Leaving His Mark...

Sebastian stuck this USPS sticker with his tag (bottom right/gold)on this sign across the street from his father's house.

The Bus Home...

This is the bus that we take to get to Sebastian's abuelita's house - it costs 4.5 pesos (.45 US).The drivers generally LOVE to blast music and sometimes decide to take an alternate route.
I went today to say "Gracias por todo (Thank you for everything) to the family,which of course includes extended family.One of the aunts told me there is going to be a woman's march tomorrow to commemorate two years ago when the women of Oaxaca took over the local TV station for 20 days!She said if I was here I could march with them- I'm sorry to have to miss it.
Apparently there was an earthquake here yesterday- I never felt it though I have felt many others here.It depends on where the tremors emanate from and the after shock as to what damage may occur.It's funny because last night Sebastian said when he was in the studio with his father,Fernando said he felt the floor move and then said it must have been in his head.





Here is a photo of one of Sebastian's favorite second cousins, Carlitos.Carlitos is three and is quite a spitfire.I wanted to post his photo as Sebastian ALWAYS comes home and talks about Carlitos.
Carlitos goes to guardaria (like nursery school) and if you ask him "How was school?" his response is "I didn't hit anyone today."He believes that everything is mio (mine).Although this sounds like bratty behavior, he also is very loving and chatters away in a soft,sweet voice that changes everything.His grandmother told me he eats sweets and then just explodes!However, she said, he has a very good ear for music.
He reminds me a lot of Sebastian when he was that age.

The Zocalo

The zocalo is the center of the social universe in Oaxaca.It is a mad riot of color,sight and sound.Natives and tourists alike share the space.Vendadores,young and old, male and female,aggressively or half-heartedly hawk their wares: globos (balloons),gardenias,rebozos (shawls),sweets , chicles (Chiclets),and a myriad variety of souvenirs, some of which are now made in China.The plaza is lined with cafes- in one corner a marimba plays, in another,Mariachis wail as the Oaxaca State Orchestra sets up in the kiosk.Humand rights marches and calendas all process to this place.It is a powerful magnet that draws EVERYONE! They say if you need to see someone in Oaxaca,sit in the zocalo.Eventually they will pass through.
Sebastian and I have strolled down to the zocalo every night.His evening snack is some freshly made papas fritas (potato chips) or papas a la francesca (french fries) from Mr's Cara de Papa (Mr. Potato Head.)On the corner of the zocalo is this cart with several young guys peeling,slicing and dicing potatoes at lightening speed.They fry them up in a huge vat of oil- yum!We also like tamals sold by a couple in front of the farmacia on the other end of the zocalo- they are some of the best that Oaxaca has to offer!
And so, it is with great sadness that we leave the zocalo but we know that with great happiness, we will return!

Primero Concurso Graffiti

This past Saturday was the first graffiti contest in Oaxaca. Scheduled to start at 10 am, Sebastian and his father went up to the plaza where it was taking place about noon, to find little action.
I went by about 4:30 and works were still in progress.
Sebastian (and I, as well) were a bit disappointed- the "graffiti" was on large canvases,not the walls. Hence followed the cliched "discussion" between Fernando and I about graffiti no longer being graffiti once it's off the walls and on canvas,in galleries (isn't that so 80's?).
Sebastian thinks they didn't advertise enough.

Filemon Santiago

Thursday evening Sebastian and I went out to San Felipe del Agua - a village about 20 minutes outside of Oaxaca.This is where we used to live when Sebastian was little- I had my cafe there and met my dear friend Laura and her husband Joaquin and son, Adrian.I had quite a lot of adventures there!San Felipe's population is divided between foreigners married to Mexicans living in big houses and campesinos (farmers) whose families have lived there for generations.
Filemon Santiago and I met when I was pregnant and living in downtown Oaxaca.He and our New York artist friend,Jerri Allyn,were the ones who took me to the hospital in his red jeep when I went into labor. They stayed at the hospital until after Sebastian was born and were the first people, aside from Fernando, to see him.So,we have this special bond for life.
I had spoken with Filemon on the phone over the years but hadn't seen him or met his wife and three boys.He was anxious to see Sebastian on this trip.
Filemon is also a painter and went to a school for art founded by Rufino Tamayo.At heart, he is still the boy from his ranch in the mountains.As a matter of fact, they had just gotten back from planting corn and beans up there.
During our visit,we were careful to wait until his wife was occupied with the boys before we took a stroll down "memory lane" and exchanged a bit of chisme(gossip).With three young boys ages 3,5, and 7, the house is lively!
On our way out,we stopped into his studio.I commented that I had never seen it so organized and that the large painting on the easel that he was working on was lighter in color and feeling than anything I had seen him do in a very long time.
I knew that this was an indication that he is truly content .

San Augustin Etla/Vista Hermosa y Fabrica de Papel (Paper Factory)

Tuesday evening we had a tremendous rainstorm.Sebastian arrived home about 10 pm accompanied by his Tio Alfredo and his Tia Lena.I told Lena that I wanted to go out to San Augustin Etla the next day and visit the paper factory there.Francisco Toledo-painter and patron (saint) of the arts in Oaxaca -worked on the project to restore the 17th. century structure and former factory for a cultural arts center that includes a factory where they make handmade paper.As my good friend,Karen Pfeil, is an artist and paper maker, I was curious about this place.Lena asked if I would like her to accompany me there.
Lena arrived by 10 am the next day and had phoned a former neighbor now living in San Augustin, to meet us and tour us around.
Lena is someone you really want on your team- she gets things organized and keeps conversation flowing- she has always been especially kind to me and looked after Sebastian when he was a baby.
We took a colectivo taxi (shared ride/set price/squeeze as many people as possible in) to the church in San Augustin and phoned Edgar,the family friend. As it turned out Edgar was the best guide -everywhere we went he was either related to someone there or was a friend of someone's cousin-muy conozido (well known).
San Augustin and Vista Hermosa are right next to each other- like Wyncote and Jenkintown or Old City and Society Hill.However, the walk from point A to B was intensely uphill.We decided to stop and have a bite to eat before the climb.
Nestled in the mountains, the view is truly beautiful.Clean,clear water runs down from the mountains through the village in stone gutters.It is a VERY quiet place.
Edgar said we were going to stop and see his nephew,who is an artist in the taller of his patron Maurisio Servantes).
The taller was a huge beautiful house with a large sunny courtyard.I felt a bit like I was in an Amoldovar film when the nephew came bouncing downstairs.His name is Angelo Alexander Dias Morales and he proudly showed me his canvases- most of which were huge.
Here is a photo of Lena,Edgar (in hat) and Angelo.
We proceeded up the steep climb to the church and paper factory It is spectacular- there is an amazing reflecting pool in front of the church and the cultural center features many pools and spectacular vistas.
Tucked away,down another steep road, was the actual paper taller.The paper maker turned out to be Edgar's cousin (of course) and gave us a demonstration of how they make paper.He strted by showing us all of the natural resources that they us- cotton,linen,hemp and various natural dyes and mica.They do use some alkaline synthetic dyes.
We looked at the large tubs of pulp and the handmade screen that they use.With an assistant, they put about 70 sheets of paper on the hand press and he pressed out all of the water. Next, he took out the hangers that are used for drying the paper outside in the sun.*(Note to Karen- I have many more photos to show you.)
We could see the rain clouds drifting towards us and decided it was time to head back to Oaxaca,with much thanks to our wonderful guide,Edgar!

More Wackiness...

I could probably devote an entire blog on the wackiness we find here... I am constantly surprised,amused,incredulous!

Here are a few more of our favorites:

We spend LOTS of time waiting for Fernando ,who averages half an hour to two hours late DAILY.So, we feed the fish in our courtyard and then try to pet them,climb up on the roof and observe life below and take self-portraits.





Bimbo bread- yes, EVERY English speaking person giggles and takes photos of this logo.




Graffiti (do you sense a theme on this trip?)There is a gallery here that not only promotes graffiti as art but invites taggers to tag the wall outside and have comments posted.To date, not many have taken advantage of this offer.















Outfits for your Nino Jesus (Baby Jesus).This is one of several stores that provide a variety of outfits for your Baby Jesus.You can buy sizes ranging from about 4 inches to life size.Outfits include velvet capes with maribou feather trim, wigs, gold sandals and even doctor's white coats.
Sebastian has his own,which I bought when he was born and we had blessed on the official day- February 2.












"Quiere un retrato? Dos por 30 pesos" (Would you like a portrait? Two for 30 pesos ($3 US)
Meet Leslie (blonde) and Rachael from New Mexico. I met these industrious young women in the zocalo.Rachael has been here six months and Leslie, who is working on her MFA at Carnegie Mellon, is here just for summer break.In an attempt to make some money, they have started this little open air portrait business.They bring the orange crushed velvet curtain from home, hang in over the rail of the kiosk in the center of the zocalo ,along with their sign and then proceed to work the crowd!For 30 pesos, you come back in a day or two and get two portraits- one small,one large. They seem to do a fair amount of business and are so cheerful and energetic!Here they have their example photo albums,which I refer to as their "Check it out"books.Note,Leslie's book- top photo-ME!
I love what they're doing because many years ago there used to be a very old man in the zocalo with a pinhole camera.For a few dollars, he took your photo in front of one of the fountains and then developed it in a bucket.I still have those photos he took of me.