And I am quoting here: ”LULAC 4871’s annual scholarship is named after a trailblazer in the LGBT Latino community, Jesús Chaírez. LULAC 4871 is honored that his name is now part of its scholarship and the membership looks forward to honoring his service to our community by selecting worthy students to award, who will help make the world a better place as Jesús Chaírez has.” …
More information on the applying for the scholarship please visit: LULAC # 4871 – The Dallas Rainbow Council.
And yes LULAC # 4871 is still taking donations, send to: LULAC 4871 – The Dallas Rainbow Council; c/o Jesús Chaírez Scholarship Committee, P.O. Box 192336, Dallas, TX 75219. For more information contact Jesse Garcia, President, at jessegarciadallas@gmail.com
I usually don’t go to La Zona Rosa in Mexico City anymore because I now have a café downstairs in the building I live in. But today, I had business near La Zona Rosa (Pink Zone) so as I walked to my favorite coffee place in la Zona, I see artist setting their works up to sell. Art work I have seen before, nothing grabbing my attention until I saw Fabiola García Guerrero’s work. Fabiola’s had several colored pieces on Day of the Dead: acuarela y estilógrafo.
I spoke to Fabiola, a charming young lady. Turns out she had just started selling her works in La Zona Rosa. Fabiola said it was by chance they were setting up on Friday, because the government only lets them sell on Saturday’s and Sunday’s – not sure if you can find Fabiola every Friday: but it is a safe bet you will on Saturday and Sunday afternoons she said.
I most like the first piece titled ¡ y Siempre Llegaron!!!, this is because if you have ever seen a real Dead of the Dead altar you will know that Fabiola has the detail to the altar down 100%, from the paper cut outs, to the bread of the dead, all exact. I love the color too, on both of them. The second piece I like the title, “la conquista,” the conquest, the meeting of the Spaniards and the Aztecs. Though I know the history of the battles between the Aztecs and the Spaniards, it is fun and creative to see such a historical event as a Day of the Dead illustration.
I most enjoyed my conversation with Fabiola and the one thing I most admired about her, was her enthusiasm as she spoke about her art. When so many young Mexican artist want to get away from their heritage, Fabiola embraces it.
I got Fabiola’s e-mail and I gave her mine, asking that she please stay in touch, because I am sure the readers of this blog would like to keep up with her progress. I know I do - and I also wish to continue buying her creative works: I couldn’t help myself — I already bought the two prints pictured below – LOVE THEM.
¡ y Siempre Llegaron!!!
la conquista
The other day I went to Bazar Fusion at Parque Mexico in Mexico City’s Col. Condesa. And there I found my lamp, a lamp made from a bird cage for my balcony. I love my bird cage lamp that was designed by Lubel, a company of female visual art designers living in Mexico City.
Here is a picture of my lamp. Click the picture for a slide show view of my new lamp in my home:
There is always something to see while running around this big city. Here are some of my gems for the week.
At Arena Coliseo in El Centro Historico I ran into this teenage boy selling clay Lucha Libre wrestler dolls he had made. They were such detailed and thought this guy had put a lot of work into each one of the finger sized sculptures. As I arrived at the kids stand, there was a man trying to bring the prize down on the items which were only $5.00 pesos each, which is like 40 cents. I couldn’t believe someone would try to bring down the prize of something that was already cheap. I stood there waiting for the old man and his son to leave – they finally did. I looked at the tiny Lucha Libre figures and loved them. They young man said, please buy one or two, “I have not sold anything all day.” Well I bought them all! Below are pics of my purchase.
Then while at the Mercado Merced I saw this strange store. Strange is in how this store was advertising the products they are selling: Just stick what you are selling on the outside of the building. No need to walk into the store to look around – just stand outside! LOL.
And then the Olimpia Gym next to Garibaldi Plaza, the plaza where all the Mariachis are in Centro Historico. I thought this was an abandoned building because the outside looked so bad and it was always locked up as I walked by during the afternoons. One evening like 10:30 PM I passed by the place and it was open! The iron gates were pulled up and I could hear the clings of weight lifting. Tough I didn’t walk up the stairs, I took these pics, something I found to be MexiKitsch. Yea a word I made up – Mexican Kitsch: LOL.
I love taking walks in Mexico City - you don’t need a television.
I like living in México City’s Col. Santa Maria la Ribera and meeting the various people that live in this not so fashionable bohemian neighborhood.
The other day I posted a note about on one of Col. Santa Maria la Ribera’s legendary folk artist passing away – a tribute toHumberto Martinez. Well that posting generated a message from an artist living in Col. Santa Maria: Josue Misael Rodriguez Lopez.
Misael said he had been living in Col. Santa Maria for 23 years and would welcome the opportunity to be featured on my FaceBook page, Col. Santa Maria la Ribera. So off I went to visit Misael who lives in an apartment building on calle Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz – love that name!
The moment I met Misael I was surprised he was so young, I guess that is because he had an older picture on his FaceBook profile, which happened to be Siqueiros. So when Misael said he had lived in Col. Santa Maria for 23 years, he meant his whole life.
In meeting Misael you could get a sense he was serious, didn’t seem to smile much, though he was revealing about his artist endeavors. Misael lives with his family, people whom he introduced me too. Though the apartment didn’t have much room for a studio to paint, this doesn’t keep Misael from doing what he loves best – art. Misael has several of his paintings in his home – advantages of knowing how to paint.
Misael has his art studio in a back area patio, where it is quite, has plenty of light and place he can reflect. Misael discussed how being an artist is what he always wanted to do, knowing since he was 13 that he was going to be an artist – this is how he would live and this is how he would die, he said.
I don’t need to describe Misael’s work, I will let the pictures and video (in Spanish) do that on its own.
Misael, a talented up and coming artist living in Col. Santa Maria la Ribera.
click pic above of Misael for a slide show
