Constantino Blas

Constantino Blas was born in San Pedro Cajonos, Villa Alta, Oaxaca, on February 17, 1952. Like many in his community, he began his working life as a farmer. However, when farming alone proved insufficient to support his family, he turned to other trades, crafting ixtle nets, weaving bags, and making bricks and adobe. Even then, his earnings remained inadequate, pushing him to seek a new path—one guided by his extraordinary imagination.

One day, alongside his brothers, he wondered what might come from carving and decorating wood. At the age of thirty-three, he began by crafting masks inspired by the traditional dances of his community. Two years later, he started making dolls representing Yalalteca people, up to sixty centimeters tall, which he found surprisingly easy to create. Seeking a greater challenge, he turned to carving crocodiles, transforming real animals into fantastical creatures through his artistic vision.

Little by little, his work evolved. He began crafting imaginative figures, naming them Caralampios, dragons, and insects—creatures born from a fusion of nature and his own boundless creativity. Over thirty-six years, he dedicated himself to his craft, working tirelessly day and night, proving that imagination is the ultimate source of inspiration.

His work was exhibited at both state and national levels, gaining widespread recognition. Tragically, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he was unable to showcase his art on an international stage.

Constantino Blas passed away on October 1, 2021, at the age of sixty-nine, leaving behind a legacy of creativity and resilience.