"Bye-Bye San Miguel"

The title of this post is actually the title of a talk given earlier this week by César Arias de la Canal, an activist and descendant of one of San Miguel's oldest families.  In his PEN talk he expressed concern about the recent changes in this town that he and his family have cherished for centuries.
San Miguel has become a victim of its' own success.

I have felt this profoundly and it is why I shall not be returning,  hence....."Bye Bye San Miguel"

YURURIA: a simple Mexican town

My visit to Yuriria to see the ex-convent and church was just the antidote I needed for the gringo-packed streets of San Miguel.    It is a small town that seems to just go about it's business.  It's old architecture is not protected as it is in San Miguel so one sees old and new next to each other.  It has a gentle pace and serenity that are no longer the norm in San Miguel and I found it very appealing.
I don't think we saw any foreigners at all.

 the big baskets hanging from the trees are lights:  charming!

 extravagant cantera carving on this facade

 a peek into the courtyard of a private home (2 dogs keeping watch in the background)

 this circular lake fills a volcano crater:  many modest homes dot the steep hills above it

tortilla makers taking care of us at lunch in this pretty courtyard

A VISIT TO THE EX-CONVENTO AND CHURCH DE LOS AGUSTINOS IN YURIRIA

I took a day excursion to visit the church and ex-convent in Yuriria a town about an hour and a half from San Miguel.  The complex is one of the oldest of the colonial era, built over a nine year period of 1550-59 by indigenous workers under the order of the Augustinian Fray Diego de Chavez y Alvarado.  It is immense and fortress like;  the fortress-like aspect was in fact functional;  the settlers had to defend themselves against the Chichimeca tribes. (understandably not happy about the invaders!)

This bannister of made of mesquite.  It has been polished by hands over the centuries and feels like marble

painted bannister on the right

upstairs corridor lined by cells

view from a cell window

the communal toilets

crazy thinking about why they needed to all be in there at one time!

a magnificent but dead variety of cypress under which we had a mescal break!

CHURCH OR FORTRESS?

The Hokey San Miguel

 two examples of the weekend clownery near the Jardin 

COLORFUL ART

IT WAS OSCAR'S BIRTHDAY AND ONE OF THE STUDENTS SURPRISED HIM WITH A DELICIOUS KIWI AND PASSIONFRUIT CAKE

 OKAY, NOW BACK TO MY  PROJECTS

AN EXHIBITION OF VERY NON-TRADITIONAL HUIPILES AT BELLAS ARTES

 CLOSE-UP OF THE ABOVE

THIS ONE IS MADE OF SLIDES

THEN A DRIVE INTO THE COUNTRY TO GALLERY ATOTONILCO

TO SEE ITS' EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION OF FOLKART

AFTERNOONS PAINTING AT OSCAR'S

I'm enjoying lazy afternoons at Artes San Miguel, where Oscar presides and encourages artists of all ages and levels of experience.   I also am happy to be the only gringa in the afternoon sessions.  It's a double "class" for me:  Spanish and Painting.

Here's what I've been working on...............................an interior of the handsome studio,

 Two little still life tondos

and a portrait of Maria, from a drawing I did of her at my life drawing session