua and white.

A rotund fish with big eyes swims sinuously in cool rivers. Colorful motifs from Zapotec art and ancient temples cover the body and fins. By Manuel Cruz, this is a beautiful example of Mexico's alebrije art. The image is carved by hand of copal wood in the style of Oaxaca and meticulously painted by hand with tiny brushes. The finer details are created using a maguey thorn instead of a brush.

The alebrije tradition originated with Mexico City artisan Pedro Linares (1906-1992). When he was 30, he became ill and fell into a coma. While he was unconscious, he dreamed he was caught between the land of the living and the dead, a place populated with creatures whose body parts belonged to different animals. The beings repeatedly cried, "Alebrije!" When he was well, Linares recreated these fanciful figures in papier mache. His work became famous and inspired artisans in the state of Oaxaca, who began crafting alebrijes of wood.

The wood branch dictates the final form, thus size and shapes can vary slightly. Thus, each alebrije is an authentic work of Mexican folk art.

A playful, excited cat makes a vibrant and fun addition to any home, handcrafted from copal wood and maguey plant fibers in the style of traditional alebrijes. Mexican couple Zeny and Reyna proudly paint this sculpture by hand, drawing inspiration from their cultural roots to cover the cat in bright floral motifs against a teal body. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

This charming alebrije sculpture is the original creation of Mexico's Pablo and Lucy Mendez. The perky chihuahua is carved by hand from copal wood before being painted in meticulous detail. Suns, stars, spirals and fretwork in blue, violets and turquoise shades cover the sculpture.

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 "alebrije! alebrije!". Upon his recovery, Linares began recreating the fantastical creatures he had seen in his dream. The art form gained popularity, and alebrijes are now made of wood as well as papier mache.

Fashioned in the style of traditional alebrije handicrafts, this enchanting porcupine figurine is meticulously carved by hand from copal wood while the quills are cleverly made from toothpicks, adding a whimsical touch to the lovely design. Adorned in a vibrant fuchsia hue, the figurine comes alive with a burst of color thanks to the quills' imperial purple, aqua and white accents. This unique decorative accessory bears the mark of Mexican artisans Zeny and Reyna, who infuse it with the spirit of their culture and artistic prowess.

This cute cat tags along on every literary journey, always keeping track of where to start next time. Just like every good story, the existence of this cat arises from a dream - that of Pablo and Lucy Mendez, artisans from Oaxaca, Mexico who specialize in the art of alebrije. Working with wood that regenerates from their copal tree plantations, Pablo and Lucy create this feline-themed bookmark using techniques they learned from their parents, aunts and uncles.

The brainchild of the famed Mexican artist Pedro Linares, alebrije blossomed in 1936 as his reaction to the fantastical world imagined while drifting in and out of consciousness during a battle with serious illness. Animal characters rule Linares' imagined world, existing in forms not witnessed in our reality.

Alebrijes are often a hybrid of real animals, such as elephants and crocodiles, or they can be more fantastical creatures, such as dragons. Artisan Teresita Gonzalez of Xoxocotlan in the Mexican state of Oaxaca creates an elaborately hand carved copal wood alebrije dragonfly, or libelula. The insect is beautifully painted in bold red with accents of black, blue and yellow. 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.

This strong bull, hand-carved from copal wood, has a flaming aura thanks to its exquisitely hand-painted design. Red, orange and yellow hues cover this alebrije figurine, handcrafted by Mexican artisans Zeny and Reyna as a symbol of the region's strength and bravery.