"Many rural households in the Mexican state of Oaxaca have prospered over the past three decades through the sale of brightly painted, whimsical wood carvings they call alebrijes to international tourists and the owners of ethnic arts shops in the United States, Canada, and Europe. What are called "alebrijes" in Oaxaca is a marriage of native woodcarving traditions and influence from Pedro Linares' work in Mexico City. ... Then Linares' designs were adapted to the carving of a local wood called copal. The Oaxaca valley area already had a history of carving animal and other types of figures from wood, and Linares' designs were adapted to the carving of a local wood called copal. ... One of the most important things about the fantastical creatures carved of wood is that every piece is removable, it is how one can tell a genuine piece carved by one of the original great carvers. The later carvers did not learn the technique of making each piece fit so well that it could be removed and put back in again and again." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alebrije This is a vintage Oaxacan wood carving depicting a cat that was gifted to me more than 30 yr ago. The tail is removable. The bright floral pattern is painted on to a black background. This carving is designed to sit on the edge of a shelf! These colorfully painted carvings are popular here in Arizona and collected by locals & tourists alike. The carving is signed by Oaxacan artist, Roberta Angeles. Smoke-free, dog-friendly home