Mexico City to Oaxaca

This first photo sums up the best of my 7 weeks in Mexico. 

I had a private studio at Lisa Sonora's place where I went to paint every morning in Oaxaca.

I completed 27-19x24" paintings on paper in that time. 

It was the most prolific and intense time of learning I've ever been able to experience.

In other words, heaven.

I'll tell you more about that in the next post.

We arrived in Mexico City at the Red Tree House on January 18th.

Our friends from San Miguel met us there and we had a week to share.

We went to museums.

All of us love food and art so that's what we did.

Mexico City is full of museums; no time to see them all.

We barely scratched the surface.

I took hundreds of photos but then in March my iPhone died.

It was as harrowing as you'd imagine.

I had no idea that my photos were magically in a cloud up there.

In the Museum of Anthropology I saw these clay paint palettes that ancient artists used.

I thought you'd like that.

And there was this clever doll that was assembled just like the Sculpy dolls we made last year.

As if anything is ever truly new.

We spent a day on a boat in Xochimilco, eating, floating, daydreaming with each other.

The Japanese have the expression, "floating world" to describe the impermanence of life.

On that day our world really was floating.

I got to see paintings by a fascinating Mexican artist, Jose Cuevas.

I've admired his drawing style for many years.

On our arrival in Oaxaca we were greeted by friends from our hometown.

It's always a bit of a miracle to see familiar faces so far from home.

We spent many lovely hours together.

There was a great show of Ikat weaving at the Textile Museum.

The Monday friends still met up to create and visit.

That's where I met Lisa Sonora, who offered me the use of a private studio.

Here is my angel in her studio with one of her Buddha paintings. 

She is forming an artists' haven (Art House Oaxaca) near the Llano Park in central 

Oaxaca City where artists will be able to live and work and 

gather for classes. If you've ever wanted to retreat and have a quiet, 

private place to live and work, Lisa is a woman who can

set you up. She has room to sleep 10 people and studio space as well.

The location is excellent with everything you need in walking distance.

Around the corner from Lisa's is an art store and this studio full of printmaking

and ceramic equipment. Fun to visit and a place to work for printmakers.

John got to meet his favorite living Mexican singer, Lila Downs.

She was shopping at the Tlacalula Market when we spotted her. 

Such a lovely person; she was warm and generous to the fans who

stopped to greet her. This was really a special moment for both of us.

I did a warm up self portrait in watercolor in my journal.

Coincidently, Kathie Vezzani was also in Oaxaca with Carla Sonheim, Lynn Whipple, Lynn's husband John Whipple and Ane Martinez. 

Carla and Lynn were teaching a group of artists there. 

I was thrilled to be invited to share a meal with them at the beautiful Casa Oaxaca restaurant.

Before I got settled into Lisa's studio I did 3 paintings in my apartment.

This is the shower stall where the lighting was perfect and I didn't have to 

worry about dripping on the floor. The only problem was the cracks in

the tile that were uneven. But I was determined to paint.

Full moon over the Santo Domingo Church. Big puppets. 

I loved these tender drawings on paper of shaded bodies. I'll be teaching gesture

drawing and Rembrandt shading in Amsterdam in two months with Kathie Vezzani 

(go here for information; there is one spot available). I love the human form

and we will have a live model; such an opportunity to study art and see all the

wonders of Amsterdam.

I loved all the stores in Mexico with quinceanera dresses. We have nothing like it here;

 truly they are Cinderella gowns for the young girls who are being feted.

I didn't get a single photo of my own at the opening that Lisa held for Suzanne Kinney and myself.

Fortunately my friends came and shared theirs; we had a terrific turn out and I was thrilled to

feel so supported and honored. I got to show 17 of the 27 paintings I accomplished; between Suzanne

and myself we filled the large room with our creations. I've posted the paintings over on Instagram;

my handle there is judygirl9876.

In my next posting I'll write more about the opening, visiting a Oaxacan artist there

 and painting a mural on the big wall at Lisa's Art House with a group of friends. 

xo