Novica Handmade Spry Grasshopper Wood Alebrije Sculpture - 4.7 D

This delightful alebrije figurine is the original creation of Mexico's Claudio Ojeda. The Oaxacan artisan carves the grasshopper by hand from cedar wood, and then paints it by hand with a psychedelic medley of colorful motifs. The grasshopper's small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

The folk art tradition of alebrijes dates back to the 1930's in Mexico City. A man named Pedro Linares was taken ill, and in his fevered dreams he saw a strange land populated with curious creatures--a donkey with wings, a rooster with bull's horns, and a lion with the head of a dog. The beasts all ran at him, shouting "alebrije! alebrije!". Upon his recovery, Linares began recreating the fantastical creatures he had seen in his dream. The art form gained popularity, and alebrijes are now made of wood as well as papier mache. The same style of painting can also be found on other (non-animal) items.
 

Product Features: 

• Dimension: 5" H x 3.1" W x 4.7" D
• Weight: 0.04
• Color: Multicolor
• Material: Cedar wood
• Warning: Choking Hazard. Small parts -- not for children under 3 years.
• Hand-crafted item -- color, size and/or motif may vary slightly
• Signed by the artist
• Made in Mexico

Story Behind the art:
Update (July, 2019)

My mother, Teresita Gonzales, also a featured artist, and I began working with you in 2018.

It's been a real adventure, since we've been able to introduce our work to more people and my sales have increased. We have grown as artisans, preserving one of the most beautiful traditions of Mexico, alebrijes. We carry on the very clear mission of sharing the nahual tradition with each one of our hand-painted sculptures, which I have been creating since I was a boy.

I'm very happy to work with you, and for the opportunity to showcase my heart ornaments in the National Geographic catalog. Sales have soared since that time.

Since we began working with you, we've become more perfectionist and strict with ourselves. And we received two honorable mentions from FOFA in the areas of sculpture and painting.

We imbue our designs with energy, passion, and a beautiful promise to share our work and talent. More than anything, our alebrijes preserve traditions that reflect more than a century of history. One of our trademarks is a textured finish that is visible in each sculpture.

"We continue working with a variety of designs and colors in order to fulfill everyone's needs.

Original Artisan Story

My parents are also artists in the tradition of the Mazatec and Zapotec peoples in Oaxaca. When I was a boy, I enjoyed helping my mother around the house. I was very shy and the target of bullying. When was 12, I took martial arts classes and, thanks to that, I learned to be disciplined and believe in myself. However, a few years later I hurt my knee and broke my clavicle, and couldn't continue.

When I was six, my mother began teaching me to make alebrijes, which are small and fanciful figurines whose form is dictated by natural branches. This was a legacy that marked my life. I wanted to learn the stories of alebrije artisans. Later, I became interested in crafting them myself. My mother was very patient when she taught me this craft. 

The handmade touch of artisan skill creates variations in color, size and design. If buying two of the same item, slight differences should be expected. Note: Color discrepancies may occur between this product and your computer screen.

Imported