2024 ARRIVES

It's been a couple of months since my last blog, I don't know if I'm ready to write this one even now. In normal times, I would be trying to stay on course with at least one post per month. But I shall try!

November brought so much depth of emotion, beginning with a women's retreat, Calling the Circle, organized by my friend Glen Rogers. There, I not only was privileged to hear from and learn from other wise women, but I also was asked to present my own work. One was a PowerPoint presentation of Mythical Mothers of Mesoamerica, in which I introduced female deities and/or legends Tonantzin/Guadalupe, Coatlicue, Ixchel, La Llorona, La Malinche, etc. I shared images and mythologies that connect ancient female mothers on this continent with women's stories that resonate in our times. 

 

One day I'll get around to posting this on YouTube.

Our Ancient Matrix is, literally, our female ancestors. The word itself is related to womb, and to mother. So I also presented my Matrix huipil panel, an interactive artwork that connects us to a mother figure of our heart choice, be it human, divine, or mythological by adding messages, letters, poems, or drawings, to a common grid.

Weighing heavily on my mind all this time was what was happening in Palestine. No one, it seemed, wanted to talk about it. Before I had done more research about the history, my feelings for both Palestinians and Israelies were strong. The human suffering that escalated on October 7 brought our world and my own community into yet another divided territory. In my studio, it became clear that I needed to channel my concern into my art, perhaps in the way I worked with migration, violence, the environment, etc. What appeared is a project now known as "Yo Te Veo" translating to "I See You." I wanted the world to know that I will not close my eyes to genocide. I began cutting eyes and stitching them on to squares, imagining a large quilted huipil in my future. I soon realized that all of this is larger than me, and it needed to be a collaborative project. I've been calling in other stitchers and forming other groups, and with donations for each stitched square, we've been able to send money to Palestinian for emergency medical needs. 

For all the world, from Palestine to Congo to Ukraine to Syria, to all who are displaced, suffering,

trying to survive violence, ethnic cleansing, war, climate change, we will not close our eyes. 

We see you. 

And on a brighter note, January brings a wedding to my rooftop here at La Huipilista Artspace. My youngest son Rando and his partner Sarah are getting married here, and along with that celebration comes my other children, and Sarah's parents. We are all so excited and happy for this ceremony, and this time to gather with our new extended family, in magical San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Que Viva!!!

Here's to a New Year of creating more beauty, more meaningful action, more purposeful living, more sheer joy, more equality and justice in our world, and more of everything your heart is calling for. May our dreams take flight on wings of love.