Alebrijes Carver Painting Wooden Jaguar in Puebla

Brilliant white light floods the high vaulted ceiling of a Puebla prayer hall, striking the wooden jaguar figure with flat, shadowless intensity. The carver, seated on a woven mat, holds a fine brush loaded with vibrant orange paint. Layers of intricate black and green patterns already cover the jaguar's flank, against the raw, pale wood of its snout. Dust motes hang suspended in the vertical beams of noon sun that pierce the space. The high-altitude clarity renders every grain of the wood and every hair-thin stroke of the brush. Behind the artist, deep blue prayer rugs lie flat against the stone floor, stretching toward the shadowed arches. one drop of teal paint rests on the edge of the worktable, catching the harsh glare.