Hecho en Mexico

“Hecho En Mexico”
Museums of Port Isabel’s newest exhibit

The exhibits formal opening is Thursday, July 28 at 6:30 p.m. with a reception and “Telling Our Stories” program.

The Museums of Port Isabel is proud to present its newest exhibit now on display at the Port Isabel Historical Museum at 317 E. Railroad Ave. The exhibit, which consists of artifacts from a private collector, represents folk handcrafts from Mexico including pottery, textiles, silver, glass and other examples.

Hecho en Mexico, or in English “Made in Mexico” is a familiar slogan to shoppers of curios in old Mexico and today implies hand made crafts for sale to tourists. Admission is free so join them in celebrating the color and talents of Mexican Folk Art. For more information contact (956) 943-7602

Texas History Day Opportunity

I received word of a Texas History Day project opportunity for students from an email via the Brownsville Historical Association. Please give this a serious consideration for any students in your life who can shine a light on the history of our region.

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This coming year, National History Day (known as Texas History Day at the state level in Texas) will focus on the theme "Taking a Stand in History." At the state level, we are attempting to encourage middle school and high school students to carry out projects via historical essays, exhibits, performances, documentaries, and interpretative web sites) focusing on some individual, movement, group, etc. in Texas that took a stand on ome significant issue. I would like to include numerous topics that are Tejana/o topics. Please forward any ideas or topic suggestions to me at tacosta@austin.utexas.edu by August 5, 2005. Also, a Mexican American History Award will be awarded in the
junior and senior division historical essay and exhibits categories, beginning in 2006. We hope to find an annual sponsor (s)/an endowment for the award and possibly name the award the Jovita Gonzalez and Carlos P. Castaneda Mexican American History Award. While we prefer that entries for the award be Texas-based, it is not a requirement that they have a focus soley on gente in Texas.

Latina Art Website

Gender and art has played a bigger and more controversial role in art in the past 100 years than in any other time in the history of humanity. While some are very quick to point out feminist issues as a minority issue...what it really is an inequality issue, because women are not a minority...they make up 52% of the population!

Even in our more "progessive" era, when it comes to gender represenation in art, the playing field is still uneven. So why is it still difficult for female artists (latina artists even more so) to get exposure in the art world? It's a reality, and if you don't believe me, I challenge you to name three latina artists from the top of your head right now in ten seconds...and Frida Kahlo and Carmen Lomas Garza don't count...

Stumped?

Don't worry I was stumped for a while as well. If you weren't stumped then I applaud you because most likely you have made an effort to educate yourself. While feminist art has made hurdles in the past 40 years, latina artists in particular still do not have a strong presence in art education..and this is not about wanting more specialized Latina art themed courses in colleges...I am talking about art education in general...in schools and in Introduction to Art college courses. The truth is, art history books are still dominated with western culture male artists. While I have no beef with western culture male artists, my favorite artist is a male Renaissance artist...but there is so much more to experience from art than the creative expressions of a Italian school from the 1500's.

So on this thought, I want to encourage you to visit the following website to educate yourself about various Latina artists (This is site will also rock if you are a Latina artist looking for an outlet to promote your art on):

Art by Latina Artists
Celebrating women and the arts

Art by Latina Artist (ABLA) is a place for all forms of Latina art, from the written word to musical and visual expression. ABLA was born as an initiative of Maria Sanchez, who envisioned a website that would open opportunities for Latinas to showcase their art and connect to others that share the same love for Latina expression. You will find different styles, techniques and sources of inspiration in the art featured in this website. Because the artists you will find in ABLA come from different countries, have different accents, eat different food, were raised with different beliefs and they're spread throughout the world. They are mujeres who share the same passion for their heritage, family, communities and art. Be prepared for all the sabor you will find in ABLA. If you would like more information send an email to abla@artbylatinaartists.com.

McAllen Creative Incubator

Read about this by way of Las Comadres:

McAllen Announces Grand Opening

The McAllen Chamber of Commerce has completed renovations of the McAllen Creative Incubator at the old downtown STC building. With help from the city, the McAllen Chamber has created 12 low cost artist studio and office spaces for expanding artists and art organizations. McAllen plans to house artists and art organizations of different art disciplines. All interested artists had to complete an application and submit it along with a resume and a portfolio featuring samples of their work to the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. A panel of qualified art members decided on the artists that have become the new tenants of McAllen.

"We wanted to provide low cost studios or office spaces for start-up artists and organizations. This is the first time that a program like this has been offered to artists and start-up organizations in the Valley," said Tita Moreno, Cultural Arts Coordinator for the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. "We are also planning on involving the community in many planned activities and marketing the facility in order to give the tenants plenty of exposure through community events and making it a tourist must-see." Tenants of the incubator will be required to attend business management workshops throughout their one-year contract. Some of those workshops include business basics for entrepreneurs, financial reporting, marketing, legal issues such as contracts and copyright laws, and incorporation for individual artists or groups. McAllen will also service the tenants with technical and legal assistance, and provide a venue for their exhibitions, performances, and classes.

The new tenants include Kris Karr a graphic designer and painter, James Rodriguez a furniture designer, Wendy Impola-Lopez with WCI Entertainment and the RGV Center of Fine Arts, Bert Hernandez and Jason Rodriguez with McAllen Children's Theatre, Joe Taylor a drawing specialist, Ivan Ramirez a photographer, Tony Casas a script writer, Guadalupe Ramirez with ARM Productions, David Burbois a film maker, Miriam Alcala a photographer, Sergio Villareal a graphic designer, and Jessica Monroe a painter.

The goal of McAllen Incubator is to support the continued professional growth of artists and enhance the cultural and economic vitality of our local community. The facility will have a grand opening for the community on Wednesday, July 20, 2005. The McAllen Creative Incubator is located at 1001 S. 16th St. Join us for some art, music, and a chance to meet the new tenants of McAllen Creative Incubator. For more information contact the McAllen Chamber of Commerce at 682-2871.

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This is awesome! McAllen has the right idea by investing in the arts and thus in the quality of life of their community. Incubators are examples of methods large cities take to progress their economy and quality of life. These cities, like Austin and Seattle, have the some of the highest per capita income rates in the nation. Read about it here at Richard Florida's Rise of the Creative Class! Brownsville still has a ways go to catch up. That's why this blog exists, to inform people and get them thinking about art and thus demanding more of it from their community. What baffles me though is that Richard Florida placed the Brownsville metro area higher on his creative class index than the McAllen metro area. This interests me because after my short stay in McAllen, I found Hidlago County to be more active in the arts. What does Richard Florida know that we don't and how can we take advantage of that?

Bville Survives Emily

Emily passed us by today with plenty of rain and wind gusts to remember her by. When my family and I took a step outside today, we found our front yard and street covered in debris such as tree limbs, braches, leaves and plenty of palm tree debris. The storm was not so much dangerous as we all prepared for it to be (though there were a fair share of scares like sightings of funnel clouds, a collapsed roof in Bville and uprooted trees...but for the most part Emily felt like a giant and misbehaved toddler who shaked and rattled every tree in Brownsville leaving us with a big mess to clean up. So we got to working, clearing up prickly braches from our ebony tree (ouch!) and dragging tree limbs that snapped off from their respective trees and taking off the wood from the windows of the house. We have yet to tackle our backyard where there was more damage to the trees. Well, I hope everyone else passed the hurricane okay. I hope some of the remains of Emily will reach the US Southwest region and give some relief to their horrendous heatwave! 123 degress in Arizona I saw today! That is insane! In Bville, the heat index here can reach 110 some days but for the most part, I would rather be here where I can escape to SPI than there. The weather seems to be going insane these days. Call it El Nino or Global warming, but this can't be normal.

Still Here

Sorry it's been a while since I have posted. I have so much I want to share but for a while I going to be rather limited on my resources. If you are a Brownsville artist who would like to contribute to this blog then let me know. I would be happy to make you a contributing artist or photographer. Just send an email my way and describe to me your scope and experience.

FYI: As in artist, don't feel that this blog is limited to the visual arts. I would like to encompass all creative arts, from performing to liberal arts...if you are a writer, poet, musician, actor, dancer, etc.. then you can contribue here too!

A Poem to Share

At the request of one of the blog's loyal readers, I would like to share the following poem with you. It was written by Raven Phoenix Spratt of Weslaco, Texas when she was only seven years old! She dedicated the poem to Mr. Rudy Silva Cleckler, who was principal of Heald Elementary Principal in Weslaco. Rudy Silva was a dedicated educator and an inspiration to his students and community. He passed away three years ago on May of 2002 and a scholarship was established in his name at UTPA to honor the greatly loved and missed educator. The Art of Brownsville is happy to share a poem about a person who dedicated his life to the Valley community through education and is also proud to give voice to the creative spirit and heart moving expression of young poet Raven Phoenix Spratt. (Keep up the good work Raven! You carry his legacy through your art and I am sure he is very proud of you!)

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THE JOURNEY
By
Raven Phoenix Spratt
May 9, 2002
(Seven Years Old)

Call me selfish, ‘cause I love you so.

Call me selfish, ‘cause I can’t let go.

Call me selfish, ‘cause I love you dear.

Call me selfish, ‘cause I want you here.

Your eyes and your smile I see with a wink,

Your voice and your laugh I hear when I think.

If only I had one more day with you,

I’d hug you and show you how much I Love You.

It’s only because your journey is done,

I stop and realize… mine has just begun.

I hurt and I wish that you were around,

Hey wait! But you are!

You are all around!

The children you taught, like friends that you knew.

Are all around learning

All because of you!

I Love you Mr. Silva!