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Statues and figurines are small replicas of people or events that people use around their homes. Often you will find these items of no more than a foot tall and can sit on a table top or inside a kitchen window.  They become show pieces, heirlooms and reminders even of our childhoods.

Statues and figurines can be made of clay and were often set up to tell a story in the early days. They were hand carved in the early days to tell the story of a God, a mythical character or in later days the lives and struggles of the saints of the Catholic Church. Before written word carving of figurines depicting events were a way for people to chronology events in history. Whether it be Chariots going  across the sky or feeding Christians to the lions the events were captured in drawing and in figurine as far back as there is a story of man.

Through the ages, saint statues were carved to help us recall the person. It allowed a summary of their life to be put into a lifelike carving so that we can know their story. For example the depiction of Jesus hanging on a cross is a very common recollection. The story of Mother Seton is often told with her sitting teaching children. 

An addition to clay statues were often hand carved and painted from wood. It was not uncommon to see a nativity set carved out of driftwood or to see a hand carving of the three wise men. Often these carvings were out of olive wood because of how hard a wood it is and how well it come across as a wood carving. It also is a wood native to the holy land, rarely found outside of that region of the world. Finding olive wood nativities have become more common now, but years ago they were a rarity. In the United states it was more common to see Statues and Figurines carved from Oak or even drift wood. This made an interesting presentation. Some driftwood makes for rough edges giving each statue a more unique form. Beyond the hand carving, they are at times hand painted. Antique santas are  commonly seen carved from wood and hand painted in Red and gold for impact.

Resin has become the item of choice for the modern statue maker, although the days of hand molded statues are all but gone. Instead the statue makes pours the liquid resin into a mold that was designed to form the saint or the person he is trying to depict. The resin Is then molded into the form or shape and then oven carved or hand painted to form the person the statue is about. Resin make for a more lasting item because its less likely to break or chip.

Religious statues and figurines often provide a way to focus during prayer as well as add a great talking piece to any home. Often guests ask the about the statues. They are a great home décor item as well as a way to have spirit filled home.