Inspiration from Oaxacan Wood Carving

"It is easy to imagine a great painting, Yeats once said; the hard part is realizing it in materials. Inspired, stolen or imposed, "an idea is simply an idea, and anyone can have one," Jamie Santiago says. "It is the artisan who must use his talents to give it life. People can spout great ideas all day long, but most of them never leave the cantina.'" -page 37, Oaxacan Woodcarving, The Magic In The Trees, by Shepard Barbash Today I am inspired by the sculpture of the Mexican town of Oaxaca. From a small village of poor farmers came innovation and creativity. Using machetes, kitchen knives and pocket knives these artisans carve dynamic creatures, mermaids and day of the dead altars that are then expertly painted with bright patterns and dots. This is a piece by Mario Castellanos. If you have never seen this style of carving and painting, I highly recommend looking it up to brighten your day.