Painted Creatures Made In Oaxaca Mexico
Ranked #10,093 in Arts & Design, #184,385 overall
The magical wood carvings of the Oaxacan valley
Oaxacan folk art wood carvings — also called animalitos ("little animals") — are carved and painted entirely by hand in villages in the Southern Mexican state of Oaxaca.
Each carving begins with branches of copal wood. For many artists, the twisting, curving branches are an important source of inspiration, and suggest the shape that the carving will finally take. Artists work the green wood with primitive tools, let it dry, then hand-sand the forms into their finished shape. At that point, each work has a smooth, almost porcelain-like surface, and is ready for painting.
Each family — even each village — has distinctive painting styles. Painters derive inspiration from other village art forms such as pottery or weaving; from Paquime pottery; from their native Zapotec culture and imagery; and from designs shared among southwestern Native American cultures.
Painting techniques are as varied as the designs. For instance, artists in San Pedro Cajonos, about five hours outside the capital in the Sierra del Sud mountains, achieve their finely detailed textures by painting with maguey spines dipped in inks and dyes!
Completed works range from whimsical, simple figurines to complex museum-quality sculptures that can take months to complete, with multiple family members assisting in a single creation.
The worldwide critical success of Oaxacan wood carvings has given rise to a new industry in what was once one of Mexico's poorest regions. In fact, there are now over 200 artisan families working in villages scattered outside the Oaxacan capital. Most of the activity takes places in three villages: Arrazola, at the foot of Monte Albán, the Zapotec sacred mountain; San Martín Tilcajete, a picturesque town in the central Oaxacan Valley; and La Union Tejalapan.
Each purchase on the PaintedCreatures.com site contributes directly to the support of these gifted artists and to the continued economic transformation of the region.
To explore our gallery of Oaxacan folk art wood carvings, click here.
Contents at a Glance
Golden armadillo
from Oaxacan artists Victor and Jesusita Xuana
ARTISTS VICTOR AND JESUSITA XUANA make their debut at Painted Creatures with this spectacular golden and blue armadillo. Often, creatures' tails are carved separately from the body, then attached, yet here the artist has sculpted the gold and lemon segmented tail — along with the armadillo's body — from a single piece of copalillo wood.
Dimensions:
2.5" high
7.125" front-to-back
1.375" side-to-side
Weight:
2.6 oz.
Signed:
Victor Xuana y Jesusita
Black-faced flowered pig
from Oaxacan artist Maria Jimenez
SAN MARTIN TILCAJETE is home to talented Oaxacan artists Maria Jimenez Ojeda and her brother Candido.
A little town off Highway 175 due south of the Oaxacan capitol, San Martin is one of three villages where most of Oaxaca's woodcarvers reside. It lies in the central Oaxacan Valley — a somewhat misleading term, since the average elevation of the "valley" is nearly that of Denver!
Maria's painting style is in a class by itself. Her lavishly detailed creatures are covered with tiny birds, flowers, and intricate geometric patterns. Her brothers, Candido and Aaron, shows the clear influence of their famous sister's style: imaginary flowers with graceful curving petals, sprouting leaves, and textures filled with hundreds of tiny points are typical.
Dimensions:
2.50" high
5.5" front-to-back
2.0" side-to-side
Weight:
2.3 oz.
Signed:
Aaron Jimenez O., San Martin Tilcajete, Oaxaca
Teal ladybug
from Oaxacan artists Maria and Jacobo Angeles
Sea Turtle
from Oaxacan artist Roberta Angeles
IMAGINATIVELY PAINTED in gem-like colors, this streamlined sea turtle features the artist's signature calla lilies on the turquoise flippers and blue-violet shell. From artist Roberta Angeles, in the village of San Martin Tilcajete, Oaxaca.
Dimensions:
1.25" high
8.0" front-to-back
7.75" side-to-side
Weight:
4.5 oz.
Signed:
Roberta Angeles
Zebra
from Oaxacan artist Angel Ramirez
THIS EXQUISITELY SCULPTED, aristocratic zebra is the creation of Oaxacan master Angel Ramirez.
Dimensions:
5.3" high
3.5" front-to-back
1.4" side-to-side
Weight:
1.3 oz.
Signed:
Angel Ramires
White bird with copper feathers
from Oaxacan artist Victor Xuana
THIS PLUMP intricately-patterned bird is the creation of Oaxacan artists Victor and Jesusita Xuana. Notice the striking copper tail and the touches of red in the otherwise monochrome plumage.
Dimensions:
3.75" high
5.25" front-to-back
2.875" side-to-side
Weight:
3.2 oz.
Signed:
Victor Xuana y Jesusita
Dragonfly
from Oaxacan artist Raul Blas
IN THE MOUNTAINS of San Pedro Cajonos, the Blas family creates dazzlingly detailed sea creatures and insects like this beautiful little dragonfly. The delicate signature stippling which cover their creations is painstakingly applied using maguey cactus spines dipped in inks or dyes.
Dimensions:
2.75" high
7.75" front-to-back
11.75" side-to-side
Weight:
1.7 oz.
Signed:
Raul Blas
Purple seated buffalo
from Oaxacan artist Angel Ramirez
FROM MASTER ARTIST Angel Ramirez comes a gentle purple buffalo with shaggy black mane and teal bristles in purple fur.
Dimensions:
5.25" high
1.75" front-to-back
5.0" side-to-side
Weight:
4.5 oz.
Signed:
Angel R.
by LA44
This is our dog Ladybug. She's kinda crazy, but we love her!
Ladybug represents many artists, including many from Oaxaca, Mexico, who create our Painted...
more »
- 1 featured lens
- Winner of 2 trophies!
- Top lens » Painted Creatures Made In Oaxaca Mexico
Explore related pages
- Polymer Clay Sculpting Tips and Tutorials Polymer Clay Sculpting Tips and Tutorials
- Frog Art Center Frog Art Center
- Building Armatures for Polymer Clay Sculpture Building Armatures for Polymer Clay Sculpture
- ★ DIY Garden Crafts & Outdoor Decoration Ideas | Tutorial Roundup ★ ★ DIY Garden Crafts & Outdoor Decoration Ideas | Tutorial Roundup ★
- Philadelphia's Magic Gardens Philadelphia's Magic Gardens
- Miniature Sculptures Miniature Sculptures
