Carolina Sandoval: Alebrije Owl with Mask Woodcarving Silver Jewelry

Carolina Sandoval: Alebrije Owl with Mask Woodcarving Silver JewelryCarolina Sandoval and Kengi Santos are a married couple in their twenties. They previously worked at other workshops before starting their own. Their artwork goes beyond just woodcarving. They often combine wood, acrylic, textile, and wire in one piece. This owl shows the variety in their work. Kengi carved this tall owl and its mask that fits perfectly over the owl's face. In Aztec and Maya belief, the owl served as a significant messenger between

A fantastic

and a bright orange accent traces the jaw line like a smile

Carved from copal wood and carefully hand-painted

Pre-Columbian fretwork bands adorn this stunning tall olla crafted by renowned Mata Ortiz artist Enrique Pedregon

so the wings read like finely woven textiles

To take a single block of copal and release a bird in this position

and golds—arranged in elegant Huichol motifs

At the center

Dimensions: 11''Tall    15''Long    5

where Catholic imagery brought by the Spanish merged with pre-existing Mesoamerican beliefs in divine intermediaries

timeless art

The giraffe is a one-piece carving