Monthly Archives: January 2013

2013 Day of the Dead Photography Expedition in Oaxaca, Mexico

7 Nights and 8 Days, Arrive Monday, October 28, leave Monday, November 4, 2013.  For the fourth year we offer you an extraordinary photography workshop opportunity to experience, document, and immerse yourself in Oaxaca’s famed Day of the Dead rituals– a feast for the visual senses.  This workshop is led by Frank Hunter, noted documentary photographer whose work is in museum collections throughout the world.  Frank is on the faculty of the Duke University Center for Documentary Studies in Durham, North Carolina and represented by Thomas Deans Fine Arts gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. He is also a photographer on the Bull City Summer project documenting the 25th anniversary of the film, Bull Durham, about minor league baseball.

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Frank says, “I will introduce beginners to the basic concepts of exposure, focus and framing, and coach more experienced photographers to further master their craft.  It’s my hope that by the end of our time together, you will be making photographs you never thought to make, revealing things unseen until then.”

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Our photography workshops are designed to teach you creative approaches and expand your technical knowledge.  Beginners and experienced photographers are welcome.  Small groups limited to 10 people cater to individual skill levels and needs.

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This cultural immersion travel photography experience offers insights into the food, religious symbols, people, cemeteries and family celebrations both in the city and in the rural Zapotec village of Teotitlan del Valle.  By the end of the week, you will better use your digital SLR camera for visual storytelling and cultural discovery.

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We will accept 10 participants.  Last year we filled quickly and turned people away.  If this is something you’ve always dreamed of doing, don’t hesitate!

Past participants have included accomplished professionals who want portfolio feedback AND beginners who are new to digital photography and want to get off of using automatic!  Individual projects are designed to meet the needs of all.

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During our week together, we will review each other’s work, give feedback, and offer supportive critiques.  The workshop includes a mix of class instruction and being out on the streets to capture the action.   We offer structured group discussion and opportunities for optional private coaching sessions with Frank.

Technical topics covered include using natural light, aperture and shutter speed, using a tripod for night-time photography, focusing on details, photographing people and taking the time to set up your shot.   Frank says he uses just enough technique to express a visual idea.

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The workshop features documentary-style photography, which involves some degree of assimilation, and a greater understanding of the culture and people you are photographing.  All the photographs on this post represent the work of 2012 Day of the Dead Documentary Photography Expedition participants!  

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About Frank Hunter, grew up in the American southwest and spent his early years photographing people and landscapes of Mexico.  He has taught at the university level for more than 20 years.  Frank is a virtuoso photographer, as adept at digital photography as he is with creating 19th century style platinum/palladium prints.  Don’t be intimated!  Frank also teaches fundamentals of photography at Duke University. You can read more about him here:

And, if you want more, just Google Frank Hunter.  You will get pages of citations!

Notes from the art gallery representing Frank Hunter:  In a career spanning more than three decades, Frank Hunter has published nearly 400 images, of which we show only a small selection here. All reflect Hunter’s unique combination of technical virtuosity and aesthetic profundity.

BELLA2 by Bella Jacque BELLA6 11_FedericoChavezSosaPreliminary Itinerary (subject to change) and Optional Add-Ons

Day 1, Monday, October 28: Travel to Oaxaca and check-in to our lovely bed and breakfast close to the Zocalo.  Dinner on your own.  Overnight in Oaxaca.

Day 2, Tuesday, October 29:  After breakfast and a brief orientation, we’ll embark on a group walking expedition around the city, visit markets selling wild marigold, special breads, candies, and holiday ritual necessities.  After lunch we will meet for class, then enjoy free time  to capture the “magic hour” before dinner.  Options to explore  churches, street parades, public altars. Overnight Oaxaca.  Includes breakfast, lunch.

Day 3, Wednesday, October 30: After breakfast and class, we will arrange an optional visit to Monte Alban and the Atzompa pottery village for an added cost of $75 per person (2 person minimum).  Otherwise, you will have the day on your own.  We’ll meet in late afternoon to review our best of day work.  Overnight Oaxaca.  Includes breakfast.

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Day 4, Thursday, October 31:  After breakfast and class, you will have the afternoon free.  At 3:30 p.m. we will go together  to the famed Xoxocotlan cemetery for an extraordinary Day of the Dead extravaganza. This is a late night, so be prepared!  We will stay until at least 11 p.m.   Overnight Oaxaca. Includes breakfast.

Day 5, Friday, November 1:  After breakfast and a debriefing session, you will have the afternoon on your own.  Then, later that afternoon we arrive at the Zapotec weaving village of Teotitlan del Valle.  Overnight Teotitlan del Valle.  Includes breakfast, dinner.

Day 6, Saturday, November 2:  After breakfast and a briefing session, we will pair you with another participant and introduce you to a local host family for a cultural immersion experience.  This gives you the opportunity to meet people and share in their customs and traditions.  The families welcome you into their homes where you will share the traditional meal and go with them to the village cemetery.  We’ll see you back at our B&B after nightfall.  Overnight Teotitlan del Valle.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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Day 7, Sunday, November 3:  After breakfast we will share experiences and photos of the day before in our last class session.  You’ll have the rest of the day on your own to meander or prepare your Best of Week photo exhibition and celebration supper. Some of you may want to go to the regional tianguis at Tlacolula.  Includes breakfast and dinner.

Day 8, Monday, November 4:  After breakfast, depart for your home countries.

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What You Should Bring

1)     Your energy and enthusiasm

2)     Digital SLR camera

3)     Laptop computer

4)     Software for organizing and presenting images (such as Lightroom or Photoshop)

5)     Batteries and battery charger

6)     Camera Memory card(s) and data sticks

7)     Pen and notepad

Plus, sturdy, comfortable walking shoes, sun protection, sun hat

(Upon registration, you will receive a complete packet and information guide with suggested packing list and other useful information.)

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Lodging/Accommodations. To keep this experience affordable, we have selected accommodations that are clean and basic.  We will spend four nights in Oaxaca and three nights at a posada/hostel in Teotitlan del Valle.

Cost:  The basic cost for the trip is $1,495. USD. This includes seven nights lodging shared occupancy with shared bath, seven breakfasts, two lunches, three dinners, transportation to the villages included in the itinerary, and all instruction.  Most travel workshops of this type and length cost more than twice as much! It does NOT include airfare, taxes, tips/gratuities, travel insurance, liquor/alcoholic beverages, some meals as specified in the itinerary, site entry fees, and transportation.

You will have the option of sharing a double room with shared bath for the base price of the trip.  Please indicate your preference.

Base Cost: Double room with shared bath; $1,495. Deposit to reserve: $750.

Option 1: Double room with private bath; $1,695. Deposit to reserve: $850.

Option 2:  Single Supplement, private room with private bath;  $1,895.  Deposit to reserve: $950.

Add-on 1:  Add additional nights lodging in Oaxaca on Saturday and/or Sunday, October  26 and or October 27, +$135 per night.

Add-on 2:  Add visit to Monte Alban and Atzompa pottery village, $75 per person (minimum of 2 people needed).  We will take you in a private vehicle to this famed archeological site and then take you to visit a great ceramics family of Atzompa.  Includes lunch.  Leave at 9 a.m. and return at 5 p.m.

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Reservations and Cancellations

A 50% deposit is required to guarantee your spot.  The final payment for the balance due (including any supplemental costs) shall be postmarked by August 1, 2013.  Payment may be made by PayPal.  We will be happy to send you an itemized invoice.

Please understand that we make lodging and transportation arrangements months in advance of the program.  Deposits or payments in full are often required by our hosts.  If cancellation is necessary, please notify us in writing by email.   After August 1, no refunds are possible; however, we will make every possible effort to fill your reserved space or you may send a substitute.  If you cancel on or before August 1, we will refund 50% of your deposit.  We strongly recommend that you take out trip cancellation, baggage, emergency evacuation and medical insurance before you begin your trip, since unforeseen circumstances are possible.

To register, email us at  normahawthorne@mac.com.  If you have questions, we can arrange a Skype call. We accept payment with PayPal only. Thank you.

This workshop is produced by Norma Hawthorne, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC.  We reserve the right to alter the itinerary and substitute instructors without notice.

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Nachos, Chips and How to Pick a Taxi in Mexico

Did you know that the nickname for Ignacio is Nacho?  I didn’t realize that until Saturday when I stood out on a Puebla street corner with friends to find us a taxi to go to San Pedro Cholula and Santa Maria Tonantzintla for the day.  I have a surefire strategy for picking taxis that has rarely failed me.  Today was no exception.  I scout the passing taxis for cleanliness, fully inflated tires, no dents and a recent model year.  I also like drivers who are mature, which in this country means over 40 years old.

After allowing several taxis to pass by, I hailed one and asked the price.  He wanted 150 pesos an hour which I thought was too much.  When I said so, he drove off in a huff without even a negotiation.  Glad that didn’t work out!  Surly taxi drivers are a pain.

The next taxi was driven by a man who said he would take us for 120 pesos an hour, done deal.  Big smile.  Warm eyes.  Bright orange Polo shirt.  This was Nacho, who introduced himself as Ignacio.  But, he said, his REAL nickname was Chips, the USA derivative of Nachos!  Chips’ English was great and we spent the next five hours together — us practicing our Spanish and he practicing his English.  Very fun.

Chips learned English working for several years in the USA — in Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, wherever he could find work.  Now, he owns his own cab and prowls the streets of the historic center of Puebla picking up fares.  We were glad we found him!  He was glad to make 600 pesos for the day, a princely sum here!  Then he could go to Vaca Negra (the Black Cow) for dinner.

When you are in Puebla, Mexico, call Chips, he’ll take you wherever you want to go securely and safely for a reasonable price.

Taxi Huesk (Chips), Cell 222 335 9673

 

New Location for Puebla, Mexico Folk Art Cooperative Siuamej

After landing in Mexico City, taking the Estrella Roja bus (complete with WiFi, TV, and reclining seats) from the airport to Puebla, and a good night’s sleep, I set out to find my favorite folk art shop Siuamej, only to discover that they moved.  First and foremost, here is the address: The corner of 4 Oriente and 4 Norte. 4 Oriente is the street of the camote shops.  Puebla streets are confusing** and I got turned around and lost trying to find the new location.  But, when I got there — WOW!

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Siuamej is an indigenous arts cooperative that represents the work of artisans from throughout the remote Nahuatl-speaking mountain region which is a good three to four hours by bus from the city of Puebla.

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Within moments of entering the shop, Kit Rank showed up.  She is a New York City artist represented by McKee Gallery who has been living with her husband in Sicily for the last ten years. They have been living in Puebla now for a couple of months and love it.  She had her eye on an exquisite hand-embroidered top that we convinced her to model.  She bought it on the two-month layaway plan!

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While Uriel, son of shopkeepers Mari Jimenez Barbara and Tomas Amaya Aquino amused himself with Sponge Bob, I looked through the all naturally dyed wool quechquemitls and rebozos, settling on a Chal de Hueyapan handwoven by Teresa Lino Bello, dyed with baseide sauco  (elderberry plant dye) that yields a stunning olive green (see photo above of the three shawls).  The hand spun yarn that is used for the embroidery is dyed with nogal (tree bark) and the brown embroidery on the green provides a subtle contrast.  The fringes or punto are hand tied in a style called doble vista.

In addition to the handwoven wool textiles, there is a selection of jewelry, baskets, embroidered cotton blouses, ceramics and lots more.  Tomas speaks English very well (he is originally from Oaxaca), and it is easy to be in discovery of Puebla’s indigenous artisan riches for well over an hour.  This is the only artist cooperative I’ve been able to find in Puebla.  Here you know you are buying the best quality available and the funds go directly to the makers at fair trade value.

**Puebla streets are arranged in a quadrant — north, south, east and west.  Odd numbers go in one direction, even numbers go in the other direction.  Get a map from your hotel or the tourist office on the Zocalo before you set out.  It is really confusing.  Especially since oriente translates to east and poniente translates to west.

Natural Dyes Making Comeback in Oaxaca

A special feature of our upcoming Felted Fashion Workshop that starts February 2 is the day we will spend with Eric Chavez Santiago at his family home in Teotitlan del Valle.  Eric, who is the director of education at the Museo Textil de Oaxaca, will work with us to dye the 25 pounds of merino wool I am bringing from the U.S. using the traditional dye sources from Oaxaca, such as cochineal, indigo, moss, wild marigold, pomegranate, pecan shells and leaves.

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He will be teaching us about how to make the dye bath and ways to achieve a range of colors by dyeing the wool and then dyeing it again with a second color.  The depth of color often depends on the shade of the natural wool, too.

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Note:  We have 2 spaces left in the Felted Fashion Workshop and we are offering a 2-day natural dye workshop on Jan. 21-22, with room for a few more people.  Contact Norma Hawthorne to register.

A comprehensive discussion about natural dyes from MAIWA came up on their blog today.  It features natural dye history and how natural dyes are used around the world today.  An excellent read!

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Working with natural dyes requires commitment to sustainability, expertise, and money.  Natural dyes are much more expensive — especially cochineal and indigo — than are chemical/commercial dyes.  The process is at least twice as long.

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In Teotitlan del Valle, painter Pantaleon Ruiz Martinez mixes his paints using natural dyes and beeswax.  The experiment to renew this resource and use it for creativity endures.

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And the finished products are magnificent!

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Felted Wool, Fiber Arts, Textile Design, Art to Wear

On Wednesday I’m leaving North Carolina to return to Oaxaca for several months with two pieces of luggage stuffed mostly with wool roving, notions, needles, felted pin cushions and embellishments (buttons, beads, lace, used coffee and tea filters).  This morning UPS delivered 25 lbs. of ecru wool roving that we will be dyeing with cochineal, indigo, moss, wild marigold and other natural materials in our upcoming Felted Fashion Workshop that starts February 2 (yes, we have two spaces open).

FeltFashionWorkshop-2 FeltFashion172013-5   Twenty-five pounds of wool is HEAVY and I’m grateful to participant Deborah Morris, M.D., PA-C, who will bring half of it with her for me!  Debbie is from Fayetteville, NC, where she teaches in the Methodist University physicians assistant program.  She is placing PA students in the Teotitlan del Valle public health clinic this summer for a volunteer clinical experience.  Our other participants are coming from California, Massachusetts, and San Miguel de Allende.

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Jessica de Haas, our instructor, is a fashion designer from Vancouver, B.C., Canada, who works exclusively in hand felted fabric through her design company Funk Shui Felt.  During our workshop we will be felting onto silk, cotton, muslin, cheesecloth and other porous natural material to create cloth.  From the cloth, we’ll be designing and sewing one-of-a kind garments based on indigenous-style Mexican clothing.

An example is the poncho (above) I made this past autumn.  While it was definitely an experiment, and far from perfect, and I’ve gotten lots of compliments when I’ve worn it out and about.  The fabric looks like an animal skin with the variegation in the wool.  I felted it on muslin then embellished it with hand-stitching and a garnish of a red felt flower with a seed bead center!

FeltFashion172013 Some of our participants asked if they could experiment with other forms of sculptural felting.  Both Jessica and I said, “bring it on.”  So, we’ll learn technique and then the only limits will be our personal creativity.  As an aside, I recently took a needle felting workshop from fiber artist Christie Minchew who lives in my home town.  I’ll be bringing along materials to share in case anyone wants to learn and experiment with this technique, too.

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So, that’s what I’ve been up to these days as I wind down the holiday season here and look forward to being in Mexico, my other home!  Now, on to packing and getting ready for the first leg of my travels to Puebla, where I’m meeting up with fiber arts friends Norma (yes, another Norma) and Mara from Santa Fe.