Production is often a family affair – dads wield the cutting tools, creating the raw figure. They get their inspiration from many places, including their dreams and superstitions, and their exuberant fiestas. The workers chop at sawed off branches with their machetes, then culpt the finer details with pocket knives. The wood is lightweight, easily workable, and sands to a smooth finish. They make their figurines from the twisted branches of hte copal tree, which grows wild on the valley hills.
They live mostly in three villages – Arrazola, San Martín Tilcajete, and La Union Tejalapan. THe artisan families are proud descendants of the pre-Colombian Zapotec culture. Now, some 200 families in the valley are carving to meet the vast demand for this art. Folk art enthusiasts discovered and promoted the wooden figurines of Manuel Jimenez, who lived in the village of Arrazola. Kids love them too, particularly after seeing the alebrijes animated in the movie “Coco”.Oaxaca carvings arrived on the Mexican art scene in the 1980s. Collectors prize them, especially if signed by the artists. Each is one-of-a-kind, in both shape and coloring. The artisans carve and paint the whimsical figurines by hand. Often referred to as “alebrijes”, the finely crafted figurines are created by the talented carvers of the Oaxaca (pronounced wah-HA-kuh) valley. With their engaging designs and brilliant colors, Oaxaca wood carvings are the most sought-after kind of folk art in Mexico.
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