Mexican Hand Decorated Copal Wood Owl Alebrije Sculpture, "Dream Owl"
Looking every bit the product of a fever dream that alebrijes are, this outlandishly-decorated owl sculpture is crafted by hand from copal wood by Mexican artisans Jesus and Roxana Hernandez. "Mastering the art of alebrijes requires practice, discipline and much love," says Jesus. "Roxana is expert at decorating the sculptures and her delicate hands convey beauty, from fine geometric patterns to flowers. Her designs are unique and elegantly detailed."
The alebrije tradition started with Mexico City papier mache artisan Pedro Linares (1906-1992). When he was 30, he fell into a coma due to serious illness. While he was unconscious, he dreamed he was caught between the land of the living and the dead; the place looked like a forest and was populated with creatures with body parts belonging to different animals. The beings repeatedly uttered the word alebrije. Upon recovering, Linares recreated these figures in bright colors using papier mache techniques and called them alebrijes. His work became famous and was one of the main influences of artisans in the state of Oaxaca who began crafting alebrijes of their own using traditional wood carving methods.
- 60 grams
- 0.1 lbs
- 9.5 cm H x 5 cm W x 5 cm D
- 3.7" H x 2" W x 2" D
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Customer Reviews
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Judith
Verified Reviewer
07/16/2019
"I love this owl"
I love this owl. Its beautiful.
Purchased Item:
Dream Owl, Mexican Hand Decorated Copal Wood Owl Alebrije Sculpture
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Edward
Verified Reviewer
06/08/2019
"A small but practical keepsake"
I am delighted with the quality of this little owl.
Purchased Item:
Dream Owl, Mexican Hand Decorated Copal Wood Owl Alebrije Sculpture
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Carol
Verified Reviewer
07/28/2022
"A beautiful addition to my hummingbird collection"
It is hanging over the table so that I can see it every day! Beautiful!
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New Mexico
Verified Reviewer
07/08/2022
"Beautiful Ornaments!"
These are exquisitely painted and so delicate! My daughter has a whole Christmas tree of Chicken ornaments, and these are so colorful and lovely!
Best Uses
- Tree ornaments, or just small accents!
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Gift Occasion:
- This was a gift for: Daughter
- Occasion: Christmas

Mike
Verified Reviewer
07/06/2022
"Brightens the room"
Jesus & Roxanna right now are My favorite alebrije artisans = Job Super WELL DONE = Works of ART !!!
Purchased Item:
Monkey in Chaos, Wood Monkey Alebrije Figure Hiding His Eyes From Oaxaca
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Mike
Verified Reviewer
07/06/2022
"Brightens the room"
Super Great trio of monkeys - Beautifully painted & Detailed = VERY VERY Satisfied !!!
Purchased Item:
Surprised Monkey, Copal Wood Alebrije Carving of Multicolored Monkey
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Jesus and Roxana Hernandez Artisan handcrafted Mexican alebrije sculptures
"We believe that 'nothing ventured, nothing gained.' So we take on the challenge of creating innovative designs, and we experiment with different materials, some more complex than others."
Jesus and Roxana Hernandez come from a Zapotec community in Oaxaca. "In our village, most of the men and women are wood-carvers and we specialize in... read more