My Ideas Through Art

ALEBRIJES

 in the audience

This is the sculpture after its final layer of paper mache (not including the wings.)  Getting this far was intense, difficult, and rather frustrating.  As usual, I came out on top with only a few scratches, so to speak. Not to toot my own horn, but... TOOT! TOOT!

 In this phase, I have applied the first layer of paint.  You can also see that its wings are in a bit of a tangle.  It had to be supported, since they would have fallen off before they had a chance to dry.  Yes, I admit, I needed a wee bit of help with this part.  It was my first time, though, so who can blame me.  ! Ha!

This was very difficult to make, but it was the first one I ever did.  I think I did pretty good for myself.

Alebrijes (pronounced ah-lay-BREE-hays) is an art form with a rich and colorful history.  It is also the name given to a creature not easily identified as a specific animal.  Rather, it is a mythical creature composed of many parts of different animals.  A man in Mexico once dreamt of a fantastical creature similar to Ba' al, the pagan god mentioned in the Bible.  The man later made a work of art as the very first Alebrije ever created.  The creature is not to be confused with an idol.

These sculptures range in size from miniatures measuring no more than seven centimeters to giants as tall as five meters.  Vibrant, clashing colors are painted side by side in intricate patterns and produce stunning results.  Intriguing detail with a series of repetitious scales and intricate patterns of dots, wiggly lines, tear drops, geometric shapes, flowers, and flames are also included.

Paper, reeds, and glue were used to make the first alebrije.  Nearly 80 years later the alebrije is made using similar techniques.  The process begins with the artist’s imaginative vision of an original fantastical creature.  A structural frame is made from wire or a like material which is then used as a kind of metal skeleton to build upon.  It can also be bent and manipulated into a three dimensional form.  Next, sheets of plain brown paper and/or newspaper are applied to the frame with a homemade paste made of flour and boiled water.

Once sufficient layers of paper have been added, the structure is placed in the sun until thoroughly dried.  All sorts of wondrous extremities including wings, horns, tails, fierce teeth, bulging eyes and a multitude of other creative additions are then added.  The final figure is painted white and then decked with colorful and intricate patterns and designs.