piece of art

Hand-carved from copal wood, this enchanting Alebrije figurine captures the classic essence of Pedro Linares' art style in each hand-painted detail decorating its exquisite design. Mexican artisans Jesus and Roxana Hernandez work long hours on the piece, embellishing this stunning snake with a graceful palette of melon, purple and red hues.

Inspired by the emotions found in nature and in our own life experiences, Mexican artisans Pablo and Lucy Mendez design this alebrije sculpture of a dragonfly. Painted in bright shades of pink and red, the handcrafted copal wood dragonfly makes a cheery piece of decor. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

This adorable key fob is hand crafted by Claudio Ojeda in Mexico. The panda alebrije is carved from copal wood and painted in black and white and myriad patterns and shapes in pink and purple. The wood figurine adorns a stainless steel key ring. The artisan signs his pieces with the initials "T.C.", which represent his initial "C" preceded by his mother Teresita's initial "T". Claudio learned the art of crafting alebrijes from his mother.

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 shouted "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.

Spreading its gorgeous feathers, this lovely hummingbird embodies the spirit of Mexico's festivities, transporting you to an ethereal realm full of joy and harmony. Mexican artisans Zeny and Reyna handcraft this sublime ornament from copal wood, transforming the piece into a traditional alebrije figurine whose palette of orange, crimson and carnation hues creates a breathtaking illusion. In addition, a little loop allows you to hang the design anywhere.