Weekly Photo Challenge: Express Yourself

Alebrijes: fantastical creatures carved from wood and intricately hand painted with brilliant colors.

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Popular Art Museum

Fanciful alebrijes, exquisitely detailed black pottery, stunning textiles, and other wonderful works of art await the visitor’s viewing pleasure in the Museum of Popular Art Oaxaca.

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Owl

Black Pottery

Textile

Section of Wall Mural

The artists of San Bartólo Coyotepec, where the museum is located, are famous for their black pottery (barro negro).  After forming the brown clay vases, bowls and characters entirely by hand,  potters using small knives and other specialized tools cut in surface designs and see-throughs. The clay changes to a pearly black color as it is fired. 

Black Pottery Vase

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Black Pottery Bowls

Black Pottery 1

Inside the Vase

Black Pottery Detail

Sharing the News

Clay Warriors

Sometimes outlandish, often humorous, but always gracefully carved and vividly painted, alebrijes hold the power to make the viewer gasp with astonishment at the meticulous hand painting or smile at the whimsy of the creator.

Fantasy Creature
Photo by Peter Martin

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Songs of the Sea Photo by Peter Martin

Zig Zag Cat Photo by Peter Martin

Scooter Ride

Tied in A Knot

Green-eyed Lizard

Walking Tall

Owl Close-up

Owl Detail

Strut Your Stuff

Fiber artists of southern Mexico are well-known for producing gorgeous textiles that are used for clothing, bags, tablecloths, and bedspreads. Artisans weave with backstrap looms, table looms, and floor looms, and they often decorate their weavings with colorful hand embroidery.

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Weaving

Textile Detail

Weaving Detail

Naptime in the Museum

A friend, Peter Martin, who was visiting the museum at the same time that we were, generously gave me permission to use some of his photos. His name appears in their captions.