Does Your Home Art Reflect Your Writing?

I've blogged before about my carnaval mask collection, so you're familiar with it by now. This is my newest addition to the family; my husband named him "Pablo." Pablo is a reproduction mask made in Mexico. We stumbled upon him at an antique gallery in Denton, Texas last weekend. My husband and I swore we weren't going to buy anything, just window shop, but as always, that's when we find something we just HAVE to have. Pablo is now hanging above the fireplace with his other friends and is quite happy, as you can see.

My mother recently came to stay with me and help out, since I've been recovering from two hospital visits and dealing with some pretty serious medical issues in the past six months. (I'm going to be having another surgery soon, but it's not scheduled, yet.) We moved at the end of April due to my health issues and it's been a slow process of unpacking, since the move wasn't planned, we hired a company to pack and move us, and my husband works long hours. I'm still living out of boxes as I type. My mother helped with some asked me one night while she was here, "How come you have so many decorations that are different mythical creatures and gods and goddesses?"

I hadn't really thought about my house being a multicultural/mythical endeavor before, until she mentioned it. Good question, mom!

The answer: Because I like pieces that speak to me. Every piece of art I display in my home reminds me of a story I read or a conversation about a story I'm going to write that I've had with my husband in the wee hours of the morning when we should both be sleeping. I believe art tells a story and my photos do as well. That's why I fell in love with photography, because photos hold emotion and tell a story I can escape into through the lens. So naturally, as a storyteller, I'd want to surround myself with stories in art. Wouldn't you?

Ask yourself the same question: Does your home art reflect your writing? If not, you might want to immerse yourself in your local art museum and see what pieces speak to you. You might be surprised about the stories they have to share and the writing journey your friends may take you on. And if you're suffering from writer's block, a trip to your local library or a bookstore for a collection of paintings or photos might just be the inspiration you need. Or perhaps, you already have your muse hanging on your wall right in front of you and you don't know it! If not, you should find one and put it up. My first royalty sale ever was generated from a piece of art hanging up in my house. It's been a good luck charm for me ever since. Find yours and use it. And good luck!

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) - Writing Inspiration #2

My holiday gift to my husband, an original by me.

If you missed the first installment of my Day of the Dead post, you can still read it. It explains the history of Dia de los Muertos and has more pictures for writing inspiration.

What I like about Mexican folk art is how colorful and imaginative the pieces are. There is a celebration of death and life. Since the Victorian mourning customs have gone the way of the dodo, talking about death has become a taboo in Western culture. We don't even like to think about it. When my brother passed away in 1998, I realized this personally. Many people seemed uncomfortable and didn't know what to say to me. It was sad.

When I moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2006, I delved below the surface of the Mexican art to discover the meaning. I'd always been fascinated by the subject matter and wanted to know more. It has enriched my writing background greatly and I still have yet to write all the stories I want to surrounding the characters from Mexican traditions.

The piece above is done in watercolor and black graphic ink pens. I am getting it professionally matted and framed. I can't do as much art as I would like, since I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2003. My hands hurt a lot, but I still manage to do a few pieces now and then, though it takes me longer. But like my writing, it is an escape from pain.

Here are a few more pictures from my art collection to inspire your stories:



Vintage 1970s piece. The Mask Maker.



Circa 1970s mask.



Mexican Nichos. 

Mexican Nichos traditionally feature loved ones that have passed on, Catholic saints, or cards from La Loteria, the Mexican version of bingo. Nichos originated from church art. In other Spanish speaking countries, they are known as retablos. They are made from tin. You can buy unpainted ones to create your own, something that I am pondering at the moment.

The ones you see here are La Loteria nichos. The top is The Siren and the bottom is El Diablo, the patron saint of lawyers.

I hope these bring you some writing inspiration today. As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) - Writing Inspiration

In Aztec and Meso-American cultures, skulls were used to honor to the dead. They symbolized death and rebirth. Five hundred years ago, the Spanish Conquistadors discovered people in Mexico celebrating death, something their Christian background considered sacrilegious. What they did not understand is that the ritual was to honor your ancestors and remember your relatives. In an attempt to Christianize a culture the Spanish church could not stamp out, they moved Dia de los Muertos to All Saints Day on November 1st. Before this, the Aztecs celebrated Day of the Dead celebrations the entire month of August, the ninth month.

Skulls like the one in my home, featured to the left, are often found on the altars, dedicated and decorated for relatives that have passed on into the next world. People also wear skull masks and other masks celebrating the dead in parades. The skull masks are called calavas. These are a few of the Day of the Dead masks my husband and I own. Reproduction masks are quite cheap, but masks actually used in ceremonies can be quite pricey depending on how old they are and how rare. They are not even supposed to be sold, but a lot of the people travel to Mexico and other poorer countries to buy them illegally after the festival. They are supposed to be destroyed after the festivals, but they end up in the tourist shops in New Mexico and other places. Usually, from what I have heard, people often sell them for a case of beer or less as the night wears on.

Reproduction from Guatemala

Querrerro

Circa 1970s. From State of Durango. Possibly used in
lizard fertility dance. Devils are considered clowns
or pranksters who give comic relief.

 On Dia de los Muertos, it is custom for families to visit the graves of their loved ones and leave them offerings (ofrendas) of food and drink and flowers. Marigolds are a traditional flower left at graves and altars. Sugar skulls, calavera azucar, are also a popular item as are toys and trinkets made to celebrate death.

La Katrina is the Mexican female character of death, often portrayed in Victorian dress with flowers on her hat. She is synomymous with the marigolds, a strong smelling flower. It draws the dead to the graves to visit with their families. In San Miguel, Mexico, on the eve of the Day of the Dead, ladies dress in Victorian costumes and paint their faces with skulls, parading through the streets to hand out treats to children before attending charity balls.

La Katrina is often seen in Mexican art with El Baron de Cemetario, the Mexican version of the Voodoo Baron Samedi, a loa (god) of the dead. I own this piece of artwork depicting La Katrina and El Baron.

You can make your own sugar skulls with this recipe from tomzap online. You will need a skull mold or you can make your own.

Recipe for Sugar Skulls

2½ cups sugar
Egg white from 1 extra-large egg or 2 small eggs
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cornstarch, about a half-cup, for powdering surface
Colored sprinkles
Food coloring
Fine paintbrush
Colored icing

Sift sugar into a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, mix the egg whites, corn syrup, and vanilla.
Slowly pour the liquid into the powdered sugar. Mix with your hands until a sandy dough forms. Form dough into a ball. At this point, you can continue, or you can refrigerate dough for later use.

Lightly dust surface with cornstarch, as well as your hands. Pinch off a heaping tablespoon of dough, and shape it into a skull. If you're using them, lightly press colored sprinkles into the soft candy. Let the candy dry overnight.
When candy is dry, use the paint brush with food coloring to decorate the skulls. Or you can use frosting (one that will dry hard) with a fine tip to decorate them.

Hand them out as is, or wrap in a small cellophane bag tied closed with a small ribbon.

Tips:

The skulls may not dry completely on a humid or rainy day.

The dough should be the consistency of damp sand, just moist enough to hold together. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time to moisten.
If dough is too moist, add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until dough is the right consistency.
If the candy has trouble drying completely, place in a 125 degree warm oven until dry.


More information on the customs for Dia de los Muertos can be found on these sites:

http://www.tomzap.com/muertos.html

Pictures of Die de lost Muertos

Traditional recipes and other information

More Day of the Dead History in Mexico

There is plenty of writing inspiration here for literary folks and horror/fantasy enthusiasts. Opportunities abound. Happy writing and happy reading to all!

The Masks We Wear - A Writing Exercise

In light of the past weekend's events, I have been thinking about the masks we wear in life. It's nice to be able to surround ourselves with loved ones so we can take off the masks we put on when we go out into the world, but sometimes it's nice to put on a mask and be someone else for awhile. This week I've spent escaping in the novels I checked out from the library. It's a coping mechanism for me when things get rough. Since my Aunt Rita's passing, I've been reflecting on the masks my family and myself wear.

Today's writing exercise is to focus on the masks that people wear. Perhaps, a character has a startling revelation that changes their perspective and their mask. Perhaps, a character learns of a loved one's death and reflects on the masks they wore in life.

If these ideas don't get the writing juices flowing, my photo essay on masks might help inspire you. You can use them literally as characters or a prop in your story. My husband and I collect Carnaval masks and others from around the world. We've only been collecting for a few years, but I hope you enjoy them. Some of them are quite creepy and have a story or two to tell on their own!