01/06/2023
This beautiful alebrije dog from the studio of Jesus Morales in the eastern Costa Region of Oaxaca will be a conversation starter in any room! He is titled "Pug", but he looks very much like an American Bulldog puppy. The dog has long been an important part of Zapotec culture, providing companionship in this life and the beyond. Señor Morales has put months of intricate work into this stunning piece, carved from the wood of the Copal tree native to Oaxaca. He comes with a certificate of authenticity, and is signed by Sr. Morales himself!
This piece would be perfect for a dog lover, or to commemorate a beloved family member who has crossed over the rainbow bridge.
An incredibly intricate piece by Master Alebrije Artisan Jesus Morales, it is just extraordinary! Its beautiful soulful eyes, and kissable nose invite you to gaze over his entire body, which has Zapotec symbols for "maximum power", "people/pueblo", and "home/protection" among other symbols and animal prints.
Sr. Morales' use of color and design are unmatched, in my opinion. I am excited to see him becoming more well-known in the United States, Australia, and Europe with our help!
9" tall, 6.75" wide, 8" long and took months to carve, cure, and to paint with painstaking detail.
Human cultures in the past believed in the existence of a duality between man and nature, in which a person might adopt the attributes, traits, or abilities of an animal with whom they shared a spiritual connection. This isn't unique to Oaxaca. Egyptian, Sioux, Apache, and the First Nation people of current-day Canada all shared similar beliefs.
Toná was the name the Zapotecs gave to the guardian animal, and it was identified with each individual from the day of their birth. When a child was born, the father drew a circle of lime and mezcal at the house's entrance to learn the child’s toná.
The circle was left overnight, and the scent of it attracted spirits in the form of animals. The father would go outside the next morning and look for the animal's tracks that had been protecting the entrance all night. Throughout the child's existence, the animal that corresponds to those tracks would be the child's protective toná.
Still in existence today is a Zapotec calendar that recognizes 20 tonás which include the jaguar, the eagle, the serpent, the frog, the dog, the hummingbird, the owl, the turtle, the mockingbird, the iguana, the possum, the chameleon, the armadillo, and many more. The person whose toná is the dog could be expected to have sage advice and good instincts.
We have commissioned many more pieces from Señor Morales, as his style and craftsmanship along with his gentle and friendly manner has really endeared him to us. His excitement for his traditional art combined with his talent make this young artist one that is destined to become incredibly popular and collectible in the years to come!
We make sure everything is purchased so that a fair trade and living wage can be achieved by the artists. We do not haggle, and we do not ask for volume discounts. Our mission is to bring beautiful pieces here that we love, and we think others will love while supporting the amazing artists in Oaxaca!
We have been blessed to meet a few extremely talented artisans dotted around the Central Valley, Costa, and Istmo regions of Oaxaca. We work directly with them to allow them to gain the highest possible price for their work, and to give us a chance to commission pieces. We want you to know that we strongly believe in a fair and living wage for these amazing artists. We never haggle price. This means sometimes we miss out on amazing pieces that we cannot afford, but we can sleep at night knowing that we aren't asking artists to put weeks and months into pieces that don't produce weeks and months worth of wages for them.
