Life for Eleazar Morales and his family begins very early in his home in the valley of Arrazola, Oaxaca in Mexico. In the early morning hours the Copal vendors usually arrive to the Oaxacan Valley towns; they come with heavily burdened burros carrying loads of Copal wood. Eleazar prizes this particular type of wood for its pliability and gnarled form that produces movement within the sculptural forms he produces. One of the better qualities that Copal wood has is that it sands down to a smooth, porcelain finish. Copal branches can be very fragrant depending on the time of year they are pruned and fresh pieces have an aromatic smell that pleasantly fill the woodcarver’s home. When dried, Copal wood becomes light and flexibly strong. Characterized as a soft wood, Copal thrives in higher elevations and is an aggressive grower. Eleazar embraces the use of this tree because it is sustainable and minimally impacts the environment, a concern he has in a society where resources are hard to come by.

Before Oaxacan woodcarving became popular, copal tree resin was primarily used to make incense and its berries were a common cure for acne! The incense was regarded as a favorable god-given gift by the Mayans and used as a form of protection against sorcery, illness, and misfortune. The incense still burns in many Mexican churches today for the purpose of making the body, and the religious space, ritually clean. The dried resin, when burned, projects an odor similar to frankincense but with a lighter citrusy tone.

The qualities and themes inherent in copal resin transmit to the carvings themselves. Monstrous figurines like “alebrijes” (a brightly colored Mexican folk art sculpture of fantastical animal-like creatures) or “nahuals” (night spirits and magical/whimsical animals) are used to scare off evil spirits or stifle the effects of sorcery. “Animalitos” (small animals) such as frogs, dogs, and owls are seen as good luck companions. They artfully personify the natural twists and curves of the branches themselves.

Originally, Oaxacan wood-carvings were very big and bulky but the work rapidly evolved into streamlined dynamic forms that master sculptors, such as Eleazar Morales, can now sculpt an entire creature from one piece of wood.

Different parts of the branches make for different animals. A fat knob may be used to make a turtle while a wispy branch may be transformed into a lizard. The endless tangled maze of branches are a constant inspiration and invention for Eleazar, and nothing is ever wasted. Small pieces are transformed into ears, tails, and sometimes teeth for his artistic wonders!

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