At an early age, Jacobo was already working alongside his father watching and practicing the craft of woodcarving. At 12, Jacobo's father passed away and the responsibility for providing for his family fell on his young shoulders.

Jacobo Angeles Ojeda is an extremely talented young woodcarver of folk art animals and creatures called alebrijes. His hand carved creations with human faces reflect the Náhuatl belief that humans transform into animal spirits at night. He has been to the United States where he has exhibited his work and held workshops. The inspiration for a particular piece comes from the characteristics of the wood he chooses to use.

Originally, he collected his copal wood in the mountains and especially likes the twisted branches because they assist in making the piece have movement. Jacobo takes great pride in creating especially fine folk art pieces that often require a month's time to produce, in part because of their delicate painting and his practice of drying them in the sun for an unusually long period of time. He believes this is the best protection against later infestation of the wood by insects.

One of Jacobo's specialities is painting using Native American decorative elements. His wife, María, learned to paint as a child and is furthering her skills by learning Jacobo's special technique. He keeps his family custom alive in part by still working on the table that his father worked on 25 years ago.

Jacobo appears in the new "Great Masters of Oaxacan Folk Art" book published by  Fomento Cultural Banamex.

Calle Olvido #9

San Martin Tilcajete Ocotlan, Oaxaca

951 524 9027 or 9047; 951 116 1508

angeles@tilcajete.org