my spanish is bad, but If i understand correct, this festival is a protest organized by the teachers of Oaxaca, who believe the cultural traditions and public spaces belong to ALL the people, and not just the rich who can afford to attend the Guelaguetza cultural celebration that is going on right now. These fireworks represent the 43 students who were killed.
I just took a week long stencil class with Oaxaca artist, Marcos Lucero. Marcos combines a variety of techniques and mexican motifs into his fantastic artworks. He is part of the Taller de Chicharra, a printmaking studio in Oaxacas centro district. In the class, I learned to to design an image, using ‘bridges’ and ‘islands’. We drew our designs on acetate with markers, and made projectors to enlarge our image, using cardboard and the light from our cell phone. after cutting our stencils(lots of cutting) we applied them with spray paint. Stencils are useful because they use simple materials, and let you quickly repeat a design on a variety of surfaces. Stencils are popular with street artists. I made 2 stencils…the first was a celebration of the rainy season in Mexico. I was able to get a variety of different effects using the same stencil.
The second stencil was a grasshopper, or chaupalin, as they say in Mexico. This stencil uses two templates…one for the color of the silhouette, the other for the details.
not only did i learn a lot from the workshop, but I also got to meet other artists, watch them create new work, and practice my Spanish. Muchas gracias a Marcos y el taller chicharra for the lesson.
Here in Oaxaca, I am surrounded by some of the freshest and delicious foods i have ever experienced. Today i am going to try to make an agua Fresca. It’s basically a tea made with hibiscus flowers, and I’m going to add a little bit of panela, an unrefined cane sugar. After it cools, i’ll pour a glass and drink it kind of like a decaffinated iced tea. So cheers! Here’s to trying new things: my first agua fresca!
I had some scraps left over from painting on this beautiful handmade Mexican paper.
In the Mexican tradition of not wasting anything, I used the scraps as a cover for some of my handmade sketchbooks.
These sketchbooks are the perfect size to keep in my front shirt pocket
And they are made with great drawing paper, so I’m ready whenever I am inspired to make some art.
Oaxaca Artist, Santiago Martínez introduces in studio in centro, Oaxaca. We made this video together, using only an iPhone. It amazes me how much you can do with these little phones nowadays.
A cool art exhibit in my Oaxaca neighborhood. Children from the Casa de Cultura Oaxaqueña made clay figures to represent the Oaxaca’s different Cathedrals.
I am very lucky to get a chance to work with Santiago Martinez, an amazing painter from Oaxaca. He helped me stretch and prime canvases, ‘the mexican way’! Muchas Gracias a Santiago for your help!
After a very busy spring, I’m heading to Oaxaca, Mexico to practice my spanish, and make art. I’m staying for 3 months. I haven’t been away from home for that long, and I’m a little bit nervous, and will miss everyone back home, but I’ll stay in touch!
Well, I’m here in Oaxaca! I didn’t get much done, but I did get a chance to make this little video. I hope you enjoy!
Ken is a self-taught artist from rural Kentucky, whose work includes painting, printmaking, and pottery. He considers himself to be a 'lifetime learner' and uses art to explore and learn more about the world around him. Much of his work reflect his optimistic views on rural folk culture, river life and simple pleasures.
