Peach and Pitaya Sorbet - Nieve de Durazno y Pitaya

Finally, it is starting to feel like Summer here in San Francisco. What is better for Summer than some delicious iced treats? Recently I saw some luscious peaches and colorful pitayas side by side so I decided to make some cool Nieve de Durazno y Pitaya.



More often than not pitayas (also spelled pithaya) are associated with exotic, tropical or Chinese products but they are also abundant in Mexico. Some species of Pitayas are native to the Americas, and in Asian countries they are referred to as "dragon fruits", because they seem scaley, like a dragon's skin. They are rich in calcium and vitamin C. Pitayas are actually not tropical, they grow in arid regions. Like other succulents, like the nopal and the prickly pear, they are believe to regulate blood sugar in diabetics.


Here in San Francisco I found Pitayas on several groceries stores on Mission Street. They are also available at Rainbow Groceries. This being an artsy blog, I also wanted to mention that these curious fruits were a favorite painting subject of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Here is one of Frida's paintings depicting pitayas!


In Mexico these fruits are not often eaten by themselves. They make wonderful Agua Fresca and nieve, a type of sorbet. I think that the species found here in the US are not particularly flavorful, they have the consistency of kiwi with crunchy little black seeds. The flavor some how resembles Jicama, with a hint of melon. I think the ripe juicy peaches marry well with the flavors of the pitaya. These recipe is super easy. You'll need the following ingredients:

• Two big, very ripe peaches. This recipe wont work if the peaches are not soft.
• Two red pitayas
• Fresh squeezed lime juice
• Sugar or sweetener of your choice to taste (optional)
• A splash of fruity liquor like Midori, Grand Marnier, or Triple Sec (optional)

Cut the pitayas lenghtwise and take the white flesh out of the peel carefully using a spoon. Save the red peel as a "cup" for presenting your sorbet. Cut the pitaya flesh in chunks and place them in a food processor.

Peel the peaches by cutting an "X" on their skin, then dunk them in boiling water for a few seconds. Dunk them on iced water and the skins should be able to come right off. Cut the peaches in chunks and add them to the food processor.

Add the lime juice, the liquor and a little bit of the water you used to peel the peaches. The peaches I used were very sweet so I didn't use any sugar, but you can add the sweetener of your choice at this point. Process until you have a soft puree. Don't process the fruit too much, or the little seeds of the Pitaya will pulverize and discolor your sorbet.

Freeze the puree in an ice cream maker until you reach a sorbet consistency. It wont take too long to churn, so check often. I use cuisinart model 21. If you don't have an ice cream maker you can freeze the puree in a tray until it is partially frozen. Scrape the sides with a spatula and freeze again - it will be more icy, like an Italian Granita, but still good! Serve in the hollowed out peel of the pitaya and enjoy!

Prints and Cards Now Available!

A small selection of my artwork is now available at Fine Arts America. FAA is an on-line marketplace for selling, purchasing and creating fire art prints, greeting cards and original works of art. Prints start at $18.50. Check out my FAA gallery for more information!

Doves and Hail: Secret Meanings of Popcorn

During the Mexican conquest, Spanish historian Fray Bernardino de Sahagun described a curious dance performed by young women on the Mexica month of Toxcatl:

"....Young maidens dance shaven, with arms and legs covered in red feathers, wearing capillejos composed of toasted corn called momochitli, that was a grain resembling a very white flower. These capillejos were made in the same manner as the ones created out of flowers, [worn] by young Castillian maidens during the month of May..."

Those capillejos (a type of bonnet) mentioned by Sahagun were actually made out of popcorn. To the Mexica ("Aztecs"), corn was an important grain that held important socio-religious significance, much like chia and amaranth, that I have mentioned on previous posts. Corn was central to the native culture of the Americas, but only Zea Mays Averta had the ability to pop when heated.

Tlaloc, God of Rain, from the Codex Rios

In other writings, Sahagun mentions that momochitli was also offered to Tlaloc, the Rain God, due to its resemblance to hail, that was also attributed to this deity. To this day, some Mexicans say "Tlaloc must be angry" every time it hails. Other writings by Sahagun allude that popcorn was an important offering due to its resemblance to stars - it was a divine reminder of the constellations, that helped the ancient Americans develop the calendar.

Indigenous communities like the Mazahua in central Mexico create simple offerings for religious ceremonies composed of strands made out of popcorn, small biscuits and marshmallows. Thanks to El Bable, you can see the following image showing a Mazahua altar adorned with fruit and popcorn garlands. Mazahua women also create long popcorn garlands that are strung around crosses and images of saints, at times completely covering them. Some times a piece of bread is hung in the middle of the popcorn strand, symbolic of the holy spirit.


The word for popcorn in Mexico is "palomitas" - a word that literally means "little doves", maybe because the popped grain resembles tiny white doves. The name could also be an attempt to scyncretize religious beliefs associated with popcorn. An offering to Tlaloc, the god of rain could be sincretized as an offering to the holy spirit, also symbolized as a white dove in Catholic belief. According to Genesis 8:11, a dove released by Noah flew back to the ark carrying back an olive branch after the flood, a sign of peace and divine reconciliation.

Noah releasing a dove.
Mosaic, Basilica de San Marco, Venice Italy

It is impossible to decipher the exact meaning and associations hidden behind a certain food, but popcorn offers a few clues. Popcorn could be seen as one of the basic miracles of nature: Life trapped inside a seed, just waiting to pop out. It is energy flying in all directions, in the shape of tiny white doves. It sounds like furious hail that destroys crops, both a gift and a warning from divine forces. It could also be a representation of the stars above us - a reminder that we are small among the planets, like a grain of corn. Such are the mysteries of food mythology and syncretism, and some things to ponder next time you to to the movies..! Enjoy the following recipe for Colorful Popcorn.

Felices Fiestas - Deer Digital Mural at Galeria

I created this mural and adjacent window installation for Galeria de la Raza. Read about the inspiration for this digital mural here. The staff of the gallery work hard to get the mural up, even after days of non stop rain! The mural went up not only to celebrate the holidays - but it also coincided with the winter solstice, and during a recent lunar eclipse. I think it was very appropriate - for many ancient cultures in the Americas, the deer was a sacred animal in charge of bringing back the sun. I wish happy holidays to everyone, warmth, y mucha felicidad!

New Holiday Mural - Sweaters and Raindeer

Galeria de la Raza in San Francisco has a one of its kind program that allows artists to create large scale digital murals. Check out the digital mural archive here! This season I'm honored to create a holiday mural for Galeria.


Here's a sketch I came up with. The deer is a traditional animal for the season. For the Yaqui people, it is actually a sacred animal. Reindeer will be the central element for my mural. The sweater the deer is wearing is inspired by the popular textiles created in Chiconcuac, in central Mexico.


According to MexChic on Etsy: "Marilyn Monroe in the 60’s and Starsky & Hutch in the 70’s made these sweaters famous in the United States, but they’ve always been a staple in Mexico."

More to follow. In the mean time, keep warm!

Vivo: Day of the Dead Community Celebration!

Thanks everyone for attending the community celebration for VIVO, the Day of the Dead exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California. last weekend. Despite the bad weather many visitors enjoyed the show, as well as music, food and community altars. A community group created the beautiful fresh flower ofrenda in front of the mural I painted. It was dedicated to amaranth, the wonder food I blogged about recently.

I dedicated the mural to Aurora Reyes. She was a renowned Mexican muralist (and a childhood friend of Frida Kahlo) that I got to meet when I was young. Ms. Reyes was very talented, but seldom heard of outside of Mexico. She inspired me to be an artist. I also dedicated the mural to Dolores Olmedo (a Mexican philantropist and art collector) and to Oscar Grant, the unarmed civilian killed on BART.


This year's exhibit make reference to Prehispanic traditions that are the origins of the Day of the Dead holiday. This wonderful pyramid (El Templo Teotl) represents the four cardinal points, as well as the four elements and ancestral forces. It was created by Jesse Hernandez.


These are some photos of a tortilla making demonstration, ofrendas created by community groups and live music.





The show and mural will be on view until December 5, 2010. To learn more about the show visit OMCA's website. To view more photos of the celebration and to read a brief article about the show visit In Oakland blog. By the way, you can take BART to the Oakland Museum, but watch out...You'll never know what dangers lurk near by.



That is actually my wonderfully free spirited friend Fennel. She is harmless. I wish you a happy and safe Halloween and a thoughtful Day of the Dead.

Galeria de la Raza turns 40!

Galeria de la Raza in San Francisco was one of the first galleries to ever show my work. This year, Galeria turns 40! So far, the celebrations and programming have been exceptional. 40 years of archives, activisim and history can be seen at the Galeria Retrospective, on view until January 29th, 2011.



Without Galeria, the city of San Francisco would loose one of its more important outlets that showcases the richness of Chicano/Latino art and culture. You can support Galeria by attending the Gala Celebration on November 21st at The Brava Theater. Tickets in advance are only $40! You can buy tickets on-line


Galeria also holds many youth arts and education activities open to everyone in the neighborhood. Recently I helped out with Galeria's family day. Thanks to the wonderful families that came down to learn how to make this awesome dog piñata!

I hope to post instructions on how to make your own dog piñata in the future.

In the mean time, please continue to support Galeria's mission by donating to the cause on-line.

My dog Mysti approves!

Mano, Mundo, Corazon Opens!

Artwork by Don Colley

Installation by Maximo Gonzalez and Eduardo J. Villanueva

La Araña by Mario Castillo

La Corona, by Michael Velliquette

I am part of a group show in Chicago: Mano/Mundo/Corazon. See my previous post. I am proud to be featured among such talented artists. A review of the show is available in Spanish from La Raza. The show was also mentioned in the Chicago Tribune's Fall Exhibition's Preview. For more photos, visit CBPA's Flickr page

Announcing VIVO: Days of the Dead 2010

I'm thrilled to announce I'll be participating in the Oakland Museum of California's (OMCA) Days of The Dead exhibition! I was asked to paint a large scale mural that promotes the show and educates visitors about the tradition of Days of The Dead.

Artwork by Jesse Hernandez

More about the Show:
Ten artists, local schools and community groups will create installation and ofrendas (offerings) focusing on local and international issues. According to Guest Curator Jaime Cortez this year's title "VIVO" connects beautifully with the exhibit's concept. Vivo literally means "alive" but it also means smart, clever or astute. Vivo also means vivid, or bright. "The word vivo also reminds us that Dias de los Muertos is a living, ever-evolving tradition" said Cortez.

Dates:
The exhibit will be on view from October 6 to December 5, 2010. A community celebration is scheduled for October 23rd, from 12:00 to 4:30 pm, included with the regular OMCA admission. Please join us and enjoy food, dance, music and gallery tours.

To learn more about this exhibit please visit OMCA's website

La Loteria: Hand, World and Heart (and the Devil)

I received this card on the mail the other day. The Devil! No, it was not some weird form of hate mail asking me to repent and mend the error of my ways. I was an invitation to participate in the Center for Book and Paper Arts' exhibit -Mano/Mundo/Corazon: Artists Interpret La Loteria

La Loteria is a game similar to Bingo. The most popular version of this game was probably drawn in the 1920's, but the game has been around since the 1800's. Each card features iconic and archetypal images. Some of the cards have symbolic meaning dating back to Pre-Hispanic times, while other cards could also correspond to the Tarot's major arcana:

El Sol /The Sun/Tonathiu.

La Luna/The Moon/Coyolxahuqui.

La Estrella/The Star/Citlali.

La Muerte/Death/Miclantecuthli,




I was actually thrilled to have received El Diablito. The image was up my alley - devils seem to make their way into my art often. The obvious symbolic meanings for the devil are evil, fear and basically everything that is bad. But my personal mythology interprets Diablitos (little Devils) as naughty, playful, mischievous characters related to the basic element of fire. They represent passion, a spark of creativity and our desire to "let loose", to do things often frown upon. If we are extremely fearful, overly prudish, judgemental, and repress our genuine feelings unfairly, something minor could come back in more sinister ways. This is my version of the card:




Mano/Mundo/Corazon: Artist Interpret La Loteria opens on September 9, and it runs to December 10 in Chicago's Center for Book and Paper Arts The opening reception is on September 9, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. To learn more about the Center for Books and Paper Arts visit Columbia College in Chicago

When Things Get Hairy

Hair is very much a part of people's cultural identity. From "bears", those lovable portly hairy gay men, to not so lovable hipsters with waxed moustaches - hair makes a statement. It is no surprise that the book Hair'Em Scare'Em showcases hair as an inspiration for graphic design, photography and fashion.

Hair'Em Scare'Em mixes outlandish images like the one above, that reminded me of Uncle Fester from the Addams Family. (Correction - It is Cousin IT, from the Addams Family!). I was also fascinated by the image of the young man below mostly because he was not styled to look that way - it seems to me like the boy was naturally hairy. The book mentioned no information whatsoever about the model so I had to do some research.

Untitled, by Carlos Aires. From the series "happily ever after"

The photograph is by Carlos Aires, from Spain, part of his series titled "happily ever after". Aires' photographs are populated by midgets in bull fighter suits, sleepy chubby nuns and old vaudevillians. The young man is mentioned to be "South American" in the photographer's website, but again, not much information is given. Aires' images are fascinating and superbly executed but they made me think about the fine line between morbidity and exploitation. At times I got the same mixed feelings while paging trough Hair'Em Scare'Em. Hair has a way of bringing guttural emotions that mix repulsion, beauty and even sexual desire. In that way, the book succeeds superbly.

Julia Pastrana

Hair has also been an inspiration to me. I created the painting pictured below several years ago. It was shown at City Art gallery in San Francisco for the show "Monsters" in 2004. The premise was that we create monsters out of what we don't understand. The painting was inspired by a Mexican woman, winner of the infamous title "ugliest woman in the world". Julia Pastrana (pictured above) was an actress, singer and dancer born in 1834. She had a condition called hipertrichosis, also called "werewolf" syndrome. Her entire body was covered with thick hair. I was moved by Julia's story when I first read a book about her life. She died shortly after giving birth to a little boy that was just as hairy as she was. In my painting I took creative license and decided to give Julia a family. The painting depicts what her children may had looked like.



But back to the original image by Aires. Doing some research I discovered that we still have performers that are affected by hirsutism. In the Mexican village of Loreto, in Baja California a group of circus performers were dubbed as "Los Ninos Lobo" (The wolf children). Here is the story in Spanish, via El Mundo, a publication in Spain. The article by Virgine Luc talks about a hairy boy named Danny.

Danny, photo by Gérard Rancinan

Danny and his three siblings were raised by their grandmother after their mother left for Texas. Danny's brother Larry was just as hairy as he was. Due to a lucky coincidence a small circus showed up in Danny's village on an unscheduled visit. Grandma made Danny and his brother audition for the circus. The circus owner ended up adopting the boys legally, they were five and eight years old. Danny never went to school, but the said that the son of the circus owner taught him to be an acrobat. However, the most important lesson his adopted brother taught him was "Nada ni nadie puede impedirte ser lo que tú quieras ser - nothing, or anything can stop you from being who you want to be". I never figured out if the boy in the book was related to the "wolf boys" from Loreto. I don't think it is possible that the boy photographed by Aires was Larry. Larry is older than Danny. He moved to Canada where he got married and has a daughter.

I wish Hair'Em Scare'Em had shown a few designers from Africa or Latin America. We have such an interesting history with hair. The contributors of the book are mostly from Europe and the United States, with a few Japanese contributors. Only a few images alluding to Latino or African American hair are depicted. One of them is meant as a funny image of a black horse wearing corn rows, by Australian designer Julian Wolkenstain.




Even if Europeans are discovering the joys of being hairy and scary, immature comments alluding to animalism and race still abound. Not too long ago singer Tiziano Ferro commented that it was impossible to find beautiful women in Mexico because "they all had moustaches" during an interview on national Italian television. Ferro was at the time popular in Mexico. In 2001 the Spanish version of his song Rosso Relativo entered the Mexican TOP 20 album sales chart. Ugly or not, Mexican women loved his music. After claims of tears and deep depression due to the backlash of his statements, Ferro's record company issued a video apology. Ferro came across as someone that would bite the hairy hand that fed him.


Oh, hair! The most famous Mexicana con bigote is of course, painter Frida Kahlo. By deciding to keep her moustache and unibrow she challenged gender and social norms, while becoming one of the most recognized artists in the world.


Go check out this book! Hair'Em Scare'Em is published by the creative agency Gestalten. The ghost of European beauty standards don't stop the book from being enjoyable and having whimsical, funny, and inspiring imagery.


Links:
For more information about Julia Pastrana visit The Human Marvels. Thaks to J. Thithonus Pednaud for creating Human Marvels, a site dedicated to vindicating those people who were once labeled as freaks.

Pay a visit to City Art Gallery if you are in San Francisco.

Day of The Dead - In June!

Seems like Dia de los Muertos (Day of The Dead) imagery is everywhere these days. You can see calaveras and grinning skeletons on t-shirts, hoodies, even sneakers. On a walk through the Mission District of San Francisco I captured several interesting images the other day.

I started my walk on 16th street and Dolores. I saw this cool dress on the window of Sunhee Moon, a kicky boutique for fashionable gals. The pattern of the dress seems to be inspired by Dia de los Muertos papel picado patterns! Very cool, isn't it? The design is called "Calya" and also comes in red for $195. Sunhee Moon also has "Meg" (pictured below) also in a papel picado print, but with bird and flower designs. It is $248. If you like these dresses also check out my other post about the papel picado dresses by Ronaldo Fraga.

Valencia street seems busy with the many efforts to widen the sidewalks, plant trees and add additional lightening.


The drain grills installed on the newly planted trees are also Day of The Dead inspired. They actually seem to be based on a design by Mexican engraver Jose Guadalupe Posada:






Posada's work is mostly associated with the Dia de Los Muertos holiday here in the US, but back in Mexico he is better known as a social commentator. His work was full of irony and political satire. On the same note, this mural seems to be in the spirit of Posada's work. I don't know the name of the artist, but the mural is also on Valencia street.



On the corner of 18th and Valencia I saw more interesting public art. This poster reminds me a bit of Maori tattoos but it is also reminiscent of calaveras and The Day of The Dead holiday.

Interestingly enough the Calavera poster was posted on a construction site where the former Valencia Hotel used to stand. Many people met horrific deaths during the 1906 earthquake, more than in any other site in San Francisco. Many were trapped three stories below the surface under mud, and the rest of the survivors burned alive. The image comes via The Virtual Museum of The City of San Francisco. It is available for licensing.


This corner was also the former site of a lagoon, La Laguna de Dolores (The Lagoon of Sorrows). During an earthquake the land can liquefy and become unstable. I am not superstitious but I would not want to live here...


Finally I end my walk at The Women's Building, on 16th Street. This section of the mural represents the Goddess Coyolxauqui, Goddess of the moon. The skull on her waist and arms represent blood, because according to Aztec lore, Coyolxauqui was dismembered by her brother. Here, the artist represents the Goddess whole and vigorous. A wise teacher once told me that during hard times we have to be comfortable in the dark...Just like the moon.


I used to have my studio on Lapidge and 18th, I remember when the beautiful mural "Maestrapiece" was being painted - I used to walk by almost every day. The anniversary of the mural was celebrated in September. It is hard to believe that it has been 15 years. It is nice to see that some influences from the "Latino Soul" of the Mission are still present, even during times of great gentrification.