Rodrigvitz Style

Mexico Monday...Children of Oaxaca

I will share a peek at a new shrine in the making for Rebecca's 'Oaxacan Children's Grassroots' auction this Mexico Monday.  The piece brings together a silver plated milagro heart from San Miguel...Mexican oilcloth, beadwork and tin.  

The beadwork is stitched...bead by bead...

Many older works of mine have been solid bead encrusted surfaces...these days I use the beads with other materials to create richly textured surfaces.

and what could be more nourishing for a child's soul than warm cookies and a mothers touch. 

A group of artists have come together over the past few years to create works to be auctioned off...monies raised for the Oaxacan Children's Grassroots organization.

Their vision...... to lessen poverty through education.
Difference begins at the grassroots level and requires community involvement and volunteer action to promote learning, greater self-esteem, and personal achievement

This years auction opens May 1.  Watch as my shrine grows and for your opportunity to bid on these beautiful creations.

Mexico Monday, Empty Bowls...full heARTS

I thought I'd share a new painting for Mexico Monday as it's time again...when people around here begin thinking about gathering to paint bowls and make bowls...readying for the Empty Bowls event to raise money to feed the hungry in our community.

This year I thought I would photo/paint an empty bowl for the art auction.  The image is a wooden bowl 'placed' in the hauntingly beautiful doorway of the abandonded school in Pozos Mexico.

Mark you calendars, buy your tickets for this years event and come and bid on my painting.

Mexico Monday....Happy heART Day!

Hearts from Mexico... and inspired by her....for you

may your day be sweet

Mexico Monday...Art Openings

I'll take you from art openings in Denver to art openings in Mexico.  Fabrica la Aurora in San Miguel is an old textile mill that has been turned into art studios and galleries.  The old machinery in many cases has been kept in place and the galleries built around them.

I knew there would be an astounding amount of folk art...

but didn't realize the strong contemporary art scene in and around San Miguel

Just outside of San Miguel in Pozo's we attended an opening for Anando...I have not yet introduced you to Ananda...be patient

it was fun to attend an opening in Mexico where we knew people...

and danced in the sunshine.

You may find more Mexico Monday here...enjoy!

Mexico Monday...Chickens

Mexico Monday, let's talk chicken.  Greetings from our big blue rooster...originally from somewhere in Mexico

 
some smaller tin and silver plated chickens that I have hanging around

the forms to create the silver plated chickens in San Miguel

felted from old woolen sweaters, chickens that originate in Michoacan

OK, this guy's is not from Mexico...made in China...but one of my favorites and too fun to pass up.

and these beauties that you can both purchase and enter to win a drawing to support these talented artists...right HERE with sweet Rebecca.

of the live variety in San Miguel

and Todos Santos

Happy start to a new week!

Mexico Monday....Silent Underwater Mystery

Today for Mexico Monday, something newly discovered, that I have not experienced personally but would love to one day...

The work of Jason Decaires Taylor.  I find this work magical, mysterious and ethereal...I invite you to sit back and relax.  Noelle has done a stunning job of gathering his biography here

 

Mexico Monday...Folk Art Collections

Mexico Monday and a taste of folk art collections...in San Miguel we visited several personal collections turned beautiful galleries. 

Here, Jennifer Haas and her Rancho Jaguar, where she artfully displays her personal collections from over 35 years traveling in Mexico.  I appreciate the way she catalogued them by location of the country and by artist thus preserving the beauty and context.

Casa de Cuesta, a remarkable bed and breakfast/gallery owned by Heidi and Bill LeVasseur, whose collections of folk art and mask museum highlight both historical works as well as contemporary folk art.

Another beautiful new museum...no pictures allowed, other than in their museum shop, is the Toy Museum, La Esquina...three floors of toys from the personal collections of Angelica Tijerina and her 50+ years of collecting Mexican toys.

I'll share some of our own folk art collections...this carnival mask from Carpinteros that Mr R carried back from Casa de Cuesta.

small clay vehicles from Michoacan...

clay chickens used in Easter retablos..

wood carved santos...and a mono print by my friend Linda

sweet, tiny animalitos...

our home is peppered with art and craft from all over Mexico, South America and the world.

 

Mexico Monday...Let's Get Cookin'

 

Mexico Monday takes us to a cooking class with Patsy outside of San Miguel.
 

we used all the freshest ingredients...roasting tomatillos, peppers, tomatoes and nopales

no Cuisinart for us...

and this little delicacy...huitlecoche, basically rotting corn kernels...has an earthly, mushroom like flavor when sauteed with onion and garlic.

Patsy's a real character and her kitchen 'casa' is filled with art, a huge cooking island that easily accommodated all of us...

as well as plenty of room to gather together and enjoy our creations.

Mexico Monday...Needing that Ocean Warmth

For the new year our temps plummeted...snow fell, finally, and I'm in the mood for Isla Mujeres this Mexico Monday.

Primarily...red, 

yellow...

and blue

the simple ecstasy of Christmas ornaments on agave, a yellow wall punctuated with tiny treasures and the perfect blue

that take me back on gentle ocean breezes.

Breathe deeply of the possibilities this coming year...

 

 

Mexico Monday...the Walls Sing with Color

 
After this long Christmas weekend I thought I'd share the colors of the walls
that line streets in San Miguel...reflecting shadows and the everchanging light...

 
dripping with plants in gorgeous hues of rusts and oranges, yellows and ochres...greens and blues

 

colors playing off each other

I was told that only a certain number of colors can be used in el centro de San Miguel, I love how each facade is different and doesn't try to match its neighbor.

 
Marigold filled doorways caught my eye...

and this one matches my shoes...more Mexcio Monday to savor here