A realistic tree frog comes to life in hand-carved and painted copal wood. Pablo and Lucy Mendez carry on the traditional alebrije folk art they learned from their own parents. This charming creature brings a touch of whimsy to any setting. Oaxaca's alebrije tradition derives from the art of Pedro Linares (1906-1992), a Mexico City papier mache artist. While in a coma during a serious illness, he found himself in a dream forest with fanciful creatures made with body parts from different animals. They cried, "Alebrije" Alebrije!" When he awakened, Linares crafted the figures in papier mache and his influence reached to Oaxaca, where they are carved from copal wood. Because each sculpture is an individually created work of folk art, shapes are dictated by the wood branch and may vary slightly.
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