oaxacawoodcarvings: Artist Biography and the Woodcarving Process

Catarino Carrillo

Catarino Carrillo was born in the Oaxacan community of San Antonio Arrazola, Oaxaca in 1968. He began to carve in 1984 at the age of 16. He continues to make his home in Arrazola with his wife, Leticia, and his two sons, Misael and Max. With the assistance of Leticia, he today crafts some of the most inventive and high quality woodcarvings available in Oaxaca, Mexico. Customers are often struck by Catarino's ability to capture a sense of movement in his subject and translate it to wood, giving his figures a playfulness that few carvers are able to achieve. Handcrafted from copal wood and painted in vibrant colors, his carvings have made their way into galleries and collectors' homes throughout Mexico, North America, and Europe.

The woodcarving process:

Oaxacan woodcarvers use wood from the copal tree, which is native to the region. In previous decades, copal was over-harvested to meet the rapid demand for woodcarvings. Today, artisans are actively engaged in a number of national and international projects to reforest the area. Organizations such as EcoAlebrijes promotes the sustainable use and management of copal wood resources. Its members, including Catarino Carrillo, only use wood that has been sustainable harvested. (For more information about the EcoAlebrijes organization please visit http://ecoalebrijes.org).

A young copal tree

Artisans avoid cutting the entire tree by only utilizing the branches for their carvings.

Catarino Carrillo carving

A carving must wait a day or two to dry before it can be painted.

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Catarino's wife, Leticia Aragon, sanding a woodcarving

Once the piece is dry it may then be sanded.

Leticia gives the piece a base coat of paint

Catarino paints the final details

The following is a gallery showcasing pieces by Catarino Carrillo and Leticia Aragon.

If you would like more information about designs and pricing, please email us at one of the following addresses:

oaxacawoodcarvings@yahoo.com.mx
or
emmanuel_lnb@hotmail.com