The Studio

Heading Westward...

We are in the process of packing and moving out West to Colorado.  

The next couple weeks will be hectic so I will probably not be posting very much on the blog.

Stay tuned... 

"Paletero" by Emiliano Lake-Herrera - 2010

In the process of editing images of new artwork which will be posted soon!  I have had the great privilege to participate in many positive community experiences lately and hope for many more to come... Some quick highlights:  

Currently working on a mural project with LaCausa School made possible by Artists Working in Education (AWE).  I am working with artist Jose Alfredo Chavez and the students at LaCausa to create a mural for the school.  I will post more info and pics when we get releases for the students.  Check out the great opportunities that AWE provides to the Milwaukee community at their  website.  

 I will also be working with AWE this summer to provide art instruction through their Truck Studio program as a lead artist.

I am also working on a mural commission at the Barstow Building in Waukesha, WI.  This building serves as a community health and dental clinic, and also houses organizations focused on Senior and Hispanic health issues and advocacy.  Here is a link to the Waukesha County Community Dental Clinic's page that gives a better idea of the scope of service offered by these organizations housed in the Bartsow Building.  I feel very honored to be able to contribute to this project and to integrate the arts into the mission of these organizations.  

I had a great experience this last Thursday at the Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee's (HPGM) Noche de Pachanga for Cinco de Mayo.  I was invited to participate in the event to showcase my artwork and to promote our culture.  HPGM is a great organization and I was very pleased with the event and enjoyed the company of all who were in attendance.

Also, the proposal submitted to Wisconsin Arts Boards Folk Arts Apprenticeship program for me to apprentice with Master Folk Artist Jose Alfredo Chavez was accepted!  We will be beginning our project on the traditional Mexican art of Cartoneria...

More updates and photos to come.... 

Monday

 

Finished framing last week for the show in Whitewater, and took the work up on Friday in the back of the trusty camioneta gris.   The show will be open from March 9th to May 4th and is located at Studio 84, Inc. - 121 West Center Street in Whitewater, Wisconsin.  "A Modern View of Mexican Art" focuses on themes of surrealism and contemporary approaches to Mexican art in the work of Jose Alfredo Chavez, Dara Larson, and Emiliano Lake-Herrera.  The opening reception will be held on Sunday, March 21 from 2-4pm.  I will be doing an artists talk at the gallery in April and will post when the details are finalized.  

Saturday I went down to the new Walker's Point Center for the Arts and ripped up floor tiles while the Mrs. was hanging out with Vivica Fox (haha, no - seriously).  Later we attended the 166th Independence day celebration organized by Dominicanos Unidos de Wisconsin; with guest appearances by Senator Spencer Coggs (D-Wisconsin) and the Dominican consulate from Chicago.  Several young people gave great presentations on Dominican history, culture, and dance.  There was also an informative presentation by Compassion International.  It was a great celebration with good food, great music, dancing, and positive messages and goals.   

The coolest part of the night, though, were the diablito dancers who made a surprise appearance in true DR Carnaval fashion!  Fijate!

 

StoryCorps Historias

 

Holy City, Bettendorf, IA circa 1920 -

 image from University of Iowa Library's Mujeres Latinas Project

 

I wanted to share a link to an important organization which is documenting the oral history and experiences of Latinos in the United States.  I heard about StoryCorp Historias on the radio program Latino USA, hosted by Maria Hinojosa, which airs on NPR.  

StoryCorps Historias defines their mission as:

"..an initiative to record the diverse stories and life experiences of Latinos in the United States. Sharing these stories celebrates our history, honors our heritage, and captures the true spirit of our community. It will also ensure that the voices of Latinos will be preserved and remembered for generations to come."

I have included the link to StoryCorps Historias on the left hand sidebar of the blog for easy access.

Arctic Nomads

 

random webphoto of Siberian living...

    I have officially moved south.  Yes, it is true!  To sunny Bayview (still Milwaukee) which is a much awaited breath of fresh air from Milwaukee's Eastside, but still completely arctic.  I have a smaller studio with a better organizational design now.  The whole basement is at our disposal, so that means no more hand-sawing on the porch..  Much more peaceful and practical on all counts.   I'm looking forward to the new work which will come out of the fresh environment, and am also looking forward to potential opportunities through community arts projects which have recently come to light.  In the meantime, I'll look towards Siberia for inspiration to survive the immediate winter.