Wire Art Figurines

Artist Cristo Escamilla practices alambrismo, a traditional Latin American craft of hand-shaping wire. Unlike typical uses in which wire serves as decoration or hidden support, Cristo's work is made solely of wire.   He meticulously loops and coils fine copper wire, with a denser concentration in the body and tapering at the extremities.

Afterward, he paints the piece to accentuate the shadows between the loops. In his art, the wire is not just a skeleton for another form; it is the complete medium.  What sets him apart is his commitment to the animal itself.  Each piece is built with pliers, scissors, nail cutters, and a special copper paint, nothing more. He observes closely, and the wire follows.