Oaxacan wood carvings, also
known as Alebrijes, are whimsical and enchanting art figures
that have captivated collectors and enthusiasts worldwide. These
highly imaginative and brilliantly colored figures are totally
hand-carved and painted in tiny villages in the Oaxacan Valley
of Southern Mexico. Many of the carvers are descendants of the
legendary and renowned Zapotec Indian Tribe of Oaxaca.
Hand Carved Enchanting Wooden Art
Each figure is handmade from Copal wood, a soft regenerative
wood that grows in abundance in the hills surrounding Oaxacan
Valley, using machetes and pocket knives. Artists carve the basic
shape of a figure in a few days, then hand sand and meticulously
paint each piece in great detail. It can take up to a full week
to complete one figure. The artists use fantasy and imagination
in their painting to make the animals appear more alive.
