Oaxaca Wood Carving
The young artists at Bonny Slope are studying the Oaxacan wood carvers of Mexico during February and March. Oaxaca (pronounced wa-HAH-ka) is one of the largest and one of the poorest states of Mexico. Located about 200 miles south of Mexico City, the people are primarily farmers. In the last 30 years, about 200 families living in three small villages have begun producing fanciful and imaginative woodcarvings. These people began selling their carvings as a way to supplement their farming income. Even when most of their income comes from selling their carvings to tourists, they still consider themselves farmers first – artists second.
The folk art of wood carving in this region can be traced back hundreds of years. Usually a whole family will take part in creating a woodcarving. The father and son carve the wood. Grandparents and younger children then sand the carving. Finally, the mother or older daughters paint it in bright colors. There are four major themes in Oaxacan woodcarvings: Fiesta, Nature, Death, and Superstition.
Students will create a 3- dimensional animal/creature sculpture and then add bright, bold colors to enhance the sculpture. Lines, dots, dashes, geometric and hypnotic patterns will be used to create the magical effect that can be seen on the Oaxacan carvings. Look for them to be displayed outside the library throughout March.
