Susie Monday . El Cielo Studio

Real de Catorce, mysteriously named "the royal fourteen" is a recovering ghost town (once larger than now prospering Monterrey), which, as our host Ed Alexander suggested (only part in jest) owes its renaissance largely to Texans who have moved in, rebuilt ruined houses and invited their friends to visit. Since out first visit about 10 years ago, the town has visibly recovered walls and rooflines -- and a rather bad movie, The Mexican, brought some Hollydollars to bear on the water system, and some well-connected visitors (Julia Roberts and Johnny Dep). Technology has made its inroads -- when we first traveled over the cobblestone road and through the long tunnel that are still the best access to the village, there was one telephone, a total pesos-only economy, and most of the kids had to leave home to have schooling beyond the 6th grade. All the citizens seem better dressed and the horseback guide business is obviously flourishing.

Now, there's an ATM machine in the Municipal Building's Department of Tourism (when we were there first, a civil feud had closed the city offices and the doors were barricaded), some cell phones work, and the internet is weaving its web -- including an internet school for the teenagers.

But, Real avoids -- at least for now -- taking on too many overnight tourists, too much comfort, too many mod-cons. It still feels like time travel. The rocks, the dust, the dry high 9000 feet in the mountain air speak with ancient accents. The Huichol people from distant Nayarit still travel there to gather the sacred peyote from the nearby mountain deserts; a lively international group of ex-pats -- Italians, Swiss and Americans mostly -- have a parallel society (some of whom are also there for the peyote.) Thousands of devote pilgrims travel there in September and October in Mexico's second-largest religious pilgrimage, this one to the honor of a healing and peripatetic Saint Francis of Asissi, whose milagro covered robe and countless testaments of thanksgiving painted on tin, paper, box cardboard and wood, are evidence of the perceived holiness of this place that is sometimes called the Macchu Pichu of Mexico.

 Most of my photos are on a laptop that isn't home at the moment, so check back here for more pictures later.

I'm back on line. And out on a line, too. Speaking metaphorically, at least. Seems that getting one's hard drive back in order, with scattered (or nonexistant) backup files is enough to tangle my very cockles. Good thing Real de Catorce was as wonderful a trip as I can imagine. (See the next post.)

Meanwhile, catching up with events in the etherworld and the real planet is the day's challenge -- and probably tomorrow's, too. And here's one of the happy notices in the inbox, an official notification and an accompanying press release that I have been selected as one of this year's 38 craft  artisans to be part of the Texas Original program. Check the website "SHOP" page for the others, last year's and this. Of the fiber artists, Kim Ritter is another quilt artist selected for 2006-07.

AUSTIN, Texas – Nov. 15, 2006 – The Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) has selected 38 of Texas’ most talented craft artisans to be part of its Texas Original (TxO) program. The skilled artisans represent 22 different cities across the state and they work in a variety of mediums including glass, fiber, metal, wood and stone.

 

The 38 selected artisans were among nearly 1,500 craftsmen from across the state invited to participate in this year’s TxO program application process. TCA chose the artisans based not only on their ability to create high-quality, authentic and original works, but also on their high business and artistic standards.

“Each of these artists embodies what it means to be a Texas craft artisan and we are proud to promote their work,” said Rick Hernandez, executive director of TCA. “The TxO program taps into Texas’ flourishing industry of arts and crafts and we hope that, as the program grows, so does the visibility of the craft arts in Texas.”

The TxO program, in full swing after a successful pilot period, aims to preserve Texas’ unique arts and crafts heritage by promoting Texas craft artisans and their original works. To assist TxO artisans, the TxO Web site, www.txoriginal.com, functions as an opportunity for the artisans to successfully market their products, supporting each individuals’ career in the arts. Through the Web site customers can link to member artisan’s sites where they are able to purchase original pieces and learn about the cultural influences that shape each individual’s work. TCA will promote the TxO program with coordinated studio tours, through participation in existing craft festivals and galas and by organizing special events featuring TxO artisans.

 

My hard drive died a sudden death. So until I return from a Thanksgiving holiday to Real de Catorce in the middle of mountainous central Mexico, you won't see anything new on my blog. Fortunately I have a wonderful cat-loving computer guru, Cirby at MacStuff, who takes care of the hardware, and we just have to wait for the brand new, faster, more gig drive to arrive. My backup is about a month old, which is good for me, though not good enough, so I am scrambling to recover versions of stuff I've sent around the planet!

One of the casualties was a set of photos taken this weekend at Lost Maples State Natural Area (see link at end of this post, I can't edit correctly on this computer). We took a splendid 5 mile hike through and above the maples, all gloriously gold and pink.I wish you could see the pictures. And now, they are, relegated to memory for me, which sometimes is even better.

I have been working long hours in the studio, and have two mermaids ready for an exhibit at Galeria Ortiz, a group show that opens next Thursday. All of us in the exhibit were partners or otherwise involved in the running of Textures, a fiber arts partnership gallery that we closed last January. Here's the second of the two -- she's a Garden Mermaid, the siren who longs for the earth and green plants.

Lost Maples State Natural Area

 Want to see more fiber art work for sale ?--click here.

Fiber Artists of San Antonio held a first ever holiday sale on Saturday in a private home in Alamo Heights, one of San Antonio's distinctive bedroom cities. For a first-time effort, put together very nicely by secretary Carolene Zehner and other members on a short time line and tiny budget, funded by those members who participated, the event seemed very well received, with respectable sales for many, good conversation and exposure for all. I enjoyed being part of the event as much for the opportunity to see wonderful work by members of the group, as for the chance to show and sell.  In order of photos shown: Liz Napier and scarves (she arranged for the wonderful space); Amy Jones and her whimsical creatures; Stephanie Stokes' wearable, felted work; Rita Crosby's hats; Sherry Tolar's Wild Women; Lisa Mittler's art quilts (just 6 of the 20 plus artists who participated):