With his signature humor and affection for everyday life, Antonio Alonso presents a charming tlacuache panadera, opossum baker, running her bakery stand, “Pan Fresco.” Surrounded by trays of sweet bread and baskets of conchas and roles de canela, she proudly holds a freshly baked piece while her baby peeks from her apron pocket.
The vivid colors, tiny hand-sculpted pastries, and nostalgic detail capture the warmth of Oaxaca’s traditional markets, an enchanting tribute to community, family, and artisanal tradition.
Antonio explains that the tlacuache is “an incredible and deeply Mexican animal, present in pre-Hispanic legends yet misunderstood today.” He notes that opossums help control pests, resist snake venom, and don’t transmit rabies, but are often attacked out of ignorance. Through his art, he hopes to spark curiosity and affection, especially among children and young people, by giving tlacuaches a relatable Mexican identity drawn from daily village and city life.
Antonio Alonso is one of Oaxaca’s rising masters of cartonería, the intricate art of papier-mâché sculpture. Working from his studio in Oaxaca City, he transforms recycled paper, cardboard, and wire into expressive figures that celebrate Mexico’s imagination and identity.
