Maria Jimenez: Spring Squirrel Woodcarving Hearts He carved the skunk low

He carved the skunk low and prowling

Beatriz Braniff

marking the threshold through which the souls are believed to pass

They are also called altares or altars

mirroring the traditional Guadalupe image seen on Juan Diego’s tilma

Maria Jimenez: Spring Squirrel Woodcarving Hearts He carved the skunk lowLovely squirrel by Mara Jimnez, one of Oaxaca's most celebrated painters and a master of the floral style that has inspired generations of woodcarving artists in San Martn Tilcajete. Mara is known for her extraordinary ability to cover every surface of a carving in densely packed flowers without the composition ever feeling crowded and this squirrel is a beautiful example of that gift. The carving is lively and low to the ground, tail curling upward,