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

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Rebozos.... It's an art...

There is a wonderful display of rebozos, the long shawls worn by every Oaxaqueña, just across from Santo Domingo.  These are departures from the more traditional designs and, like other textiles and fashion trends, are a mix of the traditional and the more adventurous. 
And they are stunning. 
They are all protected, under glass, with the artist's name at the top, along with prices, which ranged from $15k to 25k MP ($750-1250 US. The images are different, but the delicate and fine macramé at either end is very traditional.... as are these monos on stilts.
There looked to be around twenty rebozos, but there may be more as they were displayed on both sides of the stands.
Worth checking out if they are still there.


Saturday, August 13, 2022

It's an art....

I've been watching this wall go up for the last few weeks.  I just love how it looks and I think the man working on it is a real maestro.  We always exchange a few words and I always tell him how beautiful I find his work. 
He probably thinks I'm just some crazy old guy, because for him, he's just doing what he always does.... working hard.  However, for me, he is representative of the quality of work done by so many here.  I've had work done by electricians, plumbers, albañils, stonemasons, like this man, even the cable guy, all have done really good work.... and I am a really tough judge.  And for me, like so many aspects of life here in Oaxaca, it's all an art.

Friday, August 5, 2022

Se busca

OK, I'll admit it's been a while since I posted anything.  And that's a "Wanted" poster I saw in the city today.  And no, I'm not the Indigo Girl, but I guess folks have wondered where I've been.  Friends wrote and asked, "What? No Teotitlan del Valle shots? No guelaguetza shots?" Well, I do have a few, but really, so many people I know have covid or have had it, that it made sense to just keep on keepin' on.  I guess I'm like a lot of people in that life has changed in the last few years and we're all adjusting as best we can. 
You know, just sitting back and watching the corn grow, staying close to home.  Incidentally, that corn looks pretty good, but really we are in a drought here and most of the corn around here looks really bad.  Hoping for the rains to come next week.  In the mean time, I'm doing lots of music and the gardens look great... oh, and there was that ten day period in which the house had all the cement eaves replaced.  These guys were masters of working with the stuff.  I'll try to post more now.  However, one of my constant sayings is, "My exciting life..."  and my current mantra is, "Well, at least we made it this far." 
I guess I've been gone a while.  Remember this corn street art from the city?  It used to be a single stalk and now...