The here and now... and what and why

Complacency is a trap. At least that’s what I was thinking when I up and left the comfort of a Yankee prep school gig, where I taught music, amongst other things, for 28 years. There was also that life long career as a composer, musician and artist.

First, it was a year in St. Thomas, USVI, working as a reporter and shooting photography and then, a year in San Agustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Time passed.
More time passed and a year back in the Athens of America followed by a hasty return to Oaxaca where it is all happening.
A couple of years in San Sebastian Etla and now, just down the road in San Pablo Etla. Life is good.

Click on an image to see it larger.
For additional photography please visit my flickr page.
You can find my music on Jango (World & latin - Worldbeat) and at iTunes and most online stores.
¡Soy consciente de todas las tradiciones del Internet!
If you are coming to Oaxaca, please contact me for tours or advice.

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo
The view from Corazon del Pueblo

The hereafter re me

My photo
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Musician, photographer, videographer, reporter, ex-officio teacher, now attempting to be a world traveler

Monday, April 20, 2020

Stand by me....

No, not by me, but music stands by Jesus Sosa Calvo, renown woodcarver from San Martin Tilcajete.
Over a ten year period, Jesus and his talented family made twenty-six atriles or music stands for me as a part of a personal project.  I ended up with enough stands for a small orchestra, over sixty. 
For Jesus and all the artists involved, I just asked them to make whatever they wanted.  Of course, everyone asked initially, "What's a music stand?"  Then things like this came into being....
The Sosas always came up with the most wonderful designs, many based on things uniquely Oaxacan.
Of course, there had to be corn....
Frozen music....
It was a wonderful time in all our lives...... and all still standing.

3 comments:

Lopez Kilpatrick said...

I can’t help but wonder what the arts and crafts of Oaxaca will have to say about this in 6months to a year. What new alebrijes we will see. Skeletons with masks, sure, but what else?

Christopher Stowens said...

These are all from almost twenty years ago. IMO I consider the golden age of carving to be from 1980 to 2006. Things have changed dramatically after that. However, there are many new young artists creating wonderful pieces, like Jesus's son, Gabriel.

Bev in Connecticut said...

Have u ever exhibited them all together somewhere. Maybe MACO.
It would be great to see them