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Need a shave?

Posted in Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged arboles, Cabellos de Ángel, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, plants, popular travel destinations, Pseudobombax ellipticum, Shaving Brush Tree, trees on March 16, 2013| Leave a Comment »

We are in the middle of the dry season; the mountains surrounding the valleys of Oaxaca are golden. It’s still winter and my African tulip trees remain leafless against the sun and blue sky. However, Mother Nature is hinting that Spring is coming; time for you guys to shave those winter beards. And, this time of year, la madre naturaleza supplies the brushes — the Pseudobombax ellipticum.

According to the Oaxaca Garden and Nature Club website, its common name in English is the Shaving Brush Tree.

As you can see above, the flowers can be red or white.

By the way, one of its common names en español is Cabellos de Ángel.

Angel Hair or Shaving Brush? You decide!

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I scream 4 ice cream

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Weather, tagged graffiti, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, urban art, wall art on March 13, 2013| 4 Comments »

It may be March, but Oaxaca is doing May weather — daytime temperatures in the high 80s/low 90s and the nights are sheets only.

I scream, you scream…

Even the walls scream for ice cream!

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Living close to the source

Posted in Agriculture, Creativity, Culture, People, Science & Nature, Textiles, Travel & Tourism, tagged costumes, cotton, coyuche, goat herder, goats, huipil, livestock, Mexico, Oaxaca, Odilon Merino Morales, photographs, photos, plants, San Juan Amuzgo, Sheri Brautigam, traje on March 10, 2013| 5 Comments »

A mile or two from the city are fields of corn; a recurring reminder of where the masa used to make tortillas, tamales, and other mealtime staples, comes from. Livestock roam the hills and are often seen being herded down the streets of local villages.

And, at the foot of the stairs of my new apartment is a coyuche bush — the brown cotton plant that has been cultivated in this part of the world for thousands of years.

The ripe buds of the coyuche have been harvested, cleaned, spun, and woven into huipiles and cotones (men’s shirts) by countless generations. However, like many textile traditions, industrialization has taken its toll. The cultivation and use of coyuche is literally hanging by a thread, mostly confined to the Mixteca and Costa Chica regions of Oaxaca. As a result, besides just liking the design and color, I have a profound appreciation for and treasure this old huipil that was given to me a couple of years ago.

It’s in desperate need of repair. My friend and Mexican textile collector and chronicler, Sheri Brautigam, advised me to take it to Odilon Merino Morales, who is from San Juan Amuzgo and leads an effort to revive the use of coyuche. I will ask him if he knows of someone who could give my huipil some tender loving mending.

Living close to the source — there is something wonderful about the coyuche plant’s daily reminder of the origin of one of my favorite huipiles.

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Holding up half the sky

Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas, Día Internacional de la Mujer, International Women's Day, Mexico, murals, National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, public art, street art, urban art on March 8, 2013| 1 Comment »

Today is International Women’s Day…

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Mural on the wall outside the Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas, Delegación Oaxaca, on Heroico Colegio Militar in Col. Reforma.

¡Feliz el Día Internacional de la Mujer!

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Shadows on the wall

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Signs, Travel & Tourism, tagged graffiti, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, street signs, urban art, wall art on March 6, 2013| 4 Comments »

Can be found at…

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Ya just never know…

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged Basilica de la Soledad, celebrations, dancers, Día del Barrendero, garbage collectors, garbage trucks, marmotas, Mexico, monos, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Sindicato Independiente 3 de Marzo, street sweepers, toritos on March 4, 2013| 9 Comments »

Yesterday was another of the “ya just never know…” days. Returning to the city from Xoxocotlán after looking at the house my (soon-to-be-former) neighbor is building, the taxi driver pointed down Independencia and said something that we interpreted as, “day of the garbage collector.” So, instead of going home, my camera and I walked in the direction he pointed and, sure enough, a side street was lined with decorated garbage trucks.

However, this day wasn’t for just any old garbage collectors; being March 3rd, it celebrated the founding of the Sindicato Independiente 3 de Marzo of the municipality of Oaxaca. Depending on which newspaper report one reads, it is either the 34th, 38th, or 39th anniversary.

These are the city workers who keep the state’s capital clean — the garbage collectors, street sweepers, drivers, and laborers. And, the city of Oaxaca IS clean, putting San Francisco to shame! After a Thanksgiving mass, most of the 1,200 “trabajadores de limpia” and their families filled the plaza in front of the Basilica de la Soledad. And, like all good Oaxacan celebrations, there were monos, dancers, marmotas, bands, toritos, and the whistles, whirrs, and booms of fireworks (of the all bang, no bling variety).

So, now you know where to be and what to do next March 3rd!

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Sacred and precious

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged dry season, Mexico, Oaxaca, Oración al sagrado elemento agua, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, SAGA, street art, urban art, wall art, water on March 3, 2013| Leave a Comment »

It’s the dry season, no rain in a couple of months, and we are reminded how sacred and precious water is.

At the top of the wave:

“Fluye hermana agua de las nubes a la tierra y de la tierra a las nubes.” (Sister water flowing from the clouds to earth and from the earth to the clouds.)

A line from the poem, Oración al sagrado elemento agua.

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Sign of the times

Posted in Churches, Creativity, Culture, People, Religion, tagged current-events, illustrations, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, political commentary, Pope Benedict XVI, street art, Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, wall art on February 28, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Today, Pope Benedict XVI, the head of the Roman Catholic church rode off into the sunset. (Actually, he flew off in a helicopter.) And, naturally, the walls of Oaxaca had something to say…

This was pasted on a wall right across from the south entrance to Santo Domingo de Guzmán. The walls are never silent.

By the way, I did a Twitter search for the hashtag afterPopequit, but came up empty.

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Flying on the ground

Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Music, Travel & Tourism, tagged Academia de Arte Musical, art, Buffalo Springfield, Mexico, mural, music, Oaxaca, photographs, photos on February 25, 2013| Leave a Comment »

The little Embraer may have touched down in Oaxaca late Saturday night but, in the words of a long ago Buffalo Springfield song, I’m still “flying on the ground.”

Mural on the wall outside Academia de Arte Musical in Oaxaca.

Mural on the wall outside Academia de Arte Musical in Oaxaca.

Moving two days before a California and New York trip… What was I thinking?

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Stuck on you

Posted in Creativity, Culture, People, Signs, tagged art, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular culture, stickers, street art, street signs, urban, urban art on February 21, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Pop culture stickers are, “ubiquitous in urban centers around the world. Often seen at eye level or just beyond reach, stickers grace most every imaginable surface of the built environment.” [Digital Collections Street Art Graphics]

As you can see, Oaxaca is no exception.

Jimmy and María Sabina, I know. — even got to see Hendrix perform twice, back in the day.

But, that qualifies me as being “certain age” and so most of the references escape me.

And, what’s with the skull and cross-bones? Rebellion? Symbol of a toxic culture?? Perhaps. But, like Che, one now sees them everywhere — even on toddler clothes. Co-opted, again!

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Little devils

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Travel & Tourism, tagged Danza de los diablos, Devil's Dance, dried corn husks, Mexico, Moisés Ruiz Sosa, Noche de Rabanos, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Santiago Juxtlahuaca, Totomoxtle on February 16, 2013| 7 Comments »

The sun is shining, but it’s cold. With snow on the ground, I’m living inside. I’m definitely not in Oaxaca anymore! I’m outside of Saratoga Springs, New York. Yes, I traded the land of blue skies, brilliant colors, warm temps, and open doors and windows, for ten days in the frigid, fifty shades of gray, northeast — but for the best of reasons, my grandson’s first birthday. However, I need my Oaxaca fix! So, with a little time on my hands (nap time for baby) I am going through Noche de Rabanos photos. And, these little devils, jumped out at me. (Gosh, I have no idea why!) These dancers portray La Danza de los diablos, a dance that is the result of a fascinating fusion of African and Sonoran rituals. They are made of dried corn husks and were created by Moisés Ruiz Sosa. The detail is amazing! La Danza de los Diablos de Santiago Juxtlahuaca won second prize in the 2012 Totomoxtle Decorado division. Ooops! The adorable little devil who melts this heart just woke up. Time to do the crawling-around-on-the-floor dance.

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Valentine’s Day in Oaxaca

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged balloons, candy, Día del Amor y la Amistad, flowers, holidays, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, tulips, Valentine's Day on February 14, 2013| 3 Comments »

Got your hearts? Yes!

Got your flowers? Yes!

Got your candy? Yes!

¡Feliz Día del Amor y la Amistad! (Happy day of love and friendship!)

(ps) To expand your linguistic skills, learn Frases de amor y amistad en 7 lenguas indígenas mexicanas — including Mixe, Mixteco, and Zapoteco.

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Urban art, SF style

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Sports & Recreation, Travel & Tourism, tagged baseball, California, Ex-Vandals, graffiti, North Beach, photographs, photos, San Francisco, San Francisco Giants, street art, urban art on February 13, 2013| Leave a Comment »

It may not be Oaxaca, but there is some major league urban art celebrating Major League Baseball’s 2012 World Series champion, San Francisco Giants. The mural, by the Ex-Vandals, currently can be seen at Columbus at Union Street in San Francisco’s, North Beach neighborhood.

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But, did the city’s Planning Commission have to deface the mural with its Notice of Public Hearing? Couldn’t they have posted their notice in a more discrete location? Honestly, have they no respect?!!

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Pottery in motion

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Gardens, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged ceramic pottery, de barro, Dolores Porras, Dolores Porras DVD, Mexico, Oaxaca, Oaxaca Lending Library, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, potted plants, Santa María Atzompa on February 10, 2013| 2 Comments »

One of the biggest challenges of the recent move was carrying 150+ potted plants down two flights of stairs, across the driveway, and up a flight of stairs. They ranged in size from eight to eighteen inches across and ten to twenty-four inches tall. Needless to say, major respect was given to the cactus and their perilous spikes. However, I also gave special care to my two pots by the late potter, Dolores Porras.

Growing up and spending her life in one of the villages of Oaxaca known for working in clay, Santa María Atzompa, her style was unique in the use of color and imagery — a touch of whimsy wherever her pots are found.

If you will be in Oaxaca tomorrow (Feb. 11, 2013), be sure to stop by the Oaxaca Lending Library to see Michael Peed discuss and show his documentary, Dolores Porras: Artista Artesana de Barro. And, if you’re not lucky enough to be there, check out the website for the film’s trailer.

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Juan Alcázar Méndez, RIP

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, People, tagged art, artists, arts, exhibitions, Juan Alcázar Méndez, mexican consulate in san francisco, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, San Francisco, The Magic Surrealists of Oaxaca on February 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Oaxaca is mourning the loss of painter, Juan Alcázar Méndez, who succumbed to complications related to diabetes yesterday.

Juan Alcázar Méndez. Photo from Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes

Juan Alcázar Méndez. Photo from Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes

Alcázar was born in Guadalupe Etla, Oaxaca in 1955 and entered the School of Fine Arts at the University Benito Juarez of Oaxaca at the age of 13. He became known for his unique magic realism style.

Painting from fundraising auction by the Oaxaca Lending Library, 2010.

Painting from fundraising auction by the Oaxaca Lending Library, 2010

He was the founder of the Taller Rufino Tamayo, el Taller de Gráfica en la Casa de la Cultura, and the Taller Libre de Gráfica Oaxaqueña. He was also one of the artists exhibited in the The Magic Surrealists of Oaxaca show at the Mexican Consulate in San Francisco in 2012.

"El Rapto" at the The Magic Surrealists of Oaxaca exhibition 2012, San Francisco, CA.

“El Rapto” from the The Magic Surrealists of Oaxaca exhibition 2012, San Francisco, CA.

RIP, Juan Alcázar Méndez. You will be missed but your magic will live on.

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