http://www.flickr.com/photos/estudiomartita/sets/72157624174769792/
Monday, May 31, 2010
CARANAVAL San Francisco 2010
Arrived mid day with parade just ending but managed to get pix of some of San Francisco's finest!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/estudiomartita/sets/72157624174769792/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/estudiomartita/sets/72157624174769792/
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Temescal Street Fair
Hey all. Its official. I'll be at the Temescal Street Fair:
Sunday June 6th
12-6pm, Telegraph Ave
Oakland
BOOTH #24
I'm close to the Mixing Bowl @4920 Telegraph between 49th & 51st St. Hope to see you there!
View Larger Map
Monday, May 24, 2010
momentum, momentum, momentum
New work and always searching for new venues. Just got into the Temescal Street Fair in Oakland. Happy about this since I've heard its a great festival with lots of people attending. Fighting the doldrums! Ooo boy these times are tough but trying to turn those thoughts around. Looking for creative new ways of selling my work. Working towards creating more business opps for me. Going to review some of my emails where new leads were mentioned. Checking Craig's List more regularly for artist opps. Looking into a couple of Mission galleries to show my work. Search, discover and always, always keep creating.
Got to keep the momentum going - ALWAYS!
SACRED HEART OF ROSES - NEW WORK
SACRED HEART OF ROSES - NEW WORK
HUES OF A PEACOCK -new Etsy Treasury I curated
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=132742
Got to keep the momentum going - ALWAYS!
SACRED HEART OF ROSES - NEW WORK
SACRED HEART OF ROSES - NEW WORK
HUES OF A PEACOCK -new Etsy Treasury I curated
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=132742
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Fruits of Labor
Working on home accessories to post on my Etsy store. Looking for new image theme and experimenting with using images of 1920's flappers. Lots of images to review from oled picture postcards. Great retro fashions, styles. Worked on a couple of upcycled boxes and happy so far with the look.
Last night I curated a Treasury on Etsy called Fruits of Labor. I used work from a group I belong to (CCCOE Team on Etsy) - a group of California crafters - as well as work from other talented Etsy artists. The result was a colorful, fun, summertime looking group. I love putting these Treasuries together. See what you think!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Whatever I choose....and it's LOTERIA!!
MAU meeting last night to discuss the outcome of Spring Open Studios. Very positive responses and great ideas for the future. MAU has only just begun with our organizing efforts for the Mission and it can only get better. Difficult economic times but exciting times for new ideas and innovative, postive organizing methods.
After meeting, we walked over to the Rite Spot for a "meet and great". Some new faces, great conversation and lots of laughter. Good times.
_____________
Hadn't done an Etsy Treasuries for a awhile but I managed to grab a spot on this one - at the very last minute. With no prepared theme in mind,I decided to search for artwork based on the Mexican bingo game called LOTERIA. The imagery of this game is amazing. Check out the artwork and see for yourself. Lots of bright colors for a bright and sunny day in San Francisco!
LOTERIA TREASURY
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
The Face of Women
Did some work at home yesterday. Sorting through images of the late Mexican actress Dolores del Rio. What a beauty. She had a long career from the 1920's to 1970's. She was considered one of the first Latin American actresses to have international appeal.
I also spent some time on Facebook and Twitter posting updates on shows, pictures and anything else to keep people aware that I sell my work online and from the studio.
Waiting to hear whether I was accepted into the Temescal Street Fair on Sunday June 6th in Oakland. Have heard from various friends that it is well attended. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. We shall see!
Yesterday I also used the Etsy new Treasury East curating site. Here you pick a theme and find work of artists subscribed to Etsy who match that theme. My theme was: The Face of Women. Lots of work to choose from. There's so much talent out there in the world. You can check out the web site and leave a comment at:
ETSY TREASURY EAST
Happy Tuesday.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
A week without deadlines and a Mother's Day to be Happy!
Gaby and Mario...a few years ago...
Had a quiet week in the studio. Its been a long time since I can remember I didn't have to finish work for a upcoming show. I used the time to pick up some new supplies, do some prep work and reconnect with some of the artists in the building.
Love the artists I work with. Everyone has a particular story to tell. All individuals from various walks of life, various parts of the country or beyond. Being housed in a building with artists gives you a perspective on life in general. Similarities yet differences of families, education, personalities, emotions, all combine to come under the title of artist. We are diverse yet similar. Just like life. Just like families.
Speaking of families, Mother's Day is tomorrow. Another holiday. Aren't we always celebrating something? Spending some time with my husband, my daughter and her boyfriend and son, daughter-in-law (hopefully, but she's sick) and grandson Leo. A Mother's Day to be happy. I realize now I am creating my own circle of family around the holidays. Life is changing and without thinking about it, I have become Mom / Grandma.
Families are wonderful and difficult at the same time. Acceptance, change, self awareness is difficult for some to deal with. Accepting ones own weaknesses, owning up to them, identifying them and working through them is impossible for some. I can't do the work for others so life goes on. I can't wait for others to suddenly become enlightened. I've spent a life time of looking within and now I want to enjoy my family and family of friends.
Life is a series of twists and turns and you just hold on tight and ride the wave.
Gaby and Mario...today
Had a quiet week in the studio. Its been a long time since I can remember I didn't have to finish work for a upcoming show. I used the time to pick up some new supplies, do some prep work and reconnect with some of the artists in the building.
Love the artists I work with. Everyone has a particular story to tell. All individuals from various walks of life, various parts of the country or beyond. Being housed in a building with artists gives you a perspective on life in general. Similarities yet differences of families, education, personalities, emotions, all combine to come under the title of artist. We are diverse yet similar. Just like life. Just like families.
Speaking of families, Mother's Day is tomorrow. Another holiday. Aren't we always celebrating something? Spending some time with my husband, my daughter and her boyfriend and son, daughter-in-law (hopefully, but she's sick) and grandson Leo. A Mother's Day to be happy. I realize now I am creating my own circle of family around the holidays. Life is changing and without thinking about it, I have become Mom / Grandma.
Families are wonderful and difficult at the same time. Acceptance, change, self awareness is difficult for some to deal with. Accepting ones own weaknesses, owning up to them, identifying them and working through them is impossible for some. I can't do the work for others so life goes on. I can't wait for others to suddenly become enlightened. I've spent a life time of looking within and now I want to enjoy my family and family of friends.
Life is a series of twists and turns and you just hold on tight and ride the wave.
Gaby and Mario...today
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
It's Cinco de Mayo!
U.S Postal Stamp
Painting of the Battle of Puebla
Mural by Antonio Gonzalez Orozco
depicting the arrival of Juarez and his
cabinet in Mexico City in 1867.
Its Cinco de Mayo. Here's a little history for you from Las Culturas....
Cinco de Mayo may be the most well known celebration by Latinos in the United States. It is, however, one of the most misunderstood celebrations. Is it Mexican Independence Day? Why does it seem to be celebrated by Latinos in the United States more than Mexico? Is it appropriate to celebrate a Mexican holiday in the United States? Is it a holiday just for Mexican Americans or for all Latinos in the United States?
And why is this holiday important for all Americans?
It is not Mexican Independence Day. This is a common myth, possibly made popular because the celebration centers on a battle and you can see the Mexican flag at many celebrations. The actual independence celebration is referred to as el Grito de Dolores and takes place on Diez y Seis de Septiembre (Sept. 16th).
The US and Mexico
In part due to the Mexican-American War, Mexico was still suffering the effects of a demoralized nation and an empty treasury. In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln of the United States and President Benito Juarez (a full-blooded Zapotec Indian) of Mexico both had their hands full with war. While the US Civil War was waging, Emperor Napoleon III set his army on the shores of Mexico with the added support of Spain and Britain. They had arrived to collect their debts from Mexico. This was in direct defiance of the Monroe Doctrine, which warned Europe to stay out of the affairs in our hemisphere. The army, undefeated for 50 years in Europe and Asia, started marching north to capture Mexico and eventually create a French empire that would extend to Central and South America.
Both Presidents knew it was in their interest to defeat the French and expel them from Mexico.
La Batalla de Puebla
General Ignacio Zaragosa is a key figure in the battle at Puebla, known for his guerilla tactics. He was born in Bahia del Espiritu Santo, Tejas, before Texas was part of the United States. Today the town is called Goliad. General Zaragosa was tasked with stopping an experienced force that outnumbered his poorly trained and poorly equipped recruits by the thousands.
On May 5, when the French approached Puebla, General Zaragosa and the townsfolk of Puebla defeated them soundly. The French retreated with several hundred of their troops lost in battle.
Eventual Victory
President Juarez responded by making the victory a national celebration. The little town of Puebla had defeated the strongest army in the world and would inspire all of the local armies in Mexico.
The French were also impressed. They responded by sending a force of 30,000 to finish the fight. After a year of preparation, the French defeated Puebla and started towards Mexico City. Once President Juarez was in exile and Mexico City had fallen to French control, Maximilian of Habsburg was named Emperor of Mexico. In many ways he was a benevolent ruler, but one of his decrees was that any followers of Juarez would be put to death within 24 hours of capture. President Juarez would continue to wage battle and govern his loyal followers in exile.
With the United States at peace again, European forces and support began to withdraw from the effort in Mexico. US soldiers were discharged if they decided to support the Mexican army. In 1867, Maximilian was executed for his role in a conflict that cost 50,000 Mexican lives.
A US Latino Holiday - Dignity, Justice, Destiny
Many believe that this celebration should be just a Mexican holiday, or just a Mexican-American holiday. It may be celebrated more in the US than it is in Mexican towns. Puebla, of course, continues to make this a local celebration. The destiny of the United States is linked to the tenacity and courage that the victory at Puebla invoked in the hidden armies of Mexico. The French diplomatic campaign to minimize the Spanish and Portuguese dominance in the Americas is why the region is referred to "Latin" America today.
If the French had retained power in Mexico, they would have spread south and eventually made a challenge to the United States. If Puebla had not delayed the advance of the French, Lincoln would have found a French army at the border of a divided United States. A force ready to finance and arm the Confederacy. Instead, the United States would reunite and become the most powerful army in the world. Mexico, to celebrate the success and cooperation of the two nations, has the only standing statue of Abraham Lincoln outside of the United States. Just as US soldiers crossed to support Mexico, Mexicans, as recent as the Persian Gulf War, have offered to cross national lines and fight for the United States. Latinos continue to be the most awarded ethnic group in heroic service to our military.
One of the key components that lit the fire for Cinco de Mayo and made it popular in the United States was the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, which reached its climax 100 years after the Battle at Puebla. Mexican-Americans, as the most populous Hispanic group in the United States, led the struggle to end lynching, land theft, segregation, illegal deportations and a host of human rights violations in the United States that affected all Hispanics. During this struggle, the memory of Puebla continued to inspire strength and the determination to control our destiny with dignity.
On Cinco de Mayo, ignore the Budweiser commercials and other commercialization. Find a community celebration and remember the simple folk in Mexico that affected the destiny of both nations. And remember the spirit of the men and women, Chicanos and other Latinos, who brought down the walls of segregation and abuse, returned dignity to the United States and Latinos by ending the persecution, and continue to do so today.
Painting of the Battle of Puebla
Mural by Antonio Gonzalez Orozco
depicting the arrival of Juarez and his
cabinet in Mexico City in 1867.
Its Cinco de Mayo. Here's a little history for you from Las Culturas....
Cinco de Mayo may be the most well known celebration by Latinos in the United States. It is, however, one of the most misunderstood celebrations. Is it Mexican Independence Day? Why does it seem to be celebrated by Latinos in the United States more than Mexico? Is it appropriate to celebrate a Mexican holiday in the United States? Is it a holiday just for Mexican Americans or for all Latinos in the United States?
And why is this holiday important for all Americans?
It is not Mexican Independence Day. This is a common myth, possibly made popular because the celebration centers on a battle and you can see the Mexican flag at many celebrations. The actual independence celebration is referred to as el Grito de Dolores and takes place on Diez y Seis de Septiembre (Sept. 16th).
The US and Mexico
In part due to the Mexican-American War, Mexico was still suffering the effects of a demoralized nation and an empty treasury. In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln of the United States and President Benito Juarez (a full-blooded Zapotec Indian) of Mexico both had their hands full with war. While the US Civil War was waging, Emperor Napoleon III set his army on the shores of Mexico with the added support of Spain and Britain. They had arrived to collect their debts from Mexico. This was in direct defiance of the Monroe Doctrine, which warned Europe to stay out of the affairs in our hemisphere. The army, undefeated for 50 years in Europe and Asia, started marching north to capture Mexico and eventually create a French empire that would extend to Central and South America.
Both Presidents knew it was in their interest to defeat the French and expel them from Mexico.
La Batalla de Puebla
General Ignacio Zaragosa is a key figure in the battle at Puebla, known for his guerilla tactics. He was born in Bahia del Espiritu Santo, Tejas, before Texas was part of the United States. Today the town is called Goliad. General Zaragosa was tasked with stopping an experienced force that outnumbered his poorly trained and poorly equipped recruits by the thousands.
On May 5, when the French approached Puebla, General Zaragosa and the townsfolk of Puebla defeated them soundly. The French retreated with several hundred of their troops lost in battle.
Eventual Victory
President Juarez responded by making the victory a national celebration. The little town of Puebla had defeated the strongest army in the world and would inspire all of the local armies in Mexico.
The French were also impressed. They responded by sending a force of 30,000 to finish the fight. After a year of preparation, the French defeated Puebla and started towards Mexico City. Once President Juarez was in exile and Mexico City had fallen to French control, Maximilian of Habsburg was named Emperor of Mexico. In many ways he was a benevolent ruler, but one of his decrees was that any followers of Juarez would be put to death within 24 hours of capture. President Juarez would continue to wage battle and govern his loyal followers in exile.
With the United States at peace again, European forces and support began to withdraw from the effort in Mexico. US soldiers were discharged if they decided to support the Mexican army. In 1867, Maximilian was executed for his role in a conflict that cost 50,000 Mexican lives.
A US Latino Holiday - Dignity, Justice, Destiny
Many believe that this celebration should be just a Mexican holiday, or just a Mexican-American holiday. It may be celebrated more in the US than it is in Mexican towns. Puebla, of course, continues to make this a local celebration. The destiny of the United States is linked to the tenacity and courage that the victory at Puebla invoked in the hidden armies of Mexico. The French diplomatic campaign to minimize the Spanish and Portuguese dominance in the Americas is why the region is referred to "Latin" America today.
If the French had retained power in Mexico, they would have spread south and eventually made a challenge to the United States. If Puebla had not delayed the advance of the French, Lincoln would have found a French army at the border of a divided United States. A force ready to finance and arm the Confederacy. Instead, the United States would reunite and become the most powerful army in the world. Mexico, to celebrate the success and cooperation of the two nations, has the only standing statue of Abraham Lincoln outside of the United States. Just as US soldiers crossed to support Mexico, Mexicans, as recent as the Persian Gulf War, have offered to cross national lines and fight for the United States. Latinos continue to be the most awarded ethnic group in heroic service to our military.
One of the key components that lit the fire for Cinco de Mayo and made it popular in the United States was the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, which reached its climax 100 years after the Battle at Puebla. Mexican-Americans, as the most populous Hispanic group in the United States, led the struggle to end lynching, land theft, segregation, illegal deportations and a host of human rights violations in the United States that affected all Hispanics. During this struggle, the memory of Puebla continued to inspire strength and the determination to control our destiny with dignity.
On Cinco de Mayo, ignore the Budweiser commercials and other commercialization. Find a community celebration and remember the simple folk in Mexico that affected the destiny of both nations. And remember the spirit of the men and women, Chicanos and other Latinos, who brought down the walls of segregation and abuse, returned dignity to the United States and Latinos by ending the persecution, and continue to do so today.
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