Feliz Dia de Grito!

The Grito de Dolores/Cry of Dolores was the battle cry of the Mexican War of Independence also known as El Grito de la Independencia /Cry of Independence on September 16, 1810 by Miguel Hidalgo  y Costilla, a Roman Catholic priest from the small town of Dolores near Guanajauato.

Today 200 years later I show you my grito. This work is called Everything But the People and its a part of an exhibit on racism that will be traveling the U.S. The exhibit opens  in Chicago at the Facing Race Conference and will then travel with the Mancuso line of exhibits for the next two years.

Bigotry comes from injury and is taught. Only by shedding light on institutional and generational racism in the U. S and acknowledging the damage it creates can we begin to dismantle racism for all. Seize the opportunity to affect change.


This artwork speaks to generational injustice. Our Mexican vacation spots, food, music, fiestas and culture are used in marketing, pop culture, party themes and Halloween costumes. Yet it is our people that are rejected and treated as slaves in work camps, denied basic human rights, and considered reasonably suspicious just for “looking illegal”.

No matter your political stance every human being is a Divine Human Spirit who deserves dignity and respect. The Mestiza people are descendants of the First People of this country. Moving across man made borders before they existed like the migration of birds and butterflies.

Until comprehensive immigration reform is achieved, families living on this side of the man made border for generations and those undocumented will continue to endure the ripples of racism. Still we rise up and stand with pride and hope that universal dignity and love will overcome. Si se puede!

International Textile Biennial San Jose, Costa Rica

"Ritmo Latino"  has been juried into an exhibition curated by Dr. Carolyn L. Mazloomi. The exhibition titled "Beyond Category: Visions of Jazz in Fiber." will be featured at the International Textile Biennial (San Jose, Costa Rica) and the University of Costa Rica (Limon) from September 7 to October 12, 2010. I am honored to be a part of this exhibit.

"Ritmo Latino/Latin Rhythm"

(c) Sabrina Zarco 2010

The rhythm of individuals was a big part of inspiration for this work as well as my love for dancing and music, all kinds of music. In our company, Contigo Learning Experience Inc., we have been using percussion instruments as part of our experiential process with great results. Music has such healing qualities, invokes playfulness, and releases inhibitions. Something about a drum circle that allows each person to be a part of the big picture in their own way and its just great fun!

I was disappointed that my day job and personal business didn't allow time for me to attend this show and teach some classes. Thanks for the invitation Dr. Mazloomi, maybe next time. I am honored to be a part even if I cant be there. Now back to the studio, to put on some music and dance!

New Mexico in bloom

A recent trip to Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, and Albuquerque

Nature's inspiration says it all, color, texture, shape!

Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul. ~The Koran

 

The Amen of nature is always a flower. Oliver Wendell Holmes

 

Earth laughs in flowers. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Where flowers bloom so does hope.  Lady Bird Johnson

 

Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed. Walt Whitman

Cadillac Ranch in Tejas

Off of Route 66 near Amarillo Tejas a few yards from the highway...

is a cow pasture with a row of planted Cadillacs from 1949-1963.

Stanly Marsh and the San Francisco based Ant Farm Art Collective first planted the Cadillacs in 1977 representing the "Golden Age". The ten graffiti-covered cars are half-buried, nose-down, facing west "at the same angle as the Cheops' pyramids."  

Visitors are encouraged to make their mark on the cars making this an ever changing artwork.

The cars are covered with ever mutating layers of spray paint graffiti as visitors of all ages  visitors add their mark. Mother Earth adds some wind, sun, and rain to create unique landscapes of textures on each car.

 At first I  was a bit put off at the cast off paint cans that litter the walk through the pasture. After listening to the work , drinking in the layers of color shape and texture, I too was taken with the spell of being a part of the art.

Each of us yearns to make some kind of mark while walking the Red Road of life so that we don't feel we are invisible or have walked in vain. So I added my mark just as my walk in life, over those that came before, and destined to be marked over by those who come after.

Some how just knowing we have added our marks as part of the experience is satisfying.

  

Paz y Amor

Doors

Doors near the Thubten Norbu Ling Tibetan Buddhist Center, Santa Fe

Door to The Pink Adobe Restaurant and Dragon Room Bar, Santa Fe

Doors from grounds of El Santuario de Chimayo

Doors leaving St. Francis Cathedral Basilica, Santa Fe

Doors are symbols of communication. Whether it is a closing door to something you leave behind or an opening door to new adventures. Doors that are closing keep you inside of yourself. Doors opening welcome and invite you to open your self to new experiences.  Each one brings a lesson and each one has its own risks.

One year ago I took a step and opened the door to myself. I had locked myself away so long ago that I forgot what if felt like to step outside and feel the sunshine on my face and the smell of flowers in the wind. I thought I was open and growing but it was a slow painful growth. Like when you bring a plant indoors for the winter and its just not the same as when it drinks the first rain of spring outside your window. It looks brighter, stands taller and suddenly sprouts new growth. It was like that for me.

So I took off the self imposed locks on my heart and I surrendered to the Greater Good.  I was afraid, vulnerable, and oh so out of control. For me a great leap to let go but I finally understood that as long as I stood in my own way, trying to direct my own path, and working against my better interest by making wrong choices in people, places and work  I would stay locked inside. I could no longer stay there nursing my wounds, it was time to embrace the healing.

On the outside everything looked fine but behind that door I was lonely and miserable in everything in my life. Wounded by a great loss and unable to find a safe place, only temporary places that proved not to be genuine. As an Aspie life is already a challenge and sometimes outside influences get the best of me. I found the courage to let go and trust myself in spite of age old records of people in my life saying I cant. I shut off the LPs, tapes, 8 tracks, and CDs. As one of my teachers says, be wary of people's good intentions, they are not always with you in mind".

In the surrender of letting go I felt a physical release as I opened the door to my soul. One year later and I have never been happier in my life. Not that all my challenges suddenly left me or magically I am a new person. Its more like that gentle rain washing over me and the door moves easily instead of stuck and creaking. Its how I walk through the doors of life that has changed eagerly anticipating the next rain shower of challenges and rewards. I found myself again. I reclaimed the life I once lived but with new eyes always moving forward and no looking back.

Open the door to yourself. Don't listen to the voices that tell you how to open it, when to open it , and who to let in. Its your choice let go and surrender to yourself. Walk through the next door of your path and welcome the challenge.

on the road again in AR

A business trip to DeWitt Arkansas where we saw lots of different shades of green.

Roadsides of beautiful corn, rice, and fields newly planted.

Swampy land filled with flowers and interesting birds.

And as we headed toward home the rain clouds starting moving across the horizon

 and more rain means more green.

I will be back in the stuido soon to post about the two new art quilts for the Racism exhibit.

Racism Exhibit sneak peek

I've been working on an artquilt to be included in another exhibit by my Beloved art quilt group, the "Obama Quilters". This time we chose to address racism. The exhibit is in the early stages as we each complete our work. We are looking for venues to add. As the touring develops, I will post the details for the show entitled, Racism: A Dialogue in Art Quilts

My work, Racism is a Weapon was a joy and a healing to create. As I worked, I literally and emotionally worked on the message. My working title was "things folks have said to me" and that's what I chose to address. So many times we think of racism as the "out and loud in your face" kind of thing. But for me, I find the most painful is the subtle, sometimes intentional and often times clueless comments directed toward me. Bottom line is racism is racism no matter how it's served up. I chose to re-purpose a vintage tablecloth I found in the thrift store. It's sweet flowers and simple design reminded me that this kind of racism is served at the table with a smile and most times you don't see it coming. And maybe that's why it hurts so much.

One of many studies on racism and mental health states that "racism-related stress has the potential to affect the well-being of an individual: racism-related life events, vicarious racism experiences, daily racism micro stressors, chronic-contextual stress, collective experiences, and transgenerational transmission (Harrell, 2000, p.45-47). The first type of racism-related stress is the result of specific, time-limited experiences of racism in which one feels discriminated against, harassed, or judged (Harrell, 2000, p. 45). One may also experience stress as a result of hearing about or seeing another person’s experience with racism. This constitutes a vicarious experience of racism (Harrell, 2000, p. 45). Racism-related stress however, is not always overt, and this is exampled in the subtle daily reminders that one is different. These racism micro-stressors may be as simple as being watched in a store or overlooked and discounted in an office setting; however their effects are no less deleterious (Harrell, 2000, p. 45-46). To this point, racism-related stress has been discussed in the context of specific events that either compound one’s stress level directly or vicariously."  

This stuff hurts and after awhile its starts to wear you down. I have learned over the past 6 years of working in a community that is not like me, that if I don't get my injection of familia/ community, well, it just wears my Spirit down. I long for the safe space to just be, blend, and not feel like the spot in the room. A place where I don't have to be the "dial a token" and "speak for my people" or be on yet another Board, task force or committee. I put up my shield of ancestors to protect my heart as depicted in the center portion of the work. But in reality each wound hurts; whether its the scars of childhood experiences or the comments said this week.
 
Now I am honored to "represent" in my day job and help folks build some kind of bridge to understanding and set aside their ethnocentrism long enough to understand we are all different and that's OK. Or at the very least acknowledge there is more than one way to approach life. But its the subtle comments like little wounds that can leave me bleeding to death. And if I don't recognize it and get some kind of validation and support, it can lead to some health issues as another report stated. " Women of color often suffer more from health and mental heath issues when subjected to subtle racism in the workplace."
 
So the center of the work is dedicated to the protection and the Warrior Spirit it takes to keep moving through the generational racism that continues today. Outside of that section are the obvious weapons I chose to embroider as a soft version of a hard weapon. Then in between the images are quotes of things real people have said to me over the years and it's sad to say some of them are oldies that keep on repeating.

It was healing to get this out in public . Sometimes when these things are said I take a deep breath, try to control the look of shock on my face (oh no she didn't just really say THAT) and then assess the situation and ripples. Who might get it next if I dont speak up now or is this one hit I will let slide just because I am tired. When I can muster up the wherewithal  I take the teachable moment and have a dialogue with the commentor. Once again assuming the role of educator with my unassuming perpetrator. Other times I take the hit and just look for a place to nurse my wounds with some kind of dignity.

The border is a patchwork of bright "happy" vintage reproduction prints, symbolizing the patched possibilities. I do this kind of work because there were those that came before me that walked the fire. Now its my turn, and one day I pray that my grandson won't have to hear these words spoken to him. So on the patchwork border are facts about racism. It has a history, its taught and learned, and racism kills the human Spirit. Also on the border are my warrior cries to dismantle systemic and institutional injustice, promote dignity and respect and embrace human differences. More photos of the overall quilt coming soon, stay tuned. Gracias.

"Racism is a Weapon" detail c Sabrina Zarco 2010

"Racism is a Weapon" detail c Sabrina Zarco 2010

"Racism is a Weapon" detail c Sabrina Zarco 2010

"Racism is a Weapon" detail c Sabrina Zarco 2010

"Racism is a Weapon" detail c Sabrina Zarco 2010

Update to this post: I am working on a second piece addressing the not so subtle racism in Arizona. More on that to follow.

Gracias