I really love these carved animals, or alebrijes, that are everywhere to be seen in the Oaxaca region of Mexico. I brought back two lizards, just like the one pictured her--I planned to attach them with fishing line to a tree outside, but so far I haven't been able to part with them long enough to get them outside. I also brought back an absolutely gorgeous rooster. When I am traveling and I see something everywhere, sometimes I lose sight of the fact that no one will have even one of them, and if I don't get one that I will be so sorry later on. That philosophy means that the art in my house lacks focus and a clear theme, but it also means that I love every piece. The additional silver lining is that it reminds me of the trip that it was acquired on, and Oaxaca is a very special place indeed.
The tradition had been around for hundreds of years, and is likely to stem back to the time of colonialism, when the Dominican monks taught local people to carve a local tree. The local churches have clearly benefited from the skills they learned--both originally, and in the attempts to restore Oaxaca's many local churches. The alebrijes are usually made by a family--the man carves, using very simple tools, and the woman paints--that was true of the ones that I bought, and I was able to meet both artists when I purchased them. I did not get to visit a village that specializes in these carvings--so I have something that I need to do on my return to the region!
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