Eagle day!

Today it has rained off and on all day and so my blip thoughts went to a present I bought Paladian when I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in September of last year. She is a big fan of Oaxacan animal wood carvings. They are a superb expression of Mexican Folk Art.

We have been told that traditionally the men carve the animal and the women do the intricate painting. I find the fine detail of the painting extraordinary. The carving is that of a blue eagle, a mythical creature that caught my eye as one of the most appealing objects in the store - in my price range. Much larger carvings go up into the thousands!

This carving measures 28 cms from wing tip to wing tip. I had the store professionally pack and post the item for me so it would arrive here in one piece! They did a great job.

See more detail!

Oaxacan wood carvings of animals are world famous. These wooden animal sculptures are prized by collectors and are hand-carved, hand-painted and are usually signed by the artists.

Using the soft wood of the copal tree abundant in their local area, they carve with machetes and knives, creating figures that they later paint in brightly colored and often extremely intricate designs.

Through their never-ending creativity and imagination, wood is transformed into wild animals, friendly animals and fantastic creatures.