"Celebrating the Bicentenario, Mexico’s biggest party of the year"

Leslie Tellez of the Mija Chronicles tells what its like in Mexico city on the day before "Mexico's biggest party of the year: Celebrating the Bicentenario!"

Just click on  Mija Chronicles to get the full story!

HIPSTA -VERA'S - new work for Dia de los Muertos 2010

Started working on a new Dia de los Muertos series in August called HIPSTA - VERA. The idea was to interpret contemporary culture with the classic image of Dia de los Muertos calaveras or skeletons. Rather than create the traditional calaveras like Jose Guadalupe Posada - http://www.inside-mexico.com/posada.htm - I wanted to use the culture of todays urban hipsters to use as the imagery for Day of the Dead. The name HIPSTA - VERA seemed like the perfect made up word or neologism (fancy speak for a new word or phrase) for a new type of calavera.

My finished and almost finished work is below. I hope to be adding at least two more HIPSTA - VERAS this month. Dia de los Muertos, Open Studios and 3 Dia de los Muertos artist's fairs will be happening next month. I'm a little nervous about keeping up with all of that but I have no choice but to go with it. Day of the Dead is one of my biggest seasons. I am a Latina artist who identifies deeply with this holiday and my artwork reflects this. SO...DEAL WITH IT! I'm speaking to myself.

So there you have it on this Tuesday, September 14th at 1:52pm.

Gee...its almost 2:00 and I'm still online. Got to get ready to go to the studio!!!

Happy Tuesday!

Night at Las Expresiones artist reception.

Roxanne Quezada, Alejandra Palos, Martha Rodriguez (that's me!)Add caption

Alejandra Palos - sculptor

Roxanne Quezada Chartouni - photographer

The artist's event at the Marin Community Foundation in Novato on Thursday, September 9th was a wonderful celebration. Great music, wine and treats were in abundance to keep everyone happy. I saw lots of friends who were participating in the event and talked, laughed and networked until the evening's end. So nice to meet with other Latino / Chicano artists from the Bay Area for an event celebrating our work and efforts. Lots of new faces (at least to me) as well as veteran artists from San Francisco like Patricia Rodriguez and Juan Fuentes.

Patricia said she has written a history of the muralistas and Chicano art movement in San Francisco from the early 70's. Don't quote me on this exactly but I believe that was the gist of her writing. She said it has been published and would have more about it on Facebook! Here's her Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2090163&id=1293498494&saved#!/profile.php?id=100001337283663&v=info&ref=ts

I was pleasantly surprised by the large turnout and by all the excitement generated. We all received a Certificate of Recognition from Cecilia Zamora, President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Marin. A sweet. sweet gesture. Ellen Campbell, Director of Exihibits and Opportunities for the Marin Arts Council, took all the participants photos.

Well, it was nice to be treated well and to be recognized by peers and art patrons.

When your days are spent in a hot, windowless studio and your contact with the world is other hard working artists, it becomes a real  pleasure to get out in the world and be recognized.

Many thanks to the Marin Arts Council, Ellen Campbell and Cecilia Zamora of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for putting on such a fabulous event.

p.s. Expresiones runs until November 18th, 2010. For more information, go to:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2090163&id=1293498494&saved#!/event.php?eid=145747122106174&ref=ts

Las Expresiones, Celebrating Latino Artists of the Bay Area

I'm one of the artists participating in this exhibit called: LAS EXPRESIONES - Celebrating Latino Artists of the Bay Area. The show runs until November 18th

.

There is an artist's reception scheduled for Thursday, September 9th, from 4:30pm to 7:30pm. If you are in the area, would LOVE for you to stop by. Art, music and refreshments will be served!!




LAS EXPRESIONES
participating artists:
anna laura arredondo, daniel camacho, carlos cartagene, victor castillo, luz elena castro, pable castro jr., christina chanteloup, roxanne quezada chartouni, gina m. contreras, manuel a. cortez, jaime crespo, christine dargahi, raul del rio, amy diaz infant, juan r. fuentes, katia fuentes, alex garcia, mariana garibay r, enrique goldenberg, carlos herrera, german herrera, elva kogl, javier manrique, eustorgia navarette, ernesto olmos, christo oropeza, rachel-anne palacios, alejandra palos, peskador, luis pinedo, sylvia poloto, andrea rey, raquel baldocchi reyes, calizio robles, patricia m. rodriguez, martha rodriguez, maria sanchez, anna simpson, david manzanares tafolla, antonio tovar, rafael bensuaski vieira, martin zuniga

Please join us at the reception for the artists:
Thursday, September 9 from 4:30 to 7:30
Fabulous art, music and delicacies
RSVP to RSVP4@marincf.org
We hope that you can attend.


Directions to the Marin Community Foundation, 5 Hamilton Landing, Novato, CA: Hwy 101 to Hamilton Field exit. Follow Nave Dr. and turn onto Main Gate Rd. At fork in road bear right onto South Palm Dr. Turn right onto Hangar Ave. Take the first left into the parking lot. MCF is on the second floor of Hangar 5. For more information please call MCF at 415/464.2500.


Artwork - "Caminata Interior" by Antonio Tovar

Phone:(415) 464-2500

eMail:RSVP4@marincf.org

Hipsta-vera - new calavera series for Day of the Dead

 

Working on a new Dia de los Muertos series called HIPSTA-VERA. The title is a take on the name CALAVERA which are the colorful muertos skulls decorated during Dia de los Muertos. 

The series is based on the hipster style, culture seen in cities across the countries. The scarf, messenger bag, Van shoes, hoodies are all part of the look. Just starting the series with these two paintings and hoping to create enought for a nice sized series.

Can't wait to paint more!

Grandma's Chicken Mole

My Grandma, Maria Candelaria Esparza, (show above from a mixed media I did of her) was the best cook ever. When the family came over – there were 9 siblings plus their children (that’s me) – Grandma would be in the kitchen. She always made flour tortillas. She was an expert at rolling, stretching and throwing them down on the grill. Soft and so delicious, they melted in your mouth.
But it wasn’t just the tortillas. It was her Chcken Mole. My Grandma was born in Sonora in Northern Mexico. I suspect that her method of making Chicken Mole was regional because there was NEVER any chocolate in her sauce. Red mole, chile flavored was her way. I wish I knew the recipe. I don’t. I suspect though that after years of making red mole with real chiles, grinding them into a pulp, browning, etc, she got tired. I remember in her later years a lot of chile powder being used, flower and chicken stock. She browned the flour, added chicken stock, chile powder and other seasonings. She used a big pot. The mole cooked for a long time with the chicken simmering. The end result was amazing! The chcken was so tender it fell off the bones. Together with her flour tortillas, it was a meal made in heaven. Lots of finger licking, lots of tortillas used to gather up the last bits of mole sauce on your plate. Grandma Candelaria was a master at her chicken mole and flour tortillas. I don’t think I ever told her but I hope she can hear me now.
Thanks Grandma. Memories of your cooking and those times will always be close to my heart. Love you!

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NEW.....upcycled, renewed, redesigned, recrafted, reused, recreated......

Virgin of Guadalupe Nicho






















Upcycled Loteria Tray



















I love working with upcycled items. Part of the joy is in the FIND! WOW....what can I do with this? The next thrill is making the decision and then bringing it to life. Sanding, painting, adorning the piece and transforming it into a new object, form. I guess you could say I'm the MAKEOVER QUEEN of upcycled items. There is such joy and fulfillment I receive when I can view the finished project and say, "I made that. I transformed that." What can I say but the act of renewing makes me downright happy!

Here's the link to my etsy store so you can see more items!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/estudiomartita