A detail of a wooden sculpture carved to look like a sheep with a crocheted sweater on.

All images © Hugo Horita, shared with permission

Although they are carved from timber, the personalities in Hugo Horita’s growing menagerie are far from wooden. An adventurous camel, a sheep in a sweater, and a deer that’s quick on the draw are just a few of the characters the Buenos Aires-based artist has introduced. “I like to bring ideas and shapes to a three-dimensional language, and I chose wood because it is a very noble and warm material,” he tells Colossal.

Trained as an illustrator, Horita’s work often rests squarely in the digital realm, and he sought a creative outlet that involved using his hands. While some ideas can lead to a new piece in just a few days, sometimes the process takes months, beginning with a sketch on paper or a virtual vector image. He then carves the toy-like sculptures with an emphasis on the details of the grain to accentuate joints and muscles and often incorporates other found elements like pencils. Preferring to use scrap pieces that others have thrown away, which allows for various tones and textures, Horita completes each animal with the cartoonish addition of wheels, spectacles, or skis.

Find more of the spirited critters on Behance and Instagram.

 

A wooden sculpture of a deer with pencils for antlers.

Wooden sculptures of a sheep and a camel. The sheep has a crocheted sweater on, and the camel has mountains for humps and is wearing skis.

Sheep sweater made in collaboration with cAlma mía

Two wooden sculptures of leaping hares.

A wooden sculpture of a joey in its mother's pouch, and both animals are wearing white glasses.

A wooden sculpture of a rocking horse with two horses facing each other on the same rocker.

A wooden sculpture of a moose with a pick comb for antlers.

A detail of a wooden sculpture of a moose.

A wooden sculpture of hare holding wheels.

A wooden sculpture of a sloth laying upside-down in a chair.

A detail of a wooden sculpture of a sloth laying upside-down in a chair.

A wooden sculpture of a deer with antlers made of pencils.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Freewheeling Hares and Bespectacled Kangaroos Hop Into Hugo Horita’s Playful Wooden Menagerie appeared first on Colossal.

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January 12, 2023