Creativity | View From Casita Colibrí

Archive for the ‘Creativity’ Category

Tempest tossed

Posted in Creativity, Culture, tagged art, graffiti, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, quotations, urban art, wall art on June 18, 2013| 1 Comment »

This wall in Oaxaca says it all. Have I mentioned, I’m counting the days until my return?!!

Here’s hoping Cameron Conaway is right and this is, “The storm before the calm.” (Caged: Memoirs of a Cage-Fighting Poet)

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Sanez, street rolling man

Posted in Creativity, Culture, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, artists, Gorilla Gallery, graffiti artists, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Sanez, street art, urban art on June 10, 2013| 4 Comments »

One can see his art all over the city. I’d first been wowed by the scale, symbolism, and style of his work early last year, when walking up Matamoros to meet a friend who was staying at Hotel Azucenas. At Calle Prof. M. Aranda, I was stopped dead in my tracks — the entire front of the building next to the hotel had been transformed. Using a roller, not brush or spray can, the artist known as Sanez turned it into a work of art.

In September 2012, Sanez again worked his magic on this tired old building — this time creating “El Canto del Agua” (The Song of Water). According to the article, Mesoamerican Peoples Express their Solidarity by Jonathan Treat, using “symbols of the Aztec god of rain, fertility and water—Tláloc, and corn, forests, animals, campesinos and campesinos and traditional Oaxaca fiestas… Sánez honors indigenous peoples struggling to defend their territories: [The mural is] ‘Dedicated to the peoples who organize to defend their commons and the common good—Mexico and Canada.’”

Another close encounter with the work of Sanez occurred last month when I ventured across Republica into Barrio de Jalatlaco. Besides its un-city-like tranquility and quaint tree-lined, but treacherous, cobblestone streets, this bucolic neighborhood always has great street art. However, I didn’t expect to find the restaurant, Fuego y Sazón, playing host to the unmistakeable style of Sanez. Wow!

And then… Just a few days before this current trip to California, I was at Gorilla Gallery (Crespo 213) talking to Jason Pfohl (glass artist and guiding spirit behind Gorilla Glass) when Sanez came in. He came to discuss plans for his live painting on glass event at the gallery. Alas, I was already in the US on May 31, when it occurred. However, if you are currently in Oaxaca, you can see the finished piece at the gallery on Thursdays between 2 and 8 PM. Besides the immense glass canvas, the gallery is featuring prints by Sanez — and I’m sure Jason would be happy to discuss the distinctive tattoo work of Sanez.

In addition, you might want to slow down when driving along Constituyentes behind Mercado de Abastos — that giant billboard mural towering above the weeds and refuse is another of Sanez’s masterpieces.

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Almost like being there

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Food, Markets, People, tagged artesania, California, Casa Oaxaca, Guillermo Robles, Mi Pueblo Food Center, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, store displays on June 7, 2013| 12 Comments »

I’m in the San Francisco Bay Area for a lengthy stay — a necessary trip to el norte to sell my grandparents house. I’ve only been here for three weeks but I’m missing Oaxaca, already! However, driving up Solano Ave. on my way to Berkeley, a storefront caught my eye. Skeletons, tapetes, a riot of color…

Where am I???

Casa Oaxaca is a gift shop featuring arts and crafts from Southern Mexico. Artesanía from Chiapas, Guerrero, Puebla, and (of course) Oaxaca cram every nook and cranny of the store.

Casa Oaxaca’s delightful owner, Guillermo (“Memo”) Robles, was born and raised in the city of Oaxaca and he returns frequently on buying trips. All items are carefully (and lovingly, I think) bought directly from crafts people and artisan collectives.

I stood talking with Memo for almost 30 minutes and, surrounded by the artesanía I have come to know and love, it was almost like being back in my adopted city. Ahhh… If you go, don’t forget to look up!

I’ve also discovered Mi Pueblo Food Center in San Rafael, one of a small, privately owned, chain of supermarkets in Northern California. I came home with Tajin seasoning, a bag of still warm tortillas, a whole roast chicken, quesillo, along with fruit, fresh herbs, vegetables, and a case of Modelo Especial (the latter especially for my son, in whose home I’m staying) — all for a better price than the unnamed, but well-known, big chains. On my next visit, I’ve got to try their tamales.

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Anywhere you hang your hat

Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Gardens, Travel & Tourism, tagged abandoned buildings, art, art installation, exhibition, hats, Matria Jardín Arterapéutico, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, still life, straw hats on June 2, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Still life at Matria, Jardín Arterapéutico.

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That open door

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged automobiles, cars, I Believe I Can Fly, Lambo doors, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, San Pedro y San Pablo Teposcolula on May 30, 2013| 1 Comment »

Cars in Oaxaca? They range from decrepit VW Beetles held together with duct tape to the latest shiny black tinted windowed SUVs. Most lean toward the former — the cobblestones, potholes, and dirt roads can rapidly speed-up the aging process.

However, like young men worldwide are wont to do, no matter the make and model, Oaxaqueños love to customize their rides. This one caught my eye in San Pedro y San Pablo Teposcolula:

The doors are known as Lambo (after Lamborghini), scissor, butterfly, switchblade, jack-knife and beetle-wing doors. Take your pick! R Kelly song lyrics came to mind:

I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly

By the way, should you too want to install Lambo doors on your car, you can find instructions here. Who knew???

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I read the news today oh boy…

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Violence, tagged graffiti, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, urban art, wall art on May 21, 2013| 2 Comments »

How about exchanging guns for guitars?

From the walls of Oaxaca.

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Never a dull wall in Oaxaca

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged graffiti, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, street signs, urban art, wall art on May 9, 2013| Leave a Comment »

And now a return to the amazing street art from the walls near Calle de Melchor Ocampo and Calle de La Noria…

Never a dull moment or wall in Oaxaca!

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Where is everyone?

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged Mexico, microphone, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Plaza de la Danza, speakers on April 28, 2013| 2 Comments »

Plaza de la Danza…

Microphone, speakers, and pigeon…

We are all here…

Where is everyone???

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Hummingbird of the Mixteca

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Language, Music, Travel & Tourism, tagged Chikirriyó'i, colibrí, hummingbird, marble mason, Mexico, Mixteca, music, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on April 26, 2013| 5 Comments »

Wednesday in the Mixteca…

How could I resist? Photo, yes. Dining, no. We had already eaten and so were not tempted to try Restaurant El Colibrí, across the street. However, still scratching my head about the relationship between marble (marmol) and hummingbird (colibrí).

This librarian couldn’t resist doing a little research. According to Wikipedia, the hummingbird in Aztec culture was, “emblematic for their vigor, energy, and propensity to do work along with their sharp beaks that mimic instruments of weaponry, bloodletting, penetration, and intimacy.” Hmmm… the tools and strength needed by a marble mason. Now, it’s beginning to make sense.

(Thanks Chris for stopping so I could take the above photos.)

And now a song from the Mixteca, “Chikirriyó’i” (“El Colibrí”) (The Hummingbird):

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Matria, 3 weeks later

Posted in Agriculture, Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Environment, Gardens, People, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, tagged abandoned buildings, art, art installation, earth day, exhibition, Matria Jardín Arterapéutico, Megan Glore, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Primavera, Seasons, Spring on April 22, 2013| Leave a Comment »

On this Earth Day, I thought I’d post photos of the Matria, Jardín Arterapéutico project. These were taken 3 weeks after my previous visit. Despite 90+° (F) temperatures since the garden was planted, it is thriving and very few plants have been lost.

The key to the garden’s success? Megan Glore and her team of volunteers are listening to what the plants are telling them and responding accordingly — just as we should all be doing with Mother Earth.

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Like a bird on a wire…

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Music, Travel & Tourism, tagged Bird On a Wire, graffiti, Leonard Cohen, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art, wall art on April 15, 2013| 4 Comments »

More from the wall art at Calle Melchor Ocampo and La Noria. I can’t help thinking of Leonard Cohen’s, Bird on a Wire.

Like a bird on a wire,
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.

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Sounding the alarm

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Internet, tagged blogging, botnet, Hotel Azucenas, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Sanez, urban art, wall art, Wordpress on April 14, 2013| 6 Comments »

This post is especially for other WordPress bloggers. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had problems with WordPress in the last 24+ hours, including not receiving any Daily Digests since April 12. So, who knows if this will reach you…

According to a post at ars technica, “Huge attack on WordPress sites could spawn never-before-seen super botnet. Ongoing attack from >90,000 computers is creating a strain on Web hosts, too.” Forbes has a good article on “How To Avoid The Coming Botnet.”