Two Aztec Parrots is located at the corner of 6th Street and Austin Ave near the Monument Cafe.

Artist: Reynaldo Alaniz
Dimensions: 58″H x 36”W x 30”D
Materials: Limestone on Metal Base
Price: $40,000

This sculpture has Aztec and Mayan imagery. The face of the Aztec sun god , Tonatiuh appears on one side of the stone. That image comes out of the Aztec Calendar. The parrots are included because their bright colored feathers are associated with the sun god. In Meso-america, fire represented the principle of change . For the Maya, fire was also a vehicle for communicating with the gods. Corn represented the food brought forth by the sun god.

“I have always been impressed by the beauty in nature and all around us. Beauty enhances the environment. It sparks creativity. After seeing work by great artists , I was inspired to give it a try. I wanted to try to capture a measure of the beauty that surrounds us.

So, I started drawing, then painting, then making sculpture. Art is the portal through which artists enter the creative process on a purpose-driven journey to an encounter with beauty made by his own hands. It is not just a physical job, but also, an intellectual exercise with a spiritual component which can subtly and emotionally touch our soul.

The Catholic Church has always recognized the value of beauty in that it can lift and nourish us spiritually, inspire great achievements and attract people. It is no wonder that millions of non-catholics visit the Vatican to see the Sistine Chapel and the other masterpieces commissioned by the Catholic church. Many cities have noted this and now invite artists to loan their art for their sculpture walks, etc. Artworks add to the beauty around us and can make our world a better place.

I strive to improve my technical and artistic skills so that whatever I can imagine in my mind, I can create with my hands to the best of my ability.” Reynaldo Alaniz