Author: Michele B. Naquaiya

I'm an artist/illustrator living in Mexico. I'm exploring life through art and the art of the journal with pictures and a few words.
Ajijic, flora and fauna

Jimmy and her orchids

Michele B. Naquaiya

jimmy-wc

So the original is SOLD and now in a new home in Jojotepec.

Menyand-Jimmyweb

print available for purchase       Jimmy loves her orchids, her garden, her life. Orchids to her are more of a life-style than a hobby.  So when she invited me to her home to see them, of course I was eager.  It was a treat.  I wish I could remember all the names and things she told me about them, but I can’t.

There are three gardens.   First there is the front garden which you see when you enter through the black metal gates.  Then there is the orchid garden which is an enclosed patio from the house and lastly, there is the fruit orchard and flower bed garden at the back.

 

When you are walking through San Antonio, (an area in Ajijic) you see many sets of metal gates.  You really can’t guess what lies behind them.  There are homes and gardens of unimaginable intrigue and beauty.  I love Mexico for all its surprises

Jimmy is a walking encyclopedia about orchids.  It’s a full time job to keep everything watered and pruned and looking happy and pristine.  I don’t know how she racks up the energy, walking with her cane, to do all of her daily chores to maintain this lifestyle.

 

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Here is the beautiful orchid herself “Jimmy”.  She told me there were no boys in the family and she was the last one, so they named her Jimmy after her father.

When you enter the house, you see a table, a mirror and a collection of hats that she makes.  It’s a welcoming site.

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She makes hats and knits for babies for charity and does much more.

My favoritething she told me was when she went to elementary school in a one-room school house.  She always asked a lot of questions, to the annoyance of adults around her. One day a new teacher told her she could ask as many questions as she liked.  She jumped for joy and went home saying, “My teacher said I could ask any questions I wanted.”  She said it was the happiest day of her life.  She still is an independent spirit.

jimmy-wc
My quick watercolor of Jimmy.
step by step, how to

Liz’ Pink Flower challenge

Michele B. Naquaiya

 

My friend Liz Ozselcuk does beautiful digital photography.  She challenged me to play with one of her photos.  So this is the watercolor I came up with.  This was so much fun.  Here’s the step by step of how we are playing with this image.

Liz’ digital photo which was originally as the white flower looked with no changes, then she turned it into this.   

Here’s the original white flowers before digital  (changes) copy to your browser:   https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210656261553030&set=a.1062893142888.2009193.1542778282&type=3

So here’s an explanation of how I did my little painting from her digital change….https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210650477208425&set=a.3348657045557.2120032.1542778282&type=3&theater

 

Ajijic

Ajijic People, Conchita, the Weaver

Michele B. Naquaiya

weaver-web.jpg

I first met Conchita in August of 2017.  I did not learn her name or who she was until I returned to Ajijic five months later.  It was in a late August afternoon and the sun was getting very low in the sky. I was surprised to see her weaving at such a late hour and in such a remote place.  She was near the lake but  a little far from the malacon.  I was just walking and sort of stumbled upon her.   I didn’t expect to find such a treasure in such an isolated spot along the lake.  She was outside the malacon and that area does not get much traffic except for horses and old men.

I later learned from people that this is her work station because of the two big trees nearby.  She uses them to hang her weavings from and she also uses one of the trees to mount her loom on.  That way she can lean back a little and get tension on the work.  You can’t pass the shuttle through the warp and the weft unless there is tension on the loom.

At the time there was so many works displayed; not only hanging but in neat piles and piles or bags and purses and smaller ones, like small bags or pillows.  I was puzzled at how she could store them at nightfall here and not worry about theft.  I remember looking around and seeing nothing that could pass as a shelter.    I could not understand how she could possibly store her work there before going home.  I think I just assumed some family member or friend would come to pick her up.  How wrong I was.  The truth is she packs everything up and wheels it all home with a cart up a steep hill–without help.

I knew I wanted to know her and paint her.  She has a tenacious spirit and she is probably the hardest working person I have met here.  She is friendly,  sweet, has a sense of humor and a humility that is usual for local artisans.

She is tiny, has sparkling eyes and her hands are strong.   I came back several times to see her. The last time  I was able to buy one of her big woven bags that I did not have the money for last summer.  It was still there and we were able to extricate it from the bottom of one of her piles.  I remembered the bag and the pattern.  I use it every day and it’s perfect for my Spanish books.

Here is a link a friend just found for me about her from Ajijic News Calendar.  I was excited to know that I had painted her before I read about her. Apparently lots of people know and love her. Read more about her story.   I hope to keep you posted  on her from time to time.

You can purchase a print or garment with my painting here

 

 

 

Ajijic, people

Ajijic’s People: Dave the sculptor and part-time Orange Juice Guy

Michele B. Naquaiya

orange-juice-web

I know it’s just not me, but I believe there are people here in Ajijic who definitely make a difference.  They  make an impact on our daily lives.  Being a newbie here, I can only comment on some of the ones who have impressed me enough to photograph and paint them.  I like to call them “people landmarks” because when you talk about them to friends, they respond with  “Oh yeah, I know him, or I’ve seen her.”  Usually they are vendors who have a following and a great variety of merchandise they collect and sell, or they are artisans themselves.  

They usually claim a street corner or familiar area where they’ve built their reputation.  I know that my “orange juice guy” can be found in front of Guadalajara Pharmacy on the Carretera.

Dave is an artist–a sculptor. He wears more than one hat which many of us have to do,  I’ve bought juice from him before and it is really good juice.  He’s one of several people I have enjoyed photographing and painting in watercolor.  He has a very friendly nature.  He always has a big smile and love for conversation and a little pleasant joking.  He takes great pride in what he does.  He is always cutting, cleaning, organizing his booth and presenting his beautiful juice with an air of confidence and generosity.  How could you not buy juice from him?

He certainly loves this juicer.  I do too.  It’s one of those tools that is really well built and functions without electricity or batteries.  It’s durable, honest and trustworthy. It’s like his good oranges and clean knives and counter.  I have never seen such a super sized juicer and watching him operate it is a pleasure.  I can only imagine how excited he must have been when he bought it.

He plays it like a violinist plays his violin. Buen provecho. 

buy prints here