art gifts

Mexico's Zeny and Reyna create this stunning alebrije sculpture, a popular traditional folk art of Oaxaca. The copal wood chameleon is painted with a dizzying array of motifs in a rainbow of bright colors. 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 feverish 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 the nonsense word "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.

Hovering on whirring wings, a whimsical hummingbird seeks out the sweet nectar of flowers. Zeny and Reyna transform found pieces of copal wood into a delightful alebrije painted orange, red, yellow, green, white and black. These fanciful sculptures are a traditional folk art in Oaxaca, once based on twenty totems but today representing all kinds of animals. They take their name from a Caló gypsy word for "something difficult, tangled, confusing or fantastic."

Includes a thread for hanging.

Because each alebrije is individually created work of folk art, shapes will vary slightly. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

The recurrent theme of the dragon in Balinese art underscores the legendary animal's divinity in their culture, a motif that has not escaped the artistic eye of Seji Taram. Believed to be the guardian of the gods, this baby suar wood dragon with wings fiercely protects the sanctity of the home.

Ketut Seji, wife of the late Balinese artisan Ketut Taram, preserves her husband's legacy in this carving of a seated Buddha. Buddha's head rests upon his hands, and a faint smile plays across his lips. The serene sculpture is carved and finished by hand, and signed by Ketut Seji.

A pair of joyful hummingbirds dance and flutter as they find an inviting spot in this gorgeous sculpture by Yudi Suardi. With the desire to carry on the tradition of Balinese wood carving, the talented artisan hand carves these dancing birds with passion, skill, and an incredible attention to detail. Using local jempinis wood and benalu wood, the artisan brings the two birds to life, accentuating every detail and inviting the onlooker to bask in the cheerfulness and curiosity of the hummingbirds. Please expect variation in the size and shape of the natural wood base.

A serene cat sits in lotus pose as if in prayer ormeditation in this charming sculpture. Hand carved inBali from local suar wood and signed by artist NengahSudarsana, who shares his love for animals through his work.

From the artisans of Joias do Rio, this petite sculpture is crafted of Brazilian gemstones. A butterfly flaunts luminous wings of honey calcite. The ethereal creature alights upon an amethyst crystal, and its brass body can be pivoted to face any direction.

Bali's vast creativity results in an abstract figure deep in thought. Its surprising contours and open spaces are fascinating when viewed from any angle. Presented by Made Wirata, this sculpture celebrates the power of the mind.

The ancient weaving traditions of pre-Hispanic Peru can still be seen in practice today all over the Andes. Fernando Castro creates this marvelous sculpture in homage to those dedicated weavers. The image is carved by hand from cedarwood and accented with sterling silver. The woman's backstrap loom bears a colorful woven textile in progress.

Taking a walk, a charming little cat brings the magnificence of Mexican folk art to your home. Zeny and Reyna hand-carve this alebrije figurine of copal wood, hand-painting the cat with intricate and colorful motifs. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

Alebrijes are a fairly recent Mexican art form, attributed to Pedro Linares. Unconscious due to illness in 1936, he was presumed near death and yet his dreams were extremely vivid. He tells of a place where all was peaceful and quiet until all of a sudden there appeared a lion with an eagle's head, a rooster with bull's horns and a donkey with butterfly wings. They kept screeching "alebrije, alebrije!" and Pedro began running away. He encountered a man who told him it was not yet his time to be there are and he should continue running towards the exit. In this dream Pedro climbed out of a window and regained consciousness.