The tradition of woodcarving began in Alejandrino’s family with his great-grandfather who carved for the joy of it, making toys for his children. The art was passed on down the line, and Alejandrino’s father bacame the first carver to commercialize woodcarving by selling his work outside of the village.
Alejandrino and his four brothers began at the age of 7 by painting their father’s work.
At the age of 23, after obtaining his degree in Agronomy, Alejandrino decided he wanted to be a wood carver, and thus began his career of carving and painting animals, masks, faces and angels. Alejandrino loves what he does, and feels his carving is art because he does it out of a deep desire to do so, not for commercial purposes.
Before be begins to carve a piece of wood, he examines it very carefully and sees the possibilities of what it can become before he picks up the knife. He feels he is freeing its spirit as he carves.
Alejandrino most often uses copal for his carvings. He prefers the wood because of its whiteness and resilience, and finds it easier to carve than most other woods.
Alejandrino has been visiting Jackalope since 1990. Several years ago, he was in an international exposition in Washington, D.C. He is especially happy to be here with his wife Elizabeth, who helps him paint his carvings. The New Mexico landscape is similar to his own at home, and he can listen to Spanish music on the radio and speak Spanish to many people. He likes the mixture of cultures here, and he says
the best thigs in America are the people…
”They are all courteous and friendly”
