Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Entry #10

Monday, October 31, 2005 
to November 2, 2005

"Creative Jewelry" at the Instituto Allende began today. It meets from 9-12 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The teacher Abelardo Gill (Abe) had me working immediately on a pendant after I bought a sheet of silver and a beautiful green stone. He showed me each step of the process: cutting, heating, stretching and shaping the silver into first a bezel, then a back and finally a loop from which to hang it on a chain. When I left the jewelry studio I was choked up, almost crying tears of joy--I was so happy. It was very satisfying to learn a new skill and make something beautiful.

I finished the pendant Tuesday morning and started on a matching ring. On Wednesday I started a third piece, but everything went wrong. When I soldered the edges of the bezel, it collapsed and melted. I worked on it all morning, but had to put it aside, determined to return to it when I have more skills.

The Santa Fe Workshops Photography lectures Monday night were given by Ricardo Vidargas http://www.vidargasphotography.com/Index.htm and Keith Carter http://www.keithcarterphotographs.com/ . In the dark theater, the photos are able to transport me to another place, to see the world, one I don't necessarily know at all, from the photographer's unique point of view.

Tuesday evening I went to the opening of the annual Ofrenda exhibit at the Cine Los Aldama. The entire exhibit was created by artist Luis Pantoja.
He made all the papier-maché figures and decorated all the ofrendas. He had been preparing for the two night show for months. It was such a popular event that people were lined up outside to see the many ofrendas, each one dedicated to the memory of a deceased Latino movie star. There was also a candle-light parade through the Centro-- people of all ages walking in silence, holding shaded candles. The mood was solemn, a time of remembering, yet it was nevertheless a party, a time to face death and laugh at our own mortality.

Wednesday I met my friend Cynthia and we went to a gallery opening, "Skulls in the Boneyard" where we saw many impressive pieces: A glass spider web made by Susan Plum evoked Spiderwoman the creation goddess who spins the web of existence from her own body; Rosa Torres made a papier-maché skeleton covered in monarch butterflies---it is a celebration of transformation.

Theresa Seregneri made two large mobiles covered in dangling "Skeleton Women". Each one is different and beautiful despite the bony projections of ribs and skulls. They are dressed in feathers, beads and brilliant fabrics. If only they were sold separately!

What a great show! The work of nine artists and free refreshments: delicious guacamole, tostidas and mezcal!

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