sculptures of hands

Kitty's inquisitive but docile gaze is irresistible in this sculpture from Bali's Nengah Sudarsana. The artisan masterfully captures the cat's relaxed pose and expressive face, right down to the whiskers. The sculpture is carved by hand of native suar wood with a natural finish that highlights the wood's grain.

Suspended between two branches of a tree, a charming sloth is the subject of this sculpture from Peru. Fernando Castro works in cedar wood, carving each delightful detail by hand.

Husband and wife duo Zeny and Reyna from Oaxaca grew up with the tradition of carving alebrijes (fantastical figurines of real and imagined animals); both of their parents were master carvers in that region's traditional folk art. Here they create a wildly colorful dragon in a contorted, acrobatic pose. The dragon is carved by hand from copal wood and painted in a rainbow of psychedelic colors.

Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.It is said that Oaxaca's alebrije tradition descends directly from Mexico City artisan Pedro Linares (1906-1992). When he was 30, he became seriously ill and fell into a sort of coma. While he was unconscious, he had a most fantastic dream. 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, and when Linares woke up, he recreated these figures in vivid colors using papier mache techniques and called them alebrijes . His work became famous and eventually influenced artisans in the state of Oaxaca who decided to craft alebrijes using traditional wood carving methods and according to that region's world vision.

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 red cat with intricate 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.

Hand-painted with a beautiful floral design, this alebrije figurine depicts a sitting cat. Shades of green, blue, and orange make the figurine a bright and cheerful piece of decor. Artisan Teresita Gonzalez of Mexico handcrafts the cat from copal wood. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

One of nature's most wonderful examples of committed motherhood comes from penguins, who care for their babies with a devotion and dedication rarely seen in other species. A tribute to this motherly love is presented by Indonesian artisan Ira S., who creates an exquisite sculpture hand-carved from suar wood featuring meticulous hand-painted accents.

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.

Who could possibly resist the sweetness of a cocker spaniel puppy, especially one that is sleeping? Nengah Sudarsana of Bali carves this adorable sculpture by hand from suar wood, beautifully capturing the little dog's relaxed pose.

Please note: The sculpture is intended to be placed on the edge of a shelf or table so that it hangs over the side.

Carved of copal wood, a watchful fox is depicted in this charming alebrije figurine. Mexican duo Zeny and Reyna design this figurine, which is hand-painted with metallic motifs over its stark black body. Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.

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.

Beautifully carved by hand, a realistic sea turtle navigates the warm Balinese sea. Wayan Rendah works in warm, richly grained suar wood, transforming the beautiful creature into a decorative box that bears his signature.

Carved by hand from sleek African ebony, five ducklings swim together. Ghana's Francis Agbete names the set Kpakpa fome — "the duck family" in the Ewe language. "We should know we all belong to a family," he says. "These carvings remind each one of it."

Inspired by the warmth of family togetherness, Eka presents a heart-warming family of penguins to adorn your home. Creamy hibiscus wood is hand-carved to form a mother penguin with two of her young. Both young birds look up at her expectantly for guidance or a loving nudge.