oaxacamusings

OaxacaDreams

2006-04-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

We will miss you Oaxaca and hope to come back for a long stay again in the future!!

Goodbye Oaxaca and onward

2006-03-10T12:47:00.000-08:00

"Often I feel I go to some distant region of the world to be reminded of who I really am. There is no mystery about why this should be so. Stripped of your ordinary surroundings, your friends, your daily routines, your refrigerator full of your food, your closet full of your clothes -- with all this taken away, you are forced into direct experience. Such direct experience inevitably makes you aware of who it is that is having the experience. That's not always comfortable, but it is always invigorating. --Michael Crichton, Travels (1988)

redchurch

2006-03-10T12:44:00.000-08:00

"I can't think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything. Suddenly you are five years old again. You can't read anything, you only have the most rudimentary sense of how things work, you can't even reliably cross a street without endangering your life. Your whole existence becomes a series of interesting guesses."
--Bill Bryson, Neither Here Nor There (1993)

farewells

2006-03-10T12:29:00.000-08:00

Well, i just can't believe that our time in Oaxaca had come to an end. It's difficult for me to summarize my experience there. We are in Seattle now - and Mexico is starting to feel so far away. I will miss the icons and flowers tied into the front of buses like this one. I will miss the relaxed pace, the walkable city, the old churches, the people, the brightcolors, and the warm sun. and so so much more.
What a wonderful year it has been and i want to also thank my good friends I met in Oaxaca (you know who you are). Thanks for the great memories of spontaneous poetry, deep conversations, firework adventures, popcorn, movie nights, and general silliness. L

Santos

2006-02-23T09:12:00.000-08:00

For some fun reading on the plane i picked up this comic of lucha libre Santos at a newsstand in Mexico City. Great way for me to keep up with my spanish. Cartoons rock.

market scenes

2006-02-22T09:40:00.000-08:00

We went to the outdoor market in SanCristobal de las Casas (Chiapas). This is a frequent scene at most markets in Mexico - chickens. Markets are always a feast for the senses. Small yellow-orange mangos arranged neatly in piles, crazy varieties of dried beans, sugarcane pieces in plastic bags covered with hotsauce, luchalibre masks, unrefrigerated thin meats hanging from stalls, pear shaped chayote squash, dried peppers of all heat levels and flavors, spices in cups, plastic goods,.. too many things to list.

san cristobal

2006-02-22T09:37:00.000-08:00

Here is one of the churches in San Cristobal de las Casas. Perfect time for a pic is at sunset.

leafcutters

2006-02-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

LeafCutter ants!!! Love them. Here they are taking leaf clippings back home so that they can cultivate and eat their garden of fungus. We saw these in the rainforest of Chipas - near Palenque.

pile o hot

2006-02-15T14:57:00.000-08:00

Market pepper closeup from San Cristobal De Las Casas (Chiapas).

Mexico City Anth Museum

2006-02-15T14:46:00.000-08:00

We spent some time in Mexico city, and were quite taken with the anthropology museum there.

Olmec

2006-02-15T14:33:00.000-08:00

This is a giant Olmec stone head in La Venta Park, Villahermosa in the state of Tabasco. Olmec civilization thrived between 1300 and 400 BC.

Chiapas-Palenque2

2006-02-15T14:03:00.000-08:00

More scenes from the ruins at Paleque.

Chiapas-Palenque

2006-02-13T17:40:00.000-08:00

We had a fabulous time in Chiapas! Our vacation took us to the ruins of Palenque, the bluegreen waters of Aguas Azules, Sumedero Canyon, and San Cristobal de las Casas. Wow! This is a photo from Palenque.

sakyong mipham

2006-02-04T07:27:00.000-08:00

Work in progress - my stencil portrait of Sakyong Mipham.

Zapatistas

2006-02-01T15:01:00.000-08:00

The Zapatistas are passing thru town, and we are hoping to see Suncomandante Marcos (delegate zero) this week. This newly painted stencil is just one block from our house.

transformation

2006-01-30T09:59:00.000-08:00

"The Buddhist teachings are fabulous at simply working with what’s happening as your path of awakening, rather than treating your life experiences as some kind of deviation from what is supposed to be happening. The more difficulties you have, in fact, the greater opportunity there is to let them transform you. The difficult things provoke all your irritations and bring your habitual patterns to the surface. And that becomes the moment of truth. You have the choice to launch into the lousy habitual patterns you already have, or to stay with the rawness and discomfort of the situation and let it transform you, on the spot." Pema Chodron

moustache

2006-01-22T14:51:00.000-08:00

Piece I made yesterday. Stencil, acrylic on canvas. Am really into color primaries these days.

creative commons

2006-01-20T07:47:00.000-08:00

FYI-I have an Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives license on my site. It's thru the creative commons web site. "This license is the most restrictive of our six main licenses, allowing redistribution. This license is often called the "free advertising" license because it allows others to download your works and share them with others as long as they mention you and link back to you, but they can't change them in any way or use them commercially." The creative commons site is really interesting, visit the link above and check it out.

fireworks

2006-01-16T12:14:00.000-08:00

"We anoint their fuses with a tiny amount of fire, and they come alive, playing out their life span in a matter or seconds. In those few seconds a crack in the universe is opened, giving us a glimpse of the energy locked within all matter." - B.W.

carmen alto

2006-01-16T12:03:00.000-08:00

Celebration at Carmen Alto church last night. Procession of the Cristo Negro and fireworks.

Yavesia church

2006-01-15T08:17:00.000-08:00

We took a great trip yesterday up into the mountains. Rented a little white volkswagon which served us well on the small dirt roads. Here is the church at Yavesia.

Otokoyaku

2006-01-12T11:27:00.000-08:00

My stencil portrait of Yuu Todoroki of Japans Takarazuka Revue.

burritos

2006-01-08T08:21:00.000-08:00

We went up to the small town of Huayapam yesterday, with a visit to the Orchid garden and to the nearby dams where we saw these donkeys. (M. took this great photo). Huayapam is definitely worth a visit as well as the Orquideario where you can see over 700 varieties of orchids

food and flags

2006-01-05T16:17:00.000-08:00

Now this is an interesting food link (ideasinfood) you should check out. These folks like to experiment! This is a roasted monkfish in grape-chipotle sauce with braised black cabbage, preserved morel mushrooms and grated chorizo. holy cow.

702

2006-01-05T13:26:00.000-08:00

Hey - check out this cool site (big happy funhouse) where they post old found photos - maybe you'll see one of your relatives there...

quiz

2006-01-05T08:34:00.000-08:00

Can you name these 11 celebrities? (you can click on the image to enlarge).... and Here's the answer as i promised last week: BigMamaThorton, Peggy Shaw, ElvisHerselvis, Harriet Dodge, Jennifer Miller, Judith Halberstam, Del LaGrace Volcano, Patrick Califia, Dred Gerestant, Jamison Green and JD from LeTigre.

beanbag

2006-01-04T15:38:00.000-08:00

Running lots of errands today. I've been to La Trinidad church, Benito Juarez market, Pitico and back. Here is are some cocoa beans in a bag at Mayordomos chocolate shop down south of the zocalo.

view over teotitlan

2006-01-04T13:42:00.000-08:00

Maya Heiroglyphs are the coolest ever. We'll see some in our trip to Chiapas next month.

eberhardt

2006-01-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

Isabelle Eberhardt - my stencil portrait tribute

happyNewYear!

2006-01-01T10:38:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!

sencillo

2005-12-31T16:03:00.000-08:00

Church wall in Teotitlan

writ

2005-12-31T15:56:00.000-08:00

Ponder ancient Mixtec scripts at this site

hatsOff

2005-12-31T15:55:00.000-08:00

Market pic from Ocotlan

ocotlan2

2005-12-31T15:49:00.000-08:00

Another pic of the church at Ocotlan. Also for fun, check out this timeline of mexico 500-1000AD

ocotlan

2005-12-31T15:47:00.000-08:00

The church at Ocotlan.

donations

2005-12-30T20:00:00.000-08:00

entryway

2005-12-26T19:56:00.000-08:00

Life

2005-12-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

“There are times to cultivate and create, when you nurture your world and give birth to new ideas and ventures. There are times of flourishing and abundance, when life feels in full bloom, energized and expanding. And there are times of fruition, when things come to an end. They have reached their climax and must be harvested before they begin to fade. And finally of course, there are times that are cold, and cutting and empty, times when the spring of new beginnings seems like a distant dream. Those rhythms in life are natural events. They weave into one another as day follows night, bringing, not messages of hope and fear, but messages of how things are.” Chogyam Trungpa Rimpoche

radish carving skills

2005-12-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

castillo

2005-12-24T08:16:00.000-08:00

Firework detail on castillo.

noche de rabanos

2005-12-24T08:13:00.000-08:00

The famous Oaxacan radish night!

flight

2005-12-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a snippet of lyrics to one of my favorite christmas songs here in Mexico:"Los peces en el rio" Where the fishes are excited about the birth of baby jesus.

"La virgen se está peinando
Entre cortina y cortina
Los cabellos son de oro
Y los peines de plata fina
Pero mira como beben
Los peces en el río
Pero mira como beben
Por ver al dios nacido

(chorus)
Bebe y beben y vuelven a beber
Los peces en el agua por ver al dios nacer
Bebe y beben y vuelven a beber
Los peces en el agua por ver al dios nacer"

Lhasa de Sela does a great rendition of this tradional song.

posada

2005-12-22T06:50:00.000-08:00

We tag along with sparklers in hand. Read about a posada and christmas in Oaxaca here.

Evolution

2005-12-20T08:55:00.000-08:00

" "Intelligent design" is "a religious alternative masquerading as a scientific theory" and cannot be mentioned in biology classes in a Pennsylvania public school district, a federal judge said Tuesday, ruling in one of the biggest courtroom clashes on evolution since the 1925 Scopes trial.". See MSNBCnewslink here.

FoosBall

2005-12-19T08:50:00.000-08:00

lights

2005-12-19T08:48:00.000-08:00

Montage from Ferris wheel pics

filament

2005-12-19T08:44:00.000-08:00

More carnival-night market scenes

dragon ride

2005-12-16T20:09:00.000-08:00

Underbelly of the dragon ride at the night market on Hidalgo - which is going on until the 21st.

Frida

2005-12-15T09:08:00.000-08:00

My stencil portrait of Frida Kahlo based on 1926 family photo.

estrellas

2005-12-15T08:52:00.000-08:00

Just found out that Go-Oaxaca linked my blog on their site. Cool.
This by the way is part of a guadelupe exhibition just off the Alcala
(Los Danzantes courtyard).

houdini

2005-12-15T06:47:00.000-08:00

My recent stencil of Harry Houdini

super

2005-12-13T19:43:00.000-08:00

The fair is in town. We took a walk to El Llano park tonight for some of these glowy surreal pics.

Sunday Market

2005-12-11T15:14:00.000-08:00

We went to the Tlacolula market today, always a great outing and a feast for the senses.

beatified

2005-12-05T20:07:00.000-08:00

I took this photo today at the main cathedral by the zocalo. To learn more about Juan Bautista and Jacinto de los Ángeles read this San francisco Bay Guardian article by John Ross "John Paul II canonizes a make-believe saint, beatifies two stool pigeons, and proclaims a new evangelization of Indian America."

yellowlock

2005-12-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

pho

2005-12-04T09:26:00.000-08:00

iglesia

2005-12-02T06:43:00.000-08:00

Statue detail at Iglesia de San Francisco - i was wondering around randomly until my art store re-opened.

pared

2005-12-02T06:24:00.000-08:00

You can see how i'm inspired by stencil graffiti art here in oaxaca.

drag

2005-11-26T18:50:00.000-08:00

"To define gender as exclusively male and female is to limit the infinite possibilities of being. Whenever anyone has attempted to fit a neat little label on me, my inner punk diva forges to the forefront in protest. Gender is fluid. It shimmers with ambiguity. It is confusing, not confining. It is dangerously delicious. It is a constantly evolving choice. It is mutable and malleable. Gender is a balancing act. Gender is drag. It is an inside job of attitudes and behaviors not limited by the costume of appearance. Gender encompasses a spectrum of options and a kaleidoscope of desires and delights." Maureen Fischer - actor and drag king (above is my stencil tribute to MF)

fiesta

2005-11-25T09:42:00.000-08:00

Always a fiesta in town. Last night the tradional flaming toros, cherry bombs, music and dancing.

propaganda

2005-11-25T07:32:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking this morning of propaganda and the wierd disturbing pycops operations that the US wages. How come this stuff isnt widely published?

tgvg day reminders

2005-11-24T08:46:00.000-08:00

"We have to remember that land in America was largely acquired dishonestly by outright theft and by breaking treaties with the first peoples of this land. American History that only considers the false myths as truth will always diminish the past and present lives of Native American Indians."
Robert Two Bulls

"Is it because as Americans we have a deep need to believe that the soil we live on and the country on which it is based was founded on integrity and cooperation? If we dare to give up the “myth” we may have to take responsibility for our actions both concerning indigenous peoples of this land as well as those brought to this land in violation of everything that makes us human. The realization of these truths untold might crumble the foundation of what many believe is a true democracy. As good people, can we be strong enough to learn the truths of our collective past? Can we learn from our mistakes? This would be our hope." Deconstructing the Myths of “The First Thanksgiving”
by Judy Dow (Abenaki) and Beverly Slapin

cruz

2005-11-23T17:52:00.000-08:00

portraits

2005-11-22T15:32:00.000-08:00

Continuing my stencil work. My stuff will be on display in an exhibition at the biblioteca just off the Alcala for a month. Groovy eh?

artshow

2005-11-19T20:04:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to report that i had my very first showing at a gallery tonight. Corner of the Alcala (tourist walk) and Morelos in the centro historico. First photo is view right outside the gallery, and my pieces are the three there in the upper right pic.

plantains, chiles and tamarind candy

2005-11-19T08:36:00.000-08:00

My friends K and T brought over some very ripe (black) plantains the other night. Fried up they made for an excellent dessert. I could eat them every single night! and Speaking of food, here are a few of our favorite things. •Fresh passionfruit/maracuja juice from the pochote market. •Coffee at Nuevo Mundo cafe (on M.Bravo 206) where i sometimes meet my intercambio (language exchange) partner and friend G. •Sausages and sauerkraut from the germans who sell their goods at the organic market every friday/saturday. •Fresh tortillas from the tortilleria •Mangos (the small yellow ones, or ataulfo). •all the varieties of chiles! •and the cayenne dusted tamarind candies. Here are some market scenes above

elote

2005-11-18T14:09:00.000-08:00

Here's a little painting i did on a small metal comal plate. Corn, comal, tortillas and sun. We have a tortilleria around the corner from us where you can buy fresh tortillas daily. yum!

obra

2005-11-18T14:07:00.000-08:00

Here are two pieces i'm working on. 45cm x 45cm.

blur

2005-11-18T14:01:00.000-08:00

Only rarely does something comes into sharp visual focus - because life is also movement, emotions, and sensation.

1910

2005-11-17T08:04:00.000-08:00

Nov 2oth is the anniversary of the Mexican Revolution.

stencils

2005-11-16T12:44:00.000-08:00

My very first stencil. Thanks to Miguel for letting me use your mug! By the way, check out this work by LoganHicks- simply amazing. He is a stencil guru. and when i get home, i want to do some stencils on vinyl.

Maguey

2005-11-16T06:04:00.000-08:00

Lovely photo that M took last night - thought i'd throw it up here. These maguey/agaves are in front of SantoDomingo church which is just three blocks from our house.

retablos

2005-11-12T07:15:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of retablos from the early 1900s.

poem

2005-11-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a little art/poem collaboration between me and Lars L.

cerro fortin

2005-11-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

View from the top of CerroFortin here in Oaxaca. Great spot to excercise and birdwatch.

mutualism

2005-11-07T14:24:00.000-08:00

Oh yes- I have discovered a little ant-aphid mutualism going on in my potted plant. Check these guys out. These ants are feeding on the aphid plantsap waste. yum! and do you know that in some cases ants tend colonies of aphids (which includes protecting them and moving them around from plant to plant).

oaxaca scenes

2005-11-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos I’ve taken throughout my time in Oaxaca (just over 8mos now) : A weaver in Teotitlan, interesting transportation in Tlacolula, carved gourds for sale, tejate mixing, tlayudas at the pochote organic market, and parade during guelaguetza.

TLRs

2005-11-04T09:37:00.000-08:00

Old cameras are so cool, esp TLRs. Check out this miniature digital Rollei TLR. So crazy.
And these Hasselblad cameras make me drool.

contactsheet

2005-11-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

Was feelin the creative vibe. put together this montage which includes zocalo night shots.

muerto

2005-11-03T14:47:00.000-08:00

Well as you can tell from my latest sets of photos that it's day of the dead here in mexico. Oaxaca has been filled with flowers and candles. We made our own altar here at the house. On the altar, we placed photos of our loved ones who have died along with flowers, fruits, candies, chocolate, and copal incense.

velas

2005-11-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

Some evening scenes during day of the dead. Glow of candles on the altars at night and a walk through the panteon general (cemetary).

smokin

2005-11-01T08:41:00.000-08:00

phonecall

2005-11-01T08:39:00.000-08:00

altar

2005-11-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

marigold

2005-10-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

mothra

2005-10-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

I found a dead medium-sized moth today. It's wings so shimmery and soft. Does anyone remember the film godzilla vs mothra? it was one of the greats. (these links are to fabo posters). oh in case you've forgotten...

Mothras Special Weapons:
Gives Off Poisonous Yellow Dust
Emits Rays From Antennae
Discharges Bolts Of Lightning From Wings
Can block Godzilla's radioactive breath ray
Telepathic

8pm

2005-10-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

"There is nothing worse than a brilliant image of a fuzzy concept." -Ansel Adams

nightscenes

2005-10-26T19:29:00.000-07:00

Walking around at night tonight with my digital camera. Its so fun to get these sort of shots as i intentionally move the camera to get the light trails.

spanish lessons

2005-10-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

Here's a piece i put together today. The skull i drew in pencil, took a digital photo of, then colored and arranged in photoshop alongside the text. I found an old spanish grammar book at the lending library. It was on the give-away shelf. It contained wierd phrases like "I shall give it to him, provided he treats me well." um...

estado

2005-10-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

Another panel of oaxaca pics. Bottom two are from Teotitlan.

scenes

2005-10-25T07:22:00.000-07:00

Oaxacan scenes: artists abound, orange slices to go along with your mescal, a toro full of fireworks, night cart at el llano park.

Casa de la Ciudad

2005-10-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

planeta

2005-10-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

Heck, i feel famous. Planeta just linked my blog on their website. I'm listed under 'expats in oaxaca'.

mondayart

2005-10-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

Some prelim sketches.

santodomingo

2005-10-22T20:12:00.000-07:00

under and above

2005-10-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

Another watery montage, though its hot and dry in Oaxaca right now. The rainy season is over. I gave a thirsty wandering german shepard some water today. He came into the building where they had the weaving show.

oaxacan artists

2005-10-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

We spent a great day out and about celebrating Ks bday. We saw great art by Oaxacan artists (panel here – showing pics of paintings- lower right is detail of a Franciso Toledo piece), went to the museum/cultural center at Santo Domingo, and saw a fantastic weaving show at Casa de la Cultura. Topped it all off with a cake (featuring day of the dead chocolate and sugar skulls) – and of course traditional birthday song.

ceramics

2005-10-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some pottery pieces i made for day of the dead. (Whistles and small bowl)

A-gua

2005-10-20T20:32:00.000-07:00

devilish calavera

2005-10-18T19:00:00.000-07:00