Bunny Drawings come to Life

May 1st, we're having a show of our bunny drawings at Noisette Bakery in Downtown Eugene.

We'll be selling matted prints of our rabbit drawings as a fundraiser for En Via , the microfinance loan group that works in Oaxaca.

Pic is of one of Jill's first bunny drawings that got us started.

 

Santo Tomas Jalieza

Abuela from Santa Tomas Jalieza doing her backstrap loom, weaving, thing.  There's a lot of wisdom in those hands. 

Handicraft in the Market Stalls of Oaxaca

An assortment of strung seeds and nuts that are abundant in the trinket selling stalls of Oaxaca. 

But look a little closer because that young woman sitting on the ground with her wares on a blanket might just be selling some amazing hand embroidered piece that her grandmother made.



                                                       

We are not the First Artists to be Inspired at the Ruins of Mitla

 

 

 Apparently we are not the only artists to be smitten with the brilliant stone fretwork at the ruins of Mitla, an ancient Zapotec ceremonial site,  a short drive from Oaxaca City. 

 

The German color theorist and artist  Josef Albers and his wife, the uber talented  weaver and printmaker Anni Albers, were pretty smitten as well.  Here is Anni Albers  red linen and cotton weaving called Meander.

And while Albers, the husband,  is best known as an educator, color theorist,  and painter, he also designed a half a dozen brick or block walls for schools , churches, and private homes including ones at Harvard and Stanford. 

 

 

 

I can't help but think that he was deeply influenced by the stone walls and friezes he saw at Mitla like the one in the photo above.  Nothing like this stonework is found anywhere else in all of Mexico and it is all mortarless and it's a bit of an understatement to say, it has withstood the test of time and earthquakes too.

"Muy raro" as someone in Mexico might say.

 

 

And Josef's painting from 1940  titled, "To Mitla" lets us know he had Mexico on his mind.

Exciting to me to think that we are treading in the footsteps of so many others - tapping into the universal source of inspiration left by the Zapotec people.

So glad we visited Mitla on the tour in 2013.

 

2nd and 4th photo via  Josef and Anni Albers Foundation.

 

 

 

 

Visiting Local Artists

Oaxaca is also a town that if chock full of contemporary artists working in lots of different mediums.  Our guide Pablo was kind enough to set up a visit for us to the studio of Humberto Batista.  M. Batista is one crazy, creative dude.  He does collage work but his forte is really assemblages.  His studio is filled with all kind of odds and ends.

 He has an ever changing wall of mask that are for sale.

 And I was sorely tempted to take this man home!

Several people bought pieces from him and it felt great knowing that we were putting dollars directly into the hands of local artists.

Click here to check out M. Batista's website.

More Art Making 2013

Well this collage of four different people's work didn't turn out exactly as I had hoped but it does give you an idea of how different and varied everyone's pieces were. We wrote a story about this little doll and then did a transfer image onto muslin.  This was one of my favorite projects.

A little Time to Relax

 Between all the art making and the touring, we even found a few moments to sit in the garden at the Casa and listen to the birds, follow the flight of a hummingbird amongst the bougainvillea , and watch the clouds.  Oh yes, and listen to the sqwauks of the resident parrot at the Casa.

And here's another parrot that manifested during the trip - a lovely little page that one of my art making companions made.

Our Last Project

 Can you guess what these are?  These are potatoes we carved to make potato prints. 

And then we stamped them all over paper bags and made these loose portfolios to put our pages in.  This was our last project of the tour and it brought everything to a nice close.

Staying on Track

A little calendar collage I made to let everyone know what was going on day to day! 

Between art making, touring, shopping , relaxing and general merriment it was hard to stick with the plan.  But I think we did pretty good.

We learned the Mexican Word for Rabbit

 

 The tour just ended and there are so many things I want to show you, it's hard to know where to start. So, I'll just start.  We didn't get to do quite as much sketching as we planned but Jill managed to find a little time for us all to sketch some of the ceramic rabbits that sit atop the hutch in the dining room of the Casa.  Above you can see Jill's sketch.

And here's a little practice piece I did.  Jill turned us on to these pencils that are watercolor pencils. So I did a little drawing and added a little shading. Must say, I became rather fond of my little rabbit.

Exploring the Arts and Crafts of Oaxaca

 

Now how exactly does he throw that pot without a potter's wheel?  Here's a hint:  He does it exactly the way his ancestors did it a thousand years ago.  I am in complete awe.  Come on the tour with us next year and  maybe you'll get to see this master potter in action. We were so honored to be able to have this demonstration on the 2013 tour.

Pre-Trip Planning

 We've been getting kind of crafty lately.  Jill & I love to give little goodie bags  and treats to our fellow traveling, art making, trip goers.  And because we believe that adding a little bit of your hand to even the most mundane of object (in this case, a brown paper bag) can add a whole lot of magic, away we went. Well, I would describe it as making a little magic.  Jill would describe it as how we save the world.....especially in the digital age.

 But Idigress. The bags came together really fast and we filled them with pencils and pens and pictures and papers.

 And everyone got this little, passport sized handmade book which Jill & I spent a couple of hours making on a Saturday evening.  I really enjoy the production line aspect of making multiples.  Every one is different but they're all kind of the same too.

And away we go. 

The Tour Itinerary 2013

.

 Jewel & Jill's 2013 Amazing Art Adventure is on!!! 
The Regreening of Your Mind -
An Art & Journaling Tour in Oaxaca Mexico
Fri. March 8th to Sun. March 17th 2013
10 days, 9 nights
$1,795  + $ 75 material fee
We're doing things a little differently than last year.  For one thing we've added an extra day and we're going to tighten our focus on art  and the amazing artisans of Oaxaca even more than last year.  We're also going to alternate touring days with art making days instead of trying to do both everyday.  For those of you who went last year, we thank  you for all your input which we hope will make this year even more amazing than last year.  (As if that were possible).  And rest assured, if you're going again, there will be lots of new things to see and do.
 Here's how the itinerary stands for now, as always subject to change based on opportunities that present themselves, peculiar whims, and daily inclinations......

Friday March 8th:  We'll get settled at the casa, our home away from home and gather for a simple welcome meal about 8 p.m.  Enjoy the rustic luxury of this second generation bed and breakfast just a short walk from the hustle and bustle of downtown Oaxaca City.   For those of you coming in later in the evening, a small snack will be available.  Let us know if you need transportation from the airport.

Saturday March 9th:  After a delicious  breakfast of fresh juice, strong coffee and tea,  huevos mexicana, & fruit,  we'll settle  into our private  studio behind the dining room and dive right into a morning of art class.  Lunch and siesta at the Casa followed by visits to the Basilica of Soledad and  the Rufino Tamayo Museum, a jewel box of a collection of pre hispanic art.  We'll do some field sketching at the museum and inaugurate our Oaxaca journals.  On your own for dinner in the evening.  You may return to the Casa and take dinner there ,  join us out on the town, or go off on a private adventure.

Sunday March 10th : Off by 9 with our knowledgable and beloved local guide Pablo to visit the colorful Tlacolula Sunday Market, some say the longest running farmer's market in Mesoamerica.  People from outlying villages come every Sunday to buy, sell, trade, and socialize. We'll dive right into the sights and sounds of this crazy colorful market, have our fortunes read by a canary, sample string cheese &real agave syrup,  and taste grasshoppers and goat barbacoa.  We'll also visit the beautiful newly restored chapel at Tlacolula,  which is considered a Baroque masterpiece.  Time permitting we'll leave Tlacolula and visit the ruins of Mitla - a Zapotec ceremonial site which has spectacular mosaic and fretwork found nowhere else in the Americas.  Hopefully we'll have a chance to do a little field sketching and catch some of the impressions of the day.  Return for group dinner at the Casa.

Monday March 11th :  A more relaxed day that will allow us to focus on art making and making sense of all the sights and sounds we have seen.  We'll have class time in the morning  followed by lunch and siesta at the Casa.  Later in the afternoon we'll go down to the Centro and tour the Cathedral of Santa Domingo which sits in a lovely plaza surrounded by great contemporary art galleries and shops.  If we are lucky we'll meet with some gallery owners who will talk to us about the contemporary art scene in Oaxaca.  On your own for dinner (again you may elect to have dinner at the Casa, join us downtown, or go off on your own)

Tuesday March 12th :  Another leisurely morning to work in the studio or explore downtown.  At 1 we leave on our tour to the weaving village of Teotitlan.  We will be hosted by the lovely folks from En Via who run a microfinance lending and educational NGO in Oaxaca.  They'll take us to visit the homes of their borrowers. We'll have an authentic glimpse of what it's like to live and work as an artist/weaver  in a traditional village. Your chance to talk politics, art, relationships & more with some local women.   Last year this was one of the highlights of our trip.  And we expect the same will hold true this year. Group dinner upon our return to the Casa.

Wednesday March 13th :  Off  with Pablo to the nearby village of San Augstin Etla home to an architecturally spectacular contemporary art museum on the site of a former textile mill.  But our real reason to come to San Augustin is to visit an artisan papermaking studio and see firsthand how paper is made from plants and other natural materials.  This is lo-tek, artisan papermaking at its finest.  We'll have an opportunity to purchase papers on site and then will return to the Casa for lunch and an afternoon of bookmaking using our papers.  On your own for dinner.

Thursday March 14th:  We'll have class time in the morning and continue working on our books, journals, and loose pages.  Lunch at the Casa followed by an open afternoon.  You can stay and continue with open studio time or join in a group activity.  At this time we are hoping to visit some locals, notably,  the studio of a local artist and antiquities collector or have a tour of a local folk art collection.  Still waiting to confirm.  Or you might choose to spend the afternoon shopping or visiting the textile museum.  On your own for dinner.

Friday March 15th:  Our last full day of touring.   We'll call this folk art day since we'll start with a visit to the Folk Art Musuem and visit master potters and woodcarvers.    Plus a visit to the fabulously funky church at  Santa Ana Zegache - which I always referred to as the marzipan church until Jill dubbed it the sculpey church.  If we're lucky, we'll have a chance to see some of the restoration work being carried out here and learn about gold leafing and other old techniques.  Lots of chances for field sketching.  Group lunch at a delightful, open air restaurant. On your own for dinner.

Saturday March 16th:  Final day of class where we'll bring together our weeks work.   Opportunities in the afternoon for last minute shopping and finishing up art projects.  Group sharing of our work.  Our hosts at the Casa pull out all stops and deliver a fabulous farewell dinner for us. Good time had by all.

Sunday March 17th - We leave renewed,refreshed, & inspired and make our way to our next destination.  Tour includes transportation to the airport as needed.  Additional nights at the Casa can be arranged.

Details: Tour price includes just about everything  (including a private room)  except the following:  your transportation to and from Oaxaca City (for most folks that means airfare), any alchohol you want to consume, any goods you want to purchase (and there will be temptation at every corner), four dinners on your own ( these can easily be arranged at the casa at the cost of $15 per meal but we wanted to give those of you who might like to, the opportunity to sample some of the great restaurants in Oaxaca), and tips for our guides and hosts (totally at your discretion).  Please email me at jewel.murphy@gmail.com  for more information or with any queries you might have.  We are looking forward to another amazing adventure and would love to have you join us.

A Little Bird Told Me

We're going to do more field sketching on the

Oaxaca 2013 trip.  In the meantime, here's a collage of some painted birds from

Jill's journal to inspire you.  Aren't they beautiful.  I love the colors and how they are bold and soft at the same time.

Another Tour, Another Church

Jill and I had a great little meal together last night.  We're brewing up another tour in 2013. And planning how we can mix it up a little.  Like maybe visit this brilliantly colored recently restored church. 
We're doing the happy Mexico dance.

Our Retreat Center

We will be staying at Casa Colonia  (oh she of the beautiful purple door), a second generation bed and breakfast just a short walk away from the hustle and bustle of the downtown Oaxaca City Zocalo.  We'll be close to all the action and yet safely nestled in our art and flower filled sanctuary.  Gracious and old world are words I think best describe the casa.

 The casa is filled and I do mean filled with great folk art (and fine art too) from all over Oaxaca like this great wall of masks.  The space and light will inspire us.

Plus there's a great library filled with books about Mexican culture and history as well as fiction. I had the pleasure of spending several weeks at the Casa and the library, also known as "la sala" was one of my favorite places. We'll have free run of the library and the gardens.

  In addition we'll gather each morning around a big table in the dining room for a delicious breakfast especially prepared for us.  Many a  wonderful conversation has been had over this table.

I don't think of the casa exactly as home away from home, I think of it more like I am going to visit my beloved and eccentric Aunt Jane. And there she is herself, Aunt Jane sporting a Mexican mohawk......Jane Robison (long time owner of the casa, tour guide, and all around fabulous hostess) and her manager Amado will be available for us should we need just about anything. The entire staff at the Casa could not be more gracious and charming.  I can't think of a better place for us to gather.  Click here to go to Casa Colonial's website and click here to find out what people have said about the Casa on trip advisor. 

Visit to a Papermaking Factory

We're going to go to this small town close to Oaxaca where a charming creek flows through a small factory devoted to the art of making paper by hand in small batches.  Everything is made from natural materials.

 Pulling the pulp up through a screen.

 The paper goes between big fat pieces of felt.

 Then it goes into a big press.

This is such a beautiful place.  We'll learn all about papermaking from beginning to end.  Then we can select from the small but excellent selection of paper made at the factory.  We'll make our own books from Mexican paper.   We'll see paper kites and paper jewelry too