Abecedarios

Cynthia Weill holds a doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She has worked as an educator and in the field of international development. She has been fascinated with Oaxacan crafts since she taught in Mexico through the Fulbright exchange. Cindy is on the board of the Friends of Oaxacan Folk Art Foundation whose mission is to promote and preserve the artists and artisanal work of the state. She has published several books that feature the folk art of Oaxaca. She lives in New York City and online at cynthiaweill.net.

K. B. Basseches is an artist, photographer, and writer whose work has been exhibited and published nationally. She has taught in elementary through graduate schools, most recently at the School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. Prior to teaching, she served as a staff photographer for the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Basseches holds a doctorate from the University of Maryland and master's degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and George Washington University. ABeCedarios is her first work for children. K. B. Basseches lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her husband, young son and elderly cat.

Armando and Moisés are the grandsons of Manuel Jiménez, founder of the Oaxacan woodcarving tradition. In the late 1950's, shepherd Manuel Jimenez began making wooden animals. The pieces were bought by a folk-art store owner in Oaxaca City. When the creatures were quickly purchased by tourists, Manuel was asked to make more. Seeing Manuel's success, other local artisans began to imitate his work.

Everyone in the family helped to make the pieces featured in ABeCedarios. Moises's children, Nancy and Eduardo, and Armando's son Alex sanded the pieces. Then Armando and Moises's wives, Antonia and Oralia, painted each figure.