forest ring

Laura Villalvazo in Mexico creates intriguing jewelry using pine needles gathered from the forest floors of Jalisco. In this unique cocktail ring, the pine needles are woven into a tight spiral that is centered by an iridescent teal crystal bead. The spiral is set on a slender 14k gold plated copper band.

The distinctive pattern of butterfly wings identify these as Monarch butterflies that migrate each year from Canada to spend the winter in Mexican forests. Crafted of Taxco sterling silver, they grace original hoop earrings by Guillermo Arregui.

This beautiful napkin rings are designed and crafted by Laura Villalvazo in Mexico. She gathers natural pine needles from the forests of Jalisco, cleaning them and carefully weaving them into a set of four rings. Their earthy good looks are a natural enhancement for any table.

Poised and ready to swoop in at the first sight of nectar is this inventively decorated hanging hummingbird alebrije from Mexican artisans Jesus and Roxana Hernandez of Oaxaca. Carved by hand from copal wood, the bird's red and purple body is adorned with small yellow blossoms. The removable wings and tail feathers are green and terracotta with yellow tips. The bird can be hung using the metal ring on its back. 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.

A perky green parrot alights on a tree branch. With wings spread, it flaunts flirty feathers in bright primary colors. Pablo and Lucy Mendez carry on the traditional alebrije folk art they learned from their own parents to craft the beautiful bird.

Oaxaca's alebrije tradition derives from the art of Pedro Linares (1906-1992), a Mexico City papier mache artist. While in a coma during a serious illness, he found himself in a dream forest with fanciful creatures made with body parts from different animals. They cried, "Alebrije! Alebrije!" When he awakened, Linares crafted the figures in papier mache and his influence reached to Oaxaca, where they are carved from copal wood.

Because each sculpture is an individually created work of folk art, shapes are dictated by the wood branch and may vary slightly. The feathers and tree trunk are disassembled to protect them during shipping.

A perky red parrot alights on a tree branch. With wings spread, it flaunts flirty feathers in bright primary colors. Pablo and Lucy Mendez carry on the traditional alebrije folk art they learned from their own parents to craft the beautiful bird.

Oaxaca's alebrije tradition derives from the art of Pedro Linares (1906-1992), a Mexico City papier mache artist. While in a coma during a serious illness, he found himself in a dream forest with fanciful creatures made with body parts from different animals. They cried, "Alebrije! Alebrije!" When he awakened, Linares crafted the figures in papier mache and his influence reached to Oaxaca, where they are carved from copal wood.

Because each sculpture is an individually created work of folk art, shapes are dictated by the wood branch and may vary slightly. The feathers and tree trunk are disassembled to protect them during shipping.

The swallow motif has long been popular in authentic Talavera pottery and is usually depicted in cobalt blue, popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. However this bird seems to suggest the quetzal found in the cloud forests of Oaxaca, a state that borders Puebla. Isabelle Collins works in the style and technique of classic Talavera ceramics to create a beautiful ginger jar. This lidded vase is known in Mexico as a tibor; it was brought to Mexico from the Orient by way of the Philippines in the late 1500s.

"We use the same techniques and styles used in 16th-century Puebla. Classic Talavera used only six colors, all of which were natural glazes compounded at home with mineral pigments. We create our homemade paintbrushes using mule hair or horsehair from the mane or tail, according to the thickness desired for our motifs," the artisan confides.

This pretty decorative box comes to life thanks to exquisite decoupage techniques, applied by Mexico's Ana Maria Gonzalez around the lid and sides. Crafted from pinewood, the box has colorful sylvan motifs that evoke the beauty of the forest. The hinged lid lifts to reveal four compartments, perfect for neat storing.