cultural decor

A playful hummingbird seeks out the sweet nectar of flowers in an alebrije sculpture designed to hang from the ceiling. 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."

Includes a thread for hanging.

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

Mexican artisans Jesus and Roxana Hernandez follow Pedro Linares' traditional Alebrije art style to create this lovely home accent. Crafted from copal wood, the ornament dangles from a handy cord, featuring a warm-toned heart completed with vibrant green wings, all painted by hand and adorned with traditional motifs.

Handcrafted of copal wood in the traditional style of alebrije sculptures, this delightful hummingbird brings beauty and grace to your tree this holiday season. Jesus and Roxana Hernandez of Mexico create the ornament, which is painted by hand. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

Alebrijes are a fairly recent Mexican art form, attributed to Pedro Linares. Unconscious due to illness in 1936, he was presumed near death and yet his dreams were extremely vivid. He tells of a place where all was peaceful and quiet until all of a sudden there appeared a lion with an eagle's head, a rooster with bull's horns and a donkey with butterfly wings. They kept screeching "alebrije, alebrije!" and Pedro began running away. He encountered a man who told him it was not yet his time to be there are and he should continue running towards the exit. In this dream Pedro climbed out of a window and regained consciousness.

Spreading its stunning feathers, this charming hummingbird embodies the spirit of the jungle, transporting you to an ethereal realm full of vegetation and calm. Mexican artisans Zeny and Reyna handcraft this exquisite ornament from copal wood, transforming the piece into a traditional alebrije figurine whose palette of emerald and citron hues creates a dazzling illusion. In addition, a little loop allows you to hang the design anywhere.

A delightful piece of decor, this alebrije cricket statuette is painted in bright shades of green. Mexican artisans Pablo and Lucy Mendez handcraft the cricket from copal wood. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

It is said that Oaxaca's alebrije tradition descends directly from Mexico City papier mache 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.