Montserrat – The Volcano

The Volcano

My god there is a volcano on the Island. That is why there is so much dust. It is called ASH and is everywhere.

I didn’t know I was leaving rain and cold for potential death on a Caribbean Island.

I had to register at the police station because I was entering an Exlcusion Area because of a potential of a Volcanic Eruption. Seems they want to know who are lost when the Volcano goes.

Now what do I do?

There is no way to end the dust. But at least the sun is out.

Arrival in Montserrat

I have arrived in Montserrat and the weather is wonderful. Flew here from Antigua on a seven seater plane. Never been on anything that small.

My host has a place with this view but is not a very good housekeeper. There is dust everywhere. I don’t know if I should anything or not but the dust is everywhere.

Even the trees are covered with dust.

I don’t know how he can live like this but Montserrat must be the dustiest place on earth.

Outta Here

It is supposed to start raining again Wednesday.

I am leaving SMA for Montserrat ,until there is a weather report showing normal weather

Currently stuck at MEX waiting for a delayed flight. I have my passport in my pocket and a rope around my backpack so I don’t forget it again.

There may or may not be posts depending on the connections in the Caribbean

The Rain Gang

It is raining in San Miguel and last night I joined the Rain Gang.

It was bad enough to be outside in the rain but the rain followed us inside.
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So not only is it raining outside but now it is raining inside.

Where has the Magic of San Miguel gone? How can Magic just disappear on me and leave me wet and cold and a member of a Gang I never even knew existed.
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We now have a large bucket to catch the Rain of San Miguel and we are going out to get some dogs and bathe them.

Perhaps The Magic will be in the now clean dogs.

Gang Intervention

You don’t just join a gang and act as you want.

There is a code gang members have to follow.

When you break the code then there will be consequences to follow.

The Gang member is being escorted out of the Jardin for failing to wear proper head attire.  That cloth thing just won’t work when there is a garbage basket crying out for a head.

The Gang Police don’t wear hats while at work so that errant gang members can be caught unaware.

Chili Whore Gang

The Chili Whore Gang came  to San Miguel January 30, 2010.
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I was asked to be a judge at the Chili Cook Off and after I finished judging I talked to one of the participants. Mid conversation she said she was a Chili Whore.

I was taken aback.  I knew there was a Whorehouse in San Miguel but I didn’t think they were about Chili.

Here this woman was unabashedly telling me she was a Chili Whore and then she made it worse.  She said that  that her husband was a bigger Chile Whore. She  pointed him out and I got a bit sick.  He was the one who had been handing me the Chili to taste and judge.

I had had Chili from a Chili Whore.  I had not prepared myself for this.  I had used a different spoon for each Chili but I wasn’t sure what you could catch from a Chili Whore.

I asked her what a Chili Whore was, very afraid of the answer.  She told me about CASI – The Chili Appreciation Society International.  She told me of her life – being dragged all around North America by her Chili Whore Husband in search of points.  I think he was a Chili Pimp.

A chili pimp is one whore pimp. Originated in the Chi-town area the chili pimp is worthless, ridiculed and can’t provide any other blows.

The chili pimp is some one who only whores out one

Here I thought I was attending a charity fundraiser for the Centro Crecimiento and I met a Chili Whore and her Chili Pimp.  I knew that where there is one whore there will be another so I went on a Whore Hunt. There had to be some way to identify them.

I wondered if this was a Chili Whore?

I can see the keys around her neck.

Are keys the  sign?

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Or was this?

Why does she have three Balloons above her head.

Is this a sign?

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Or could wearing Ruffled Curtains be a sign?

Is it Keys, Balloons or Curtains?

I never did find out but at least the Centro Crecimiento was the beneficiary of the Good Works Gang

Making Art – Life Models

I have been having some difficulties getting a live model.

I have asked all my friends if they would pose for me. They all know I am now an artist but not a single friend has agreed to pose. I even offered to put on the heater but it seems people of a certain age are  unwilling to disrobe for a friend no matter how talented an artist he is.  What was I to do?   The Maestro said I had to do live drawings but nothing alive here would pose for me  so I had to look further afield.

Discouraged in San Miguel, I hopped on a bus and headed for Dolores Hidalgo.  I knew good things such as  the Mexican independence movement started there so maybe it would help me become an independent artist.

When I arrived there was a huge Feria like the one at the Instituto Allende but without the attitude and jewelry. Even the presentation was different. These lovely statues caught my eye first.  But I had seen this stuff back home and the Wizard of Morelia told me to use local materials.
Then I found the Frogs of Dolores. I never thought of Frogs as models and wondered how they got them to sit still but there they were. I saw Frog cups, sitting Frogs, laughing Frogs, planting Frogs. 

I had never seen a Frog in San Miguel.  I have seen lots of dogs but never a Frog.  I never saw a Frog in the market so I knew that Frogs weren’t going to work for me.

Then I saw Bells and Angels.  I think an Angel would be hard to find in San Miguel but I know they are there as people are always talking about Angels  – their special Angels and I have seen Angel cards but I have never seen an Angel.  Then I thought Bells don’t move and you can get Bells in San Miguel so I am going to draw Bells.

Armed with a Bell Motif, I headed back to the bus. But before I did, I turned into a little shop that was inside a building. I know my Angel was directing me there because when I got inside I found the Drawing Subject Wall.  I have seen this Man that is so many of these pictures before.  I asked the owner who it was and he said Haysuse.  I asked if Haysuse lived in Dolores and the owner said Haysuse lives everywhere.  Well that wasn’t much help in locating him. 

Then I saw Pope John Paul II but I knew he was dead, so I focussed on the lady.  I had seen her on shopping bags but the owner said she was from Mexico City.  Back to the bells.

I hope the Wizard of Morelia will be happy with this choice.  I will buy a very big and heavy Bell because I will suffer carrying it home .

I am going to need that assistant.

Making Art – The New Picture

It is official. I am now an artist.

I got tired of The Maestro bugging me to put something in my pad so drew my hand.  Well I actually traced it.

When I stood back and looked at it, I felt an artist’s rush and wanted to put it up but realized I needed to frame it.

So I rolled it up and went to a framing store.

The frame was far nicer than the drawing but I think it takes the eye of what I drew so I had them frame it.

They had it ready in one day and I couldn’t wait to get it home and on the wall.

The Frame does set the room off.

I will now have to have a cocktail party to show off my new art.

Making Art – Finding Visions in San Miguel

Vision in the Jardin

Sometimes Miracles appear as Visions.

You are just sitting in the Jardin, looking around.

Then all of a sudden you have a Vision.

One minute she wasn’t there and the next minute she was.  It is one of these three.  Can you figure out which?

You take time to put all the pieces together.

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• She likes Red
• She likes to Shop
• She is going to the Church
• She is not self conscious
• She is not Michael Jackson because you know he is dead

Making Art – The Competition

“So many men, so little time.”
~ Mae West

It wasn’t until I went to the Art Court at Fabrica Aurora that I understood what Mae West was talking about.

So much art, so few buyers.

The art world seems to be a dog eat dog world. Fabric Aurora is jammed back with art to sell.

I even noticed a sale.

I didn’t know that artists had sales and discounts.

Some how that $4500 price tag I saw the the Feria that other day didn’t seem as real as I thought it might be. Looks you can put any price you want on a painting but that doesn’t mean it is going to get sold.

This Art world is turning out to be far more commercial than I thought I was going to be. It never occurred to me that it would hard to sell paintings particularly in San Miguel where so many rich people live.

Look at all the art in this room.
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There is so much art in this room that they even have it stacked on the floor.

How can anyone paint that much and be an artist?

Where do they find the time?

Room after room of art, packed to the rafters.

No wonder The Maestro says I have to start doing something.

Okay, today I am going to draw something.

I have my beret, my easel, my pencils, my brushes, my paint, my canvases, my colored paper.

Damn I am going to have to hire someone to carry all that stuff for me.

Yes I need an assistant.

Perhaps I should advertise in Aten¢ion.  Oh good I got the right accent for the c.