When I first came to Mexico, my only occasion to enjoy mariachis was when enjoying lunch with friends on the malecon– a wide boardwalk along lakeside. They come to your table and request if you want them to perform…a special song, a birthday wish, or any popular Mexican music. I learned how different happy birthday is in Spanish…even a different melody.
Little by little by going to a lot of music performances I learned that mariachi is a specific culture to different locations of city and states. They have a collection of dances, costumes, songs etc. You know what state they are from by their gorgeous and intricate costumes, specific songs and very specific dances. Everybody is aware of the wonderful big sombreros with their colors and embroidery. They are a real treat for the eyes and lots of fun for an artist.
I started doing caricatures of the dancers and singers last year. The drawings are becoming more complex as I develop more techniques on my tablet. I love this so much. Sometimes it’s hard but so much fun. I have been trying to do one drawing a day. It makes me happy. Below is the first one I ever did and is my most popular seller Spanish Christmas greeting card. After exploring women mariachi bands, they are now a sealed-in theme for me and I will continue to explore them. When you draw every day, you learn a lot, sometimes in spite of yourself.
Women Mariachis; exploring a theme
Painting Mexico 