Genuine Oaxacan Alebrije

Artisan: Lorena Melchor Calvo
Hometown: San Martin Tilcajete, Oaxaca, Mexico
Craftsmanship: Original Oaxacan Folk Art; Hand Carved from One Piece of Copal Tree Wood; Meticulously Hand Painted; Signed on Bottom by Artisan; Exclusive & Unique; Carrie is the Only One in the World

Fun Backstory: Carrie - The Confused Crane

“No wonder they’re looking for us,” Carrie said to her friend, Frida, the small barn swallow that had latched onto her nearly a year ago and now went everywhere she did. Frida nodded in agreement, though she had no idea what Carrie was talking about. Noticing the other bird’s dismay, Carrie explained herself to her young, and mostly unattractive, friend.

“See,” she said, using one of her long elegant legs to point to the newspaper Ad lying on the ground at their feet. “It says right here, ‘Cranes wanted - - big money opportunity. Apply in person.’ As you can see,” she continued, “we surely are worth big money simply because of the way we look.”

Finishing her statement, she pirouetted smartly, letting her little friend see just how lovely she really was. Her long legs supported a perfectly formed torso, while her long neck added to both her stature and her elegance. A gray/white in color, her beauty was enhanced by brilliantly colored polka dots. But, what set her apart from all other cranes in the area were her wings. Alternating red, green and blue feathers made for a breath -taking sight that would long be remembered. She was, Carrie knew, the most exquisite example of avian in the entire state of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Realizing that her young friend was, in fact, duly impressed, she tucked one leg up under her body to get it warm, and stood on the other while she contemplated the situation at hand. The Ad did give an address, but it was way over on the other side of the city of Oaxaca. If she flew, she knew, Frida would never be able to keep up. Walking, however, would take virtually forever and, after all that exertion, she certainly wouldn’t look as perfect as she did now. Just as her perplexity was about to get the best of her a truck pulled up and stopped. As the passengers got out to attend to their business, Carrie espied a wren perched on the back of the truck.

“Say,” Carried asked, “Do you know where this truck is headed?”

“Si, it is going to the largest farm on Pinon Road in West Oaxaca.”