Strange Tales of Magic and Miracles: Michael de Meng in San Cristobal, Mexico, October-November, 2015: Day One and Two

Strange Tales of Magic and Miracles:  Michael deMeng in San Cristobal, Mexico, October, 2016

It is time again for another adventure with Michael deMeng in Mexico for Dia de Los Muertos.  I have been with Michael twice in Oaxaca but this time we are headed to the Chiapas state of southern Mexico and the town of San Cristóbal de las Casas.

In 1994, there was a Zapatista uprising against the federal government in this area.  Now, the city benefits from tourism based on people coming to see what the city it like.  Tourism around the leftists is so successful that in 2003, the city was named a “Pueblo Mágico” by the Mexican federal government.

Our project for this trip is Strange Tales of Magic and Miracles:  Contemporary Ex Votos.  An ex voto is a small painting, typically on tin.  They are small and eventually are hung on the wall.  The ex voto is created by an artist on behalf of the buyer and it is to recount the moment of a tragedy that was thwarted by divine intervention.  On the bottom of the ex voto is a tribute to the saint who is responsible for the miracle.

I have learned from taking a number of long distance workshops that it works best for me if I plan my projects at home including doing so preliminary assembling.  From taking an Andrea Matus deMeng I have learned to called this auditioning.

The substrate

The frame closed

The frame will open

The adornment

Auditioning the central image

...and the winner:  Denice!

At home I did step one on all projects:  figure out how this thing will hang on the wall.

Day One, Friday, October 23, 2015

Unfortunately, trips like this from Milwaukee mean a late night flight.  In this case I hop on a bus in Milwaukee that carts me down to O'Hare airport in Chicago in order to catch a flight to Mexico City that leaves at 12:25 a.m.  

Day Two, Saturday, October 24, 2015

This gets me to Mexico City and who do I run into waiting for the same flight to Oaxaca:  Dianne Bywaters and her sister.  It is always a good thing to have travel companions in a foreign country.

Dianne, her sister and our tour arranger, Colleen Darling, in San Cristobal

The next flight gets us to Tuxtla where we have to catch transportation to San Cristobal.  This turns out to be an adventure as we have been under the impression a van would be waiting for us as if we were royalty.  Some language barriers later, the three of us rented a taxi for the long drive.  The best part was when the little tiny taxi driver took one look at my huge suitcase and said, "Mas grande!"

The drive proved to be an adventure as the distance is traveled on a two lane highway.  Vehicles straddle the inside line on both sides leaving a channel open right down the middle.  Yes, indeedy--that is the passing lane and it can be used by anyone daring enough to play chicken on a Mexican highway.  

The courtyard outside my room

Our hotel in San Cristobal de la Casas is the Holiday Inn.  It is located off of one of two pedestrian malls that run through the city.  This proves very convenient for reaching shopping, restaurants, bars and other tourist attractions.  

So, it is time for San Cristobal Walkabout #1

The pedestrian mall

Casa de Oracion Cathedral

The zocalo was the location of an outdoor book fair

No democracy without justice

A number of churches in this town are...uphill...

including Iglesia de Gudalupe.

Uphill...

...and down again.

Templo de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe

Our first Dia alter sighting

Music at the Festival International Cervantino Barroco in the zocalo

I Am the Same Boy My Mother Used to Kiss

I was on a flea market thrift store run the other day when I saw this corn planter for $10.

Sometimes $10 seems like more money than I want to spend considering what I am going to do with a found object.  But on this particular day, this piece instantly called out to me.

Here is another irony:  I have a basement full of found objects.  In fact, I have so many found objects I am thinking that I have too may objects that I have found.  So, I really did not need to buy this piece.

But--then what would be the point of being a found object artist if I stopped buying stuff?

The figurative nature of this corn planter was what inspired me.  I scoured the afore mentioned found object laden basement to find some arms, legs, head and a baby.

Always start with how the piece is going to hang--it saves so much grief at the end.  

Some ribbon I had was attached to represent the effect of giving birth.  

Attaching the arms was an engineering feat.

Now it was time to prepare the baby's arrival.

While the baby was drying I began to paint up Mom.

The girl's got legs.  And they are going to fry float.

As time went on it turned out this piece was not heavy enough so I sawed a circular chunk of wood I had in the basement to add dimension to the central core of the figure and about five pounds to its weight.

When completed and assembled, this piece was not easy to hang.

This piece was juried into the Family ehibition at the Next Act Theatre to accompany their production of Motherhood Out Loud in April & May of 2016.

The title for this piece comes from the poem "Not Dying" by Mark Strand--
I am the same boy my mother used to kiss.

Who Are These People #1: Palm Reading: Brother Harry and Friends

5/17/16
Last night I went to an auction and bought a zillion cabinet cards and photographs for $25.  As I sorted through the images this morning, I was intrigued by the question of who are these people, how did their photographs end up with me and what is the meaning of life.

So, until I run out of energy, I am going to do a series on some of the cool images that I have uncovered.

This first image is a photograph that measures 1" wide by 1 1/4" tall.  It has a blue stain in the upper left corner that adds interest.  The stain does not appear to be related to the development process but probably spilled onto the photo at some point in its long history.

I am not a great historian but the manner of dress suggests to me a turn-of-the century era for the photograph.

Why is this photo so small?  Could it have been held in a locket?  Possibly--but I think an image with two women for a locket does not send the right message if we are romantic traditionalists.

A clue might be the words written clearly on the back of this tiny photograph:  "Brother Harry and Friends."

5/18/16

After contemplating the idea of talking about particular photographs, I decided I should actually make a project with each photograph that peaks my interest.

Because this photo is so tiny, my thoughts went to putting it into a locket or small niche.  That was abandoned as cliche so I went for a book structure because I have made these before and they are always fun.

Part of the serendipity of working on a project with a book is that I like the title of the book to mean something to the work.  Today I selected Palm Reading by Dennis Fairchild and Julie Kaschkis (Running Press, 1995    9781561386260) in part because of the theme the title indicates but also because it is a small book to match the small photograph.

The easiest way to make a window in a book is with a drill but the process does not always go smoothly.  Today, drilling the hole went well but adding the two screws on the back of the book so I could add hanging wire went wild.

Then it was just a matter of finding the baby hand to go with the palm reading and the joke eye.

Lastly, something needed to be added to frame the photo and show it off.

The back of the book replicates the handwritten message on the back of the photo.

And, so, the first of the Who Are These People projects is Palm Reading:  Brother Harry and Friends.