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Gabino Reyes, Master Woodcarver |
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| Unsurpassed
for originality and wizardry, Oaxacan wood carvings have captured the
imagination of collectors and enthusiasts all over the world. Oaxaca, a
dry and mountainous state in Mexico, has transitioned from its
originally impoverished state into a region that produces some of the
most celebrated artisans in the world. Fanciful, exuberant, and
brilliantly colored, the creations of the wood-carvers from Oaxaca have
become prized folk art. Full of movement and humor, the figures spring
from the imaginations and superstitions of the carvers, for whom myth
and magic are as much a part of daily life as conventional religion.* Gabino Reyes is one of the incredible artists that has emerged within this rich tradition in Oaxaca. His work is exceptional, with an emphasis to fine detail. He is among the best of Oaxacan woodcarvers, and although his work is not widely available, they are true treasures. Unlike many other Oaxacan woodcarvers, Gabino lives outside of Oaxaca, in La Unión, a rural area in which houses are much more spread out and separate from one another (called "rancho"). Although he is a very talented artisan woodcarver by trade, he prefers to keep the peasant lifestyle in which he stays very much involved in agriculture on a daily basis and farms the land--growing corn, beans, squash, and occasionally a cash crop of chile de agua, which is highly valued in Oaxaca. With the help of his mother and father, who live with him, he maintains this rural lifestyle, all the while staying at the top of his craft as an artisan woodcarver. Gabino is unlike other Oaxacan woodcarvers in other aspects as well. Most artisans in the area make their art a family enterprise--getting their wives & children involved in the production of their pieces. However, Gabino prefers that his children concentrate solely on their education, and remains the only person in his family who ever touches every bit of art that he produces--from start to finish. And the finished product is always astounding--Gabino prides himself on being very original in his work--constantly probing his imagination for new ideas. |
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La Virgen 7"H x 8"W $495 SOLD |
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Burro y Cria con Guadalupe 8"H (Large Burro) $488 SOLD |
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Vaca y Cria con Guadalupe 8"H (Large Burro) $488 |
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Dragon 5"H x 13" From Tip of Tail to Furthest Wing $375 |
| *Reference: "Oaxacan Woodcarving: The Magic in the Trees" by Shepard Barbash | |
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El Interior |
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