Animal-Themed Ceramic Wall Art from Mexico, "Menagerie"

For a whimsical and fun addition to your home decor, this piece of ceramic wall art portrays a dog, a cat, a bird, and a fish among colorful hearts and bubbles. Mexican artisan Maria Isabel Cruz creates this piece, crafted using the dry rope technique, in which a wax mixture made of magnesium oxide and fat are applied to the outlines of the image or motif prior to glazing. The wax mixture creates a barrier that keeps the different fill colors in the design separate during firing, before burning off to reveal the blackened ceramic beneath. A length of nylon cord on the back provides for easy hanging.