Silicon Valley Open Studios

Wow.

This is what happens when the craziness that is my life takes over. Long story short: House hunting, found a house, played please take our money and accept the paperwork already with the lender for a while, got the house, contractor work, major sadness and heartbreaking loss in the family that felt like a suckerpunch to the gut (still tearing up here), and finally move in.

The only painting I have done in the past 2 months has been on my house. Not on canvas :( Which hits a HUGE sour note. I have been itching to get back to painting but by the time the work day is done, I am back at home working well into the night on house stuff, the last thing I want to do is fight traffic back to my studio.

Not complaining about buying a home. ;) It's just time consuming. Haha.

Anyways, I wanted to let you know that I am here.

And, if you are still here (THANK YOU!!!), here is some news:

Please view PDF here.

I am participating in the Silicon Valley Open Studios!!! I mentioned in my last and only post of this year so far, but basically, for the entire month of May (weekends only) artists are opening up their studios to the public. The first weekend May 5th and 6th is MY weekend for opening.

My studio will be open from 11am to 5pm Saturday (May 5th) and Sunday (May 6th).

I deeply apologize for my lack of posting on this blog and springing this up on you. But, if you are able to attend, please do and please check out http://www.svos.org/ for even more artists showing this weekend!

I know there is a studio at Mission College (near me) and several near downtown Santa Clara. For other artists and cities showing this weekend (remember, the weekends in May) please visit http://www.svos.org/.

I will be showing ALL of my past work which includes all art shown here on the blog, that hasn't been sold already. And I will be showing NEW work and works in progress.

You can come on by, see how I amazingly get covered in paint from head to toe, and what works are in the chute right now.

The address to my studio is 401 Nelo Street Santa Clara, CA 95054.

Closest cross streets are 101 Freeway, De La Cruz Blvd, Trimble, Aldo, Lafayette, Montague Expwy and First Street.

I am located just north the San Jose Airport, East of 101 Freeway, west if First Street and the Guadakup River (actually right next to it).  

Look for the SVOS YELLOW signs when you come near. Black and yellow balloons will be posted when you are getting closer to the studio, and I will have balloons marking the studio space.

It is in an industrial area. My studio is based out of an old tiny office in my father's machine shop. (Thanks Papa! [yes, I call him Papa. <3])

*********Also, 10% of all sales or commissions for animal portraits made this weekend will be going to the local Humane Society. *********

Food (snacks) and drinks (even some 21+) will be provided.

Please please please spread the word about SVOS. Tell your friends, family, co-workers, people you see on the street. Anyone who likes art.

All are welcome.

Come out enjoy Silicon Valley artists and support the community. Thank you so much!!

Dias de los Muertos Calvary Cemetery Day

 Saturday was an eventful day! It started off wonderfully with an early morning rise, double checking the list and heading out the door for last minute errands.

There probably will never be a day when I don't have to do something important for an art event last minute. :\ I work great under pressure though.

Errands included trip to  the local Lowe's and then a stop over at Chavez Market. I picked up some pan de muerto for my altar and some other breads for the familia who came up to check out the event. I was going to grab an horchata for myself but fresh made carrot juice just called my name.

 

Little did I know I would have carrot stained mouth for most of the morning. Thanks to Hubby and his eagle eyes I managed to wipe it off before the main event started. 

We got to Calvary Cemetery about 9ish or so and got to our site, unloaded the van, and after a minor glitch and head scratching setting up the grid walls, we managed setting up my booth.

 The booth:

Older works on the outside wall:

I had some new small sugar skull portraits on the front end of the table. 

 

 At the inner edge of the table, I set up a small altar for my departed familia. Wela Chiquita (abuelita), Welo (abuelo), and mi tia Carlotta (Aunt Charlie).

There were other amazing vendors there as well, some artists, some clothes, jewelry and some amazing ceramic art direct from Mexico. 

 

I absolutely fell in LOVE with these skulls. 

 

 

I managed to get my paws on one of the above skulls. Can you guess which one? I wanted to buy another smaller one as well, but  must save some money for next time. Once I find the card I grabbed, I will post their information because I know some of you may want some of the goods as well.

There was also some amazing dancing going on down the ways from my booth. There were some Aztec Dancers in some amazing gear.

And Folkorico Dancers from a local High School Lincoln, and I managed to take a break from the booth thanks to my mom so I could watch bits and pieces of both dance groups.

I want their skirts. :D

Further in the cemetery there were large altars on display and one of them was from my old alma mater Notre Dame San Jose. GoGremlins!! (you will always be a Gremlin to me).

The arts department got really creative this year and made an amazing altar.

 All the skulls were done my the lower clanswomen and the higher clanswomen in the arts painted the Guadalupe.

Amazing feat. Wish we made the skulls back in my day in high school ;) but I did make a skeleton in ceramics class once. With wings. I have it somewhere at my parents house.

It was a beautiful day for the event. Last year it was windy, cloudy, and in the very last minutes it rained. And I tore a painting.

I noticed a small tear in one of my paintings this year after I put it up. Cset la vie.

I want to thank all of you who came out and enjoyed the festivities at the cemetery and those who support local artists and businesses. We can't do it without you. :)

I will be posting images of the work from the festival this week.

Hope you all have a Happy Halloween, Merry Samhain or however you celebrate and call it :D

I'm going to enjoy the evening with some pumpkin bread and beer. Then it's back to painting tomorrow!

Dias de los Muertos event at Calvary Cemetery

Hola amigos!

Just a quick blurb tonight. Wanted to say again that I will be showing at the Calvary Cemetery tomorrow, 10/29.

The event will be from 11-3pm, Calvary Cemetery San Jose off Alum Rock and Capitol.

(sorry, Gambit the cat is trying to dispose of the laptop fom my lap)

There will be a few vendors, altars will be set up, even one from my Alma mater NDSJ. Sugar skull painting, Folklorico and Aztec dancers and food.

Please come out, if you can, to support the event. It's free, open to the public.

(now Lando is trying to eat the laptop :\ )

Hope to see you there!!

<3

Updates

Hi everyone.

As you may have noticed from the above picture and my lack of blogging, I have been a busy little painter over here.

I have been working on new pieces for my Dias de los Muertos show at the Calvary Cemetery in San Jose. October 29 11 am to 3pm.

I'm  excited, nervous and anxious all at the same time.

I have another show in Salinas at Hispanic Cultural Center in downtown Salinas, #34 Central Ave, Salinas CA, between the Steinbeck center and house. Just look for the crazy flags. 

 An open house with strawberry daquiris qill be happening on October 21st, in the evening. I will be showing some of my older paintings not seen at the art and wine festivals along with some of my newer paintings.

I am still debating whether or not to participate in the Salinas Art and Wine Festival on Oct 22. I would love to have more exposure, but I also think I can spend the day painting as well. I am a little torn between the two.

Below are photos of some work that is in progress and some of them are already finished, but I'm keeping them covered just a bit longer.

Sugar skull girl with marigolds. She's actually done and she looks fabulous. :D

Part of a bigger painting. Unfinished.

Close up of another sugar skull girl. She's 99.9% done. I am not too happy with her 'dress' so she need to be fixed.

I actually just started her today and am dying to get back to her. I have to have patience to let her dry though. 

Another unfinished working on at the moment painting. Looking to do something fun and happy from my childhood. Pinatas!!

I truly hope you enjoyed the small sneek peek.

Sometimes I don't know if I want to show the work in progress photos. The art just looks so . . . . blah. Empty. Disjointed. Unpolished. Unfinished.

Duh, Sonia. that's part of the whole work in progress aspect.


But I suppose it's a way of showing my work in a different light. Sure, it may look all funky now, but wait until you see the finished product attitude, I guess.