Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Aventuras de la Tierra por Mexico

I have come across many new places and people during my last 2 months living along the Riviera Nayarit. For me, the immersion into a foreign physical environment, the blend of both built and natural, is always the most stimulating to my senses. The way in which a space transforms into a place through either natural evolution or its social manipulation by human presence, has become the spark of my intrigue as I come into these new experiences.  Through the medium of photography, I can attempt to capture the essence of those moments. The intoxication of my senses and the revelations of my mind are presented through the collection below. 
Also, it may just be that I am not that great at photographing the spirit of human expression. Thus, once again, nature is my template.

La Vida es un Playa, Lo

Playa de los Muertos, La Selva de San Pancho 


Colores Brilliantes a la Rancho de Graff, Lo de Marcos

Reflection Pool, Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens

Hacienda, PV Botanical Gardens

Blue Agave-quinnessential Mexico

La Cultura de Pescaderos, Boca de Tomatlan, Bahia de Banderas

El Pueblito de Lo de Marcos

Una Aventura de Kayak, "The Secret Beach," Guayabitos

Los Campos de Agaves Azules, Tequila, MX


Las Pinas de Agaves Azules-El Recurso de Tequila, Tequila, MX 

La Playa de Lo

La Playa de Lo

La Bahita de Lo

Chacala, Nayarit

La Montana, Lo

En la Manana, Lo

El Desayuno de Campiones, Mi Bungalow

Aticama, San Blas, Nayarit

Aticama, San Blas, Nayarit

San Pancho, Nayarit

San Pancho Aire, San Pancho, Nayarit

La Montana, Lo

Un Dia Perfecta en la Sombra de las Palmas, Lo

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Bringing Home the Mantra: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle!

The week before Christmas marked a momentous accomplishment for the San Pancho organization, entreamigos, as the community welcomed The Recicla Shop into the radical, supportive landscape of the non-profit community center. The Shop opened its doors at a highly anticipated opening event to celebrate the expansion of entreamigos' resources and the organization's mission of environmental stewardship as they bring recycled, local products to the community members. The store will carry an array of gently used clothes and housewares for all members of the family at reasonable prices. Entreamigos organizers and the financial benefactors, XOCODIVA Artican Chocolates and the Victoria Women in Need Society, believe that the new resource will foster a greater sense of agency for all of San Pancho's citizens as they revitalize their local economy and the self sustaining capacity of their cultural community center, entreamigos.

I was involved with this transformative process as the store was collecting donations weeks prior to the opening, the space was coming into its own as a reputable, professional place, and the entire community was coming together to set up for the opening event and fashion show. I aided the organizers through every step of the process, which were extremely invaluable lessons in entrepreneurship, small business management, and basic skills of resourcefulness. I witnessed the space from its roots with a freshly painted artistic facade come into a fully functioning self sustaining business within 10 days. Here's the photographic evidence to prove it. 
Here is a beautiful tree mural painted by members of the Victoria Women in Need Society from Victoria, B.C., Canada whom have established a very successful chain of secondhand boutique stores in the Victoria metro area that sponsors local women in need. Now, they are expanded their grasps by being the major benefactors of The Recicla Shop project.

The beginning.....all the furniture and fixtures were recycled from other businesses or from the site itself.
The store opened two days after this photo was taken. 

The product goes out.....and the kids are already scoping out the scene.

Within a few short days its ready for opening!

Wow, it was stunning!


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OPENING NIGHT

The representatives of Victoria Women in Need Society and entreamigos pull the curtains during the grand inauguration!

And here they come....! The Store was well applauded and received by the community. There was even a huge profit margin made within the 2 hours on opening night, and it was only the beginning!

The community members gather as the fashion show nears. The show was organized to showcase the fun yet functional elements of the Recicla Shop's clothing and athletic equipment. 

Of course I couldn't be left in the dust! I adorned an exotic, playful frock that accessorized my tango, eastern Indian, and salsa dance number I performed on the catwalk!

It was a great night and a fabulous beginning for a landmark amongst the San Pancho community.