Oaxacan Sculpture.

The Oaxacan Valley of southern Mexico has been called the Valley of Myth and Magic by many people. I certainly believe that the wooden carvings which are intricately painted with patterns of dots and dashes weave magic in my Art I classes.

Woodcarving is one of the most popular art forms among the Zapotec peoples who live in the Oaxacan Valley. The three main carving villages are Arrazola, La Union Tejalapan, and San Martin Tilcajete. The art form of today grew out of toy carvings and ceremonial masks, but was also an economic necessity. Farming within the Valley, the chief source of income for many years, could not survive and provide basic necessities during drought conditions.

Colorful Wood Sculptures

To begin my lesson, I show posters of Oaxacan wood carvings and share my own personal example which I bought on a trip to Mexico. I explain that colors are usually happy and bright with patterns applied in dots and dashes to a flat painted area. We examine and discuss how these sculptures were made usually with small, sharp carving knives in a `whittling' style. On the bottom of each sculpture is the artist's signature. It names the artist as well as his family, whose members might have helped create the sculpture. It is known that many Oaxacan woodcarvers produce carvings as a family project, often using services of brothers, sisters, or children to complete various stages of production.

The students then discuss ideas for their sculptures and decide on the subject matter. In the past, animal themes have been popular. Pictures of animals are then studied. Students notice body styles and specific details that make each animal unique. I explain that we will use the Oaxacan carvings as the basis for our sculptures, but instead of carving, we use precut shapes that require students' creativity and imagination.

Piece By Piece

Next comes the fun. I place random pieces of scrap wood on each table of the classroom. These wood scraps are cast-off throw-away pieces from the high school wood shop class. Students examine these wood pieces looking for body parts such as legs and arms.

The students are amazed at how these scraps can be used to create realistic sculptures--without the use of major tools. (A small hand saw and sandpaper are the only equipment; therefore, only slight changes can be made to the original shapes.)

Preparing To Paint

Encourage students to sand all rough edges, as painting is made easier and professional results require this practice. Also, most completed sculptures are basically miniature--most are no more than eight inches in height.

With smooth, sanded edges, these wood pieces are glued together with wood or white school glue. Rubber bands are helpful to hold body parts together until dry.

When the animal sculptures are completely formed and the glue has dried, students apply bright tempera paint. (No wood should show through, even if a second coat needs to be applied.) Finally, toothpicks and the blunt ends of paintbrushes are used to apply the dot and dash patterns. For some students, practicing on paper to form these patterns with this `untraditional' equipment is very helpful. Facial features can be painted on or drawn with permanent black markers.

Beautiful is the only word to describe the finished results--and proud is the only way to describe the young artists.

Resources

Crizmac, 1995, Oaxaca: Valley of Myth and Magic (video, student booklet and teacher lessons)

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students analyze relationships of art to one another in terms of history, aesthetics, and culture, justifying conclusions made in the analysis and using such conclusions to inform their own art making.

Nancy A. Stamatis is an art teacher at Tracy High School in Tracy, California.