A Pilgrimage to the Templo Mayor

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Built upon the bones of the Templo Mayor the Metropolitan Cathedral sprawls out in baroque splendor. It is a wondrous complex of buildings, unmistakably the Church of Rome, yet a distinct synthesis of western aesthetic values and the indigenous spirit. This magnificent structure is adjacent to what remains of the great Aztec temple.

The Templo Mayor complex is a strange sight, a raw brutal testament to what was, it remains defiant against these new usurping gods.

I was thrilled by it all, the old and the new gods.

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Art by Roberto Cueva Del Rio

I’m not going to be able to identify all that I post, I simply could not keep up with the wealth that was offered- you must go and experience the richness for yourself.

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The museum sits in the shadow of the cathedral, please note this is the least magnificent aspect of the facade, just its side profile. Stunning and exhilerating architecture, clearly formally orchestrated yet organic.

P1000270 Exterior remains popping up amidst Colonial order.

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Skull rack- too pooped to look up the proper name-sorry for that.

The interior collection follows:

IMG_4244Eagle Offering Vessel-Cuauhxicalli

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the fearsome Xipe Totec

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a delightf ul Bat God, over life size, as is the Xipe above.

The following are Temple figures found in the ruins, a little under life size. I find them particularly intriguing, on par with Archaic Greek sculpture.

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If the above figures were monumental, this crumbling fellow was small and portable yet still conveying power. The following few are all roughly fist sized.

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I love this guy.

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He was a little over a foot if I remember correctly.

If one sought rain, the Templo Mayor offered a plethora of Tlaloc  and Chac idols.

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As I began with a black Old God, I will conclude with a New God, also black, also beautiful.

This Christ greets you as you enter the Metropolitan Cathedral. His painful wounds gush with crimson brocade ribbons. It is a wonderful spectacle. I love the fan at his waist.

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That is it for now, have a lovely weekend.

Be well,

Lg

Snooping on Frida (& Diego)

Our recent trip to Mexico City was meant to be a pilgrimage to the Old Gods and the New Goddesses, namely Remedios Varo and Leonora Carrington. Sadly we were unable to see any of their  work, most on loan (Posado’s work was equally elusive , partly due to our lame Spanish I fear).  

But as my friend Rosa loves to tell me when a door slams shut a window opens. This trip if anything was a Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo extravaganza.

I am new to loving Frida, having been overexposed to her ominous brow  plastered on everything from coffee mugs to mouse pads. But since exploring the woman surrealists of Mexico I have fallen passionately in love with her. A trip to the Casa Azul was a necessity , tourists be damned. Fortunately Mexico City is not an early bird town and we had the place to ourselves in the early morn, a great luxury in such a metropolis.

 Italian Vogue has some exhibition going on concerning her clothing, again my Spanish is so lousy that I missed most of the point; but her clothing is fantastic .

Some of her costumes will be familiar to those who love her sell portraits.

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As frothy and candy colored was her wardrobe, the corsets and crutches added a dark element. 

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As fashion isn’t really a burning passion for me, I was more interested in the domestic life the two shared.

Although much of the Casa Azul is now devoted to gallery space one gets a sense of how well they lived, with taste not ostentation.  A Bloomsbury south of the border.

I was thrilled by the kitchen with its bright yellow furnishings, so inspirational.

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Every artist has to peak into her studio, I was impressed that it wasn’t huge (Diego had a large studio of course) , but it was so well lit. Their favorite architect Juan O’Gorman, a great artist in his own right, added sensitive additions to her family home. 

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Fun note, she stored excess paint in empty nail polish bottles, a glamorous touch.

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Another interesting note is that her enviable easel was a gift from uber capitalist John D. Rockefeller; amusing that such ardent Marxists could be friendly enough to accept such a wonderful gift. For those interested it was made by Windsor and Newton, and it is fantastic; my own pitiful easel pales in comparison.

The gardens of Casa Azul are equally inspiring, generally I avoid the soil, but I’m tempted.

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exterior view of the O’Gorman addition with charming dove-cots built from embedded clay jugs.

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Rivera’s idea of a garden folly, a miniature pyramid; a perfect altar for Dia de los Mortos.

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If I am going to work in the yard I must paint the walls blue as well because my husband looks so handsome against them.

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That’s it for now, back to work, but until next time be well,

Lg

Missing Tenochtitlan

We arrived home yesterday and my head is still spinning from our trip to Mexico City. I have been at the easel most of the day scrambling to put inspiration to canvas.

So much so my fingers hurt so I am taking a wee break and posting just a few of the many photos we have taken . I will post more, in a more thematic sequence but for now…

P1000321With Chalchiuhtlicue @National Museum of Anthropology- a wonder of a place.

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@ Templo Mayor

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In Condesa where our B&B was, just  the loveliest neighborhood; chock-a-block with ArtDeco architecture, rivaling Miami Beach.

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Try to guess who’s house I was at.

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The spouse-man with one of the Voladores de Papantla performers; quite a spectacle.

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The Voladores de Papantla performance is  supposed to be descended from a ritual to the  fearsome god Xipe Totec.

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The primary reason for the trip, a pilgrimage To Where The Gods Were Born, Teotihuacan.

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Atop the Temple of the Moon, we had just finished the Temple of the Sun so our disheveled appearance can perhaps be forgiven.

It was glorious, at the summit of the Sun pyramid butterflies had amassed as if to welcome pilgrims; a good day indeed.

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Frankly just a vanity shot, usually I look  goofy as hell but this isn’t too bad.

At Coyoacán, possibly one of the most gracious tourist spots around.

I’m going to head back to my painting, but I will test patience by more updates once I have settled in.

Take care and be well,

LG

From the Dreamscape to the Notebook

Try as I may I can not escape unpleasant realities for they always pop up in my dreamworld ( which tends to be  an extremely rich, if not a disturbing place).

i have a younger sister who I love dearly, this sister has suffered from mental illness since her teenage years. Life has not been kind to my sister, she suffers the pain of her illness and tremendous self doubt. Once again she has checked herself into the hospital; as she pointed out to me , she has lived with mental illness for 27 years. Understandably she sounded desperate and overwrought, and although usually tremendously resilient , this time I had terrible fears.

So much so they entered my dreamworld.

In this dream my sister ask me to illustrate her situation, she directs a small painting: it is dark, stormy and insufferable, she is on a large terrible thorny tree, fighting against the storm and gravity. The tree is festooned with acorn caps (not an acorn -Lifeforce-  Are there 27 acorn caps ?

One for each lost year?

In this dream she asks me to include a small acorn bursting forth as a seedling . In this detail I hold optimism that my sister will be alright.

Hoping that faith is well founded.

The following are some of the sketches I made today:

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Wishing my sister strength.

Until next time, take care and be well,

Lg

day II

I won’t bore folks with  literally watching paint dry, but the bright sunshine and happy temperament of our new place has provided inspiration to work. Yesterday was such a productive day , for that I am grateful.

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“And the Old Gods Were Pleased” in progress

I won’t indulge in a studio play by play, but I’m  happy, at last, to experience some degree of contentment .

(Now I must secure a printmaking facility.)

The pets are as thrilled as their companion, difficult to make out but there is a wee little cat and chihuahua on the couch and the ever present studio pugs at its foot. All pleased as punch.

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Until next time,

Lg

Back at the Easel

First day after a few weeks of happily fussing with our new home to be back at the easel; just the smell of the linseed oil brings me joy.

I have been working out a large and complex  composition and in so doing one of the details has caught my attention.I have decided to make this detail a painting in of itself.

In many ways I hesitate to start this  large canvas until after our upcoming trip to Mexico City and most especially  a pilgrimage to Teotihuacan.

Not surprisingly the  larger painting deals with a  struggle between the Old Gods and the New. Of particular inspiration is the Gnostic concept of the envious Demiurge Yaldebaoth (Yahwah) who wishes to curtail man’s access to the Tree of Knowledge. Part of my composition might or might not include a reference to this most familiar narrative, but in the mean time I was inspired to craft a painting from the sketch.

My interest in this subject is not in the tired misogynistic trope of downfall of Man at the hands of the willful Eve. Instead I want to depict that moment of knowledge as a celebration, of Eve, of Adam, of the poor maligned serpent, and the glee and blessings of the Old True Gods (depicted in the roots of my Axis Mundi). This interest may be part of my ongoing desire to free myself from the Judea-Christian nonsense that has haunted me since boyhood. Early on I thought it ridiculous that an All-Knowing Creator would wish to stingily hold onto his wisdom, leaving his creation naked, stupid and merely content to worship Him.

IMG_4190sketching in And the Old Gods Were Pleased

Part of the composition for the afore mentioned larger painting has involved some “character” studies:

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The Axis Mundi

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Tlaloc

For now I am  happy to be painting, loosening up a bit, just happy to paint as I can and as I feel fit.

That might be the most difficult challenge of expression, being true.

Until next time, take care and be well,

Lg

At Home in the House of Yes

IMG_4179We moved back to LA on the first of October, a little over a week ago. The last few remaining boxes haunt me but essentially the dust (if not the pug fur) has settled and we are now officially HOME. The past few years have made me very appreciative of this city which I have missed terribly. Although our plans went awry a bit I believe the move back to LA to be Fortuna’s doing .

So much of our new home is the antithesis of the doom and gloom we have endured in San Diego, most especially the sense of optimism. LA by nature is inherently optimistic and our new landlady is the very spirit of YES. I’m promising myself to no longer dwell upon my mother-in-law and her curmudgeonly temperament but suffice to say Marsha (the landlady) possesses a spirit  that is loving and encouraging , she couldn’t be further from what I have become accustomed to. Our home is sweet little 1920’s “Spanish” duplex, Marsha lives above and we rent the ground floor. It is a bright and happy place and by LA standards relatively large. 

IMG_4174Studio space, formerly the living room .We have converted the larger of the bedrooms into a sitting room.

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Dining room /drafting room/ art library (part of it anyway)

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As it is an “old” building, at least by Southern Californian standards, the ceilings are high and gracious , plus plenty of cross breezes from the many happy casement windows.

One of the great joys of living in our new neighborhood ( a surprisingly intact collection of  charming 1920’s fantasy architecture-mock spanish,mock-Norman,mock-Beverly hills, faux Tudor…) is the ease with which I can walk to LACMA. The other evening I went to a film festival devoted to the great Mexican film-maker Gabriel Figueroa. I confess I was unfamiliar with this great artist but I was blown away by the breadth of his work (the museum has an accompanying exhibition to the film festival) and I was particularly moved by the film presented, Marīa Candelaria. A film as baroque as my own taste, more and more I believe my soul is Mexican , I am so moved by the work south of me. This film was a fictional account of an artist, a thinly veiled depiction of Diego Rivera and his infatuation with an indigenous flower vending beauty. The consequence is tragic and gorgeous. 

In addition to the film, I renewed our membership and re-visited some old friends, in this case , Mixtec treasures. The great god Tlaloc was the first friendly face I encountered.

I was indeed home.

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With only a few boxes left to unpack, the computer up and running  and the dogs settled in comfortably, we are at peace. The only thing now is to tackle the new monstrously large canvas looming in the studio. We leave for Mexico City and Teotihuacan at the end of the month, I anticipate further inspiration.

Until next time, be well,

Lg

The Harrowing of Hell Concludes

Just a brief post, for those who know my current domestic situation , my home-life has been less than halcyon.  David and I moved to San Diego to  better tend to his mother. It  would be safe to say it has been less than rewarding. After mutual agreement amongst all parties we are moving along.

All I can say is Hallelujah!

Although we had made plans to move next June to Portland we are now heading back to Los Angeles, a move that makes me very happy. I’m excited to be back in a liberal , enthusiastic and forward looking environment with a vital arts culture. Plus David’s practice is in Beverly Hills and we will actually be able to have dinner with one another every evening-I’ve really missed that.

 Our new home is walking distance to LACMA-heaven after the cultural wasteland of East County San Diego. I’m saddened that our well laid plains to the Pacific Northwest have been stalled but perhaps the old gods are directing us to follow the light of LA.

In the throes of dissatisfaction with my personal situation I made this unkind doodle of the mother-in-law (with her evil cat MaryLou)-I know a puerile prank, but hard to resist.

IMG_4143Catnip from Hell

My petulance has subsided and my newest demoness is softer and gentler, she is  part of a study for a large complex painting I plan on starting  when I settle in.

IMG_4144study for upcoming epic

I’m up to my ears in packing supplies and puppies eager to play  with empty boxes. I am making grand progress, almost 80 boxes just for our books. The following image shows that even Our Lord and Savior is safely packed and ready for His new digs.

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Christ in a Box

I most likely will not be posting until after the dust has settled in our new home. It all seems like such a fresh start,  just moments ago  I sold our second car as it is a difficult to park in our new neighborhood and the bus line stops almost at my front door. I have been giving lip service to a greener way of living, now I am giving it a shot.

Wish me luck!

Until next time, take care,

Lg

Bringing Randy Blue Fauns to Class

I’m taking an introduction to digital photography class and frankly I hate it.

Although it is an intro class, a working knowledge of Photoshop is in order (something I was unaware of).  I might very well be the only person in class who has never worked with the program; my fellow students zip from one application to another.  I feel like a dinosaur.

Our first two assignments have thankfully been hands on, and I have done  relatively well. It is not without a bit of smugness that I  have observed my fellow students’ inability to render.

The following is a silly exercise in which three pared down elements must be synthesized into a narrative. In spite of hating the class, the assignment was fun; I might do another version.

This effort was inspired by Sartre’s No Exit. 

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visual exercise II

The following is the assignment sheet:

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My printmaking class is going very well, this is my third semester and although I have produced only a few prints I can claim  to like,  I am learning a lot. Thankfully my anxiety that my professor did not like me or my work has proven to be  due to ridiculous insecurity. He has proven to be very helpful and supportive of my work in spite of our aesthetic differences. I look forward to afternoons spent at the press in spite of the oppressive California heat- apparently printmaking studios do not warrant air conditioning.

The following image  is the final version of my first dry point exercise . Again, I see flaws but I now know how to better handle the technique , next I plan to combine drypoint with aquatint. 

IMG_4118Temptation of St Anthony

drypoint intaglio print

Well that is it for this evening , have a lovely weekend and to my fellow Landsmen, L’Shana Tovah!

Take care,

Lg