Oaxacan Animal Sculptures

Oaxacan Animal SculpturesWhen you look at these sculptures,

what do you think of? Do the bright colors look realistic or

exaggerated?Exaggerated!

Do you see any of these animals where we live?

Some, but the lizard is from a warmer climate

Do the body proportions look like animals you might see in the zoo?

Not really – they look a little silly or made up

What material do you think the sculptures are made of? (What is under the paint?)

Oaxacan Animal SculpturesToday we are going to learn about

exciting Folk Art from a culture of people named the Zapotec Indians from the Oaxacan (pronounced Wah-HAH-kaan) Valley of Mexico

The state of Oaxaca is in the southern most part of Mexico

A man named Manuel Jimenez (1919-2005) broke out of the tradition of making piñatas and began making these imaginary creatures

There are about 500 carvers in the Oaxacan Valley now

Oaxacan Animal SculpturesThe sculptures are carved out of wood

from the “copal” tree, hardwood right from the Oaxacan Valley

The artist draws ideas from the natural bends and twists of the tree/branch as to the spirit of the creature to be carved and often connects a myth or story about the creature and what it’s special qualities might be

Fresh green wood is used since it is easiest to carve with pocket knives, kitchen knives, or machetes

This technique is called subtractive sculpture which means starting with a large block of marble or wood, and carving or taking away…like subtracting numbers

Oaxacan Animal SculpturesCreating these sculptures is quite the

process and involves the whole family• First the wood is collected from the

tree, green and fresh, then carved and dried

• Next the wood is carved by the men (in the off season from farming), sanded and smoothed, and occasionally dressed up with teeth or hair from a goat or zebra

• Lastly the animal is painted by the women and children using paints made from fruit, vegetable, insect and mineral material

This process is a great source of pride for the whole family and has made this culture very famous for their beautiful sculptures

Oaxacan Animal SculpturesLet’s go back and look more closely at these sculpturesThese animals are often exaggerated - meaning their proportions (the correct size of the parts in relation to the whole) don’t look like real animals mightFor example, a hen or chicken doesn't have that thick of legs so it is out of proportion of what it normally looks likeThe cat-like picture at the top is also an example of how two animals can be mixed together – like the paws of a mouse and the body of a cat

Oaxacan Animal Sculptures These dynamic poses (moving or

active versus being still) and repetition of bright colors and patterns are what make these animals so interesting and unique

Notice the lizard’s dynamic body twisted and curving

Colors repeat along the body: Blue is repeated for each foot Green is in a scalloped curvy

pattern around the whole body Red is also repeated around the

body as well as blue again White stripes are the last detail

along with the black and yellow dots

Oaxacan Animal SculpturesNow it’s time for our project!

First you are going to watch while I demonstrate how to:Sketch an animal that takes of the whole space of my big piece of paper using two or more different animal bodies from the “helper sheets” on your desksCreate details on my animal using patterns and repetition Print a few details at the end with a q-tip or sponge brush and white or black paintStaple my animal to the smaller paper and gluing the head to the side

Oaxacan Animal Sculptures

Oaxacan Animal Sculptures After your designs are almost done, choose black or

white paint, a q-tip or a sponge and create a print on your animal. DO NOT USE the paint on the LEGS or FACE as we will be stapling those very soon and the paint won’t be dry yet!

Once done with your printing, choose a small 9x12 piece of paper to attach your animal to

Put your name on the smaller piece of paper Next, raise your hand and a volunteer will help you staple your

animal to the smaller piece of paper Lastly you can glue your head to the side to create a dynamic

look for your animal and think of a story and or special qualities to your animal that you can share with the class

Oaxacan Animal SculpturesLet’s review the art vocabulary we learned today:Subtractive sculpture - starting with a large block of marble or wood, and carving or taking awayProportions - the correct size of the parts in relation to the wholeDynamic – moving or active versus being stillPatterns – repeating a line, shape or color Repetition – a color, shape or line used more than once in an artwork

Oaxacan Animal SculpturesDiscussion Questions - What’s the name of your Oaxacan style animal?What animals did you use to put together your animal?What patterns did you use to create your animal?Did you think of a story behind what your animal is doing? Do you like this method of creating art?What was your favorite part of this process?Where is this type of art from?Who can pronounce Oaxaca correctly?