Luis Pablo: Northwest Coast Art Turtle Oaxaca saints the grass is painted in

the grass is painted in bright lime blades reaching upward like soft flames

the loyal escort of the dead and the guardian of memory

a bold and confident choice that stands out from the bright colors typically seen in Oaxacan art

Oaxaca artist Nicolas Morales created this gorgeous dog wood sculpture

the caracola

Luis Pablo: Northwest Coast Art Turtle Oaxaca saints the grass is painted inThis striking sea turtle by Luis Pablo feels like a little piece of Northwest Coast mythology come to life. The smooth, stylized body becomes a moving canvas of bold black, white, red, and green, echoing the graphic power of Indigenous Pacific Northwest design. On the shell, a dramatic masklike face with wide eyes, a playful tongue, and radiating motifs gives the turtle a strong ceremonial presence. Each flipper is painted with crisp geometric forms