Sunflower Summer Love

Summer on the ridge has been a wonderful experience. This is a photo of the sunflowers that showed up last summer. I was excited to have them pop up on one of the paths alongside the house. There were three large plants that bloomed all summer.

This year the same spot is overflowing! Must be the monsoon rains that started early and have been visiting our spot on the ridge quite often this summer. So many plants and blooms I can't count. I transplanted some near the front of the house and still they are popping up all over this path. 

I first thought the hundreds of tiny green plants coming up might be weeds or something with icky thorns. I was concerned about how covered this path among the rock outcroppings would be and the hassle of having to create a new safe path on level ground to pass this side of the house. I thought maybe I would just clear them before they grew taller than I am, yes all 4 ft 11 inches of me, but something in the wild breeze said be still and wait. 

Often in life I am in a rush to get on with things and when something appears to be a potential obstacle I want to solve it as soon as possible. This lesson from ridge life has taught me to be still and trust the process. I am learning to slow down and to appreciate each stage of the process vs. rushing to the end. 

Quincy loves running this path and a few hundred sunflowers only made it more fun.

After a lots of running through the flowers it was time to head up to the deck for a cool drink and enjoy the flowers from the deck view.

May the rest of your summer be filled with bright moments of sunshine. Take a moment to stop and run through the flowers when the opportunity arises. And remember to be thankful for the small things that show up in life and no matter how challenging…trust the process.

Seeds of Summer

Monsoon rains continue and everything is green and growing. I share with you today two works for a Studio Art Quilt Assoc. (SAQA) of New Mexico exhibit called How Does Your Garden Grow? Seeds for SAQA. Each artist was to create a seed real or imagined to be mounted on a consistent background creating an exhibit that looked like oversized seed packets. Being the artivist that I am my seeds are also my wishes for us all. So go out and sow some seeds of Peace and Justice and  Love and Equality! 

Update: these two works are sold and found a home. For more available work check out my website gallery SabrinaZaco.com 

Appreciating Water

Coming from the Bayou City I thought I understood water. The bayou winding around town, creeks, lakes and our beloved Third Coast trips off of Galveston Island. However it wasn't until I moved to the high desert mountains of New Mexico that I brought to consciousness how this precious liquid is truly the lifeline for all things. 

I know that many including my beloved Bayou City are experiencing too much water right now and my thoughts and prayers are with you. Here in the midst of a drought in the beginning of fire season in the high desert mountains it is very much welcomed. All in one day we had sunshine, rain, snow and hail.

I spent the most glorious rainy day doing all things in the rain and at times even small hail and snow. I was totally present to the wonderful smell I often miss, the taste of it cold on my hair and skin. I danced to my car in the store parking lot. Played in the garden under the shower. And listened to the sound of a distant thunder symphony of soft and hard sounds.

I am thankful for full rain barrels that will supplement my supply and the soothing sound of them filling. 

My garden is shiny, washed clean, and ready for new growth with the sweet scent of rain and the earth.

I have learned to appreciate this precious liquid resource. As with all things gifted to us in nature its good to slow down and take a moment and think about all the ways water impacts your life.

Ghost Ranch and Abiquiu Lake Day Trippin

Sometimes a day trip is just what is needed to clear your head and reconnect even if the weather is a bit cloudy. So the cowboy, our four legged and I packed up a picnic and headed about an hours drive north from home. We landed in Abiquiu home of the Ghost Ranch, Georgia O'Keeffe land of inspiration and the lake.

Sheep grazing at Ghost Ranch. It was a windy, cloudy, misty day and these elements created a new way to experience the land. You can feel the inspiration circling in the winds and quickly understand the calling of generations of artists of all kinds, spiritual and creative folks who have walked this land.

The cowboy right at home at the corral and the four legged enjoyed the open space to run and sniff out the horses. The land, the mountains. the weather provided a peaceful magic to our day. Don't let the weather stop you from having an experience. If its safe to be out go exploring and see how different things can look with various kinds of light and mist.

Cerro Pedernal. locally called just Pedernal is a narrow mesa that inspired many artists, musicians, writers and was a central image in many of Georgia O'Keeffe paintings. Her ashes were scattered on its top.

Cultural Red SAQANM exhibit opening

You are invited! Friday, April 17, 2015 to the Santa Fe Capitol Rotunda Gallery. The Studio Art Quilts Association of New Mexico SAQANM artists' opening reception is free and open to the public from 4 to 6 pm. Over 60 amazing works by NM folks. My three works below are in this show. Please stop by and say hi and join our celebration!

Quest For Red © Sabrina Zarco

Calling the Four Directions © Sabrina Zarco

Spirit of El Corazon © Sabrina Zarco

These works are currently hanging in the Santa Fe Capitol Rotunda Gallery as part of the Cultural Red Exhibit by Studio Art Quilts New Mexico SAQANM from April to August 2015. And in 2016 in Ruidoso Downs NM at the Hubbard Museum of the American West. For more on this work visit SabrinaZarco.com

The Spirit of El Corazon

El Corazon in Mexican Spanish has a totally different meaning than heart in the English language where it is often separated from knowledge and often reduced to sentimentality. El corazon is a physical organ with a magical quality. The heart integrates and informs all aspects of a person, mind, will, emotions. El corazon is the core or center of a person and the source of ultimate understanding. To understand the dynamics of Mexican spirituality is to understand el corazon. Spiritual transformation emerges from el corazon. In this work are symbols in fabric and found/repurposed objects that represent the various aspects of el corazon.

This work is currently hanging in the Santa Fe Capitol Rotunda Gallery as part of the Cultural Red Exhibit from April to August 2015. And in 2016 in Ruidoso Downs NM at the Hubbard Museum of the American West. For more on this work visit SabrinaZarco.com

Calling The Four Directions

The Maya tell us that we came from the stars and that humans are made of corn. It is prophesized that when the four colors of the human race, just like the four colors of corn: red, yellow, black, and white, blend together like Indian corn on the cob, we will have reached the desired state of oneness consciousness.

Each direction on this work is represented by a color on each of the four sides. The sun and moon are the sprit of the corn and also depicted in the work. The central figure features a Two Spirit healer in ceremony reverently calling to the directions. Special thanks, gracias, tlazocamati to Jaysa for the use of your image. 

This work is currently hanging in the Santa Fe Capitol Rotunda Gallery as part of the Cultural Red Exhibit from April to August 2015. And in 2016 in Ruidoso Downs NM at the Hubbard Museum of the American West. For more on this work visit SabrinaZarco.com

Spring is around the corner!

Each day the sun begins to warm the ground unwrapping her from the snow blanket of winter.

The always cold Pecos River is getting wider as the sheets of ice melt revealing more of the beautiful multicolor rocks beneath the surface.

I can feel the shift as spring and new beginnings are around the corner! Subtle changes signal the shift we need simply to be awake and look around us. These little changes bring us gently bring us into the next phase of life. Enjoy your new beginning!

Thankful for Tracks in the Snow

It snowed all night. It sparkled like fallen stars under the moon. This morning I woke up and noticed we had visitors over the night. Dog or coyote tracks on the deck but definitely the four legged kind of visitor.  The dogs usually follow a path from the front of the property where it tends to be more level. The coyotes come from below the ridge. So off went to follow the tracks in the fresh snow.

The sun was still coming up and the clouds were still low. The silent gifts of living on this sacred land are abundant and I am thankful in this moment.

We followed the tracks and it looks like three of them all about the same size went off the side of the deck. They seemed to lead down to the small arroyo so we continued to climb down below the house.

Up and down over the ridge rocks. The path seemed to be leading us to the lower arroyo at the base of the land. 

I was slower than my four legged companion. He sniffed the tracks, left his mark and was in a hurry to find the owners. I on the other hand stopped here and there to get lost in the big blue sky that was emerging from behind the cloudy morning light. 

Feliz dia de amor y amistad aka day of love and friendship

Feliz dia de Amor y Amistad! Happy day of love and friendship! Happy Valentine's Day!

I really enjoy playing in the snow and the corazon/heart shape is a long time favorite of mine. Here are a few I made playing in the snow. Take some time to look in the mirror and say I love you. You have to be able to love yourself just as you are before you can share the love with friends and family. 

Cultural Red Exhibit Santa Fe

Quest For Red © Sabrina Zarco

Cochineal dye was used by the Aztec and Maya peoples of Central and North America for everything from coloring clothing, healing ailments, and for personal adornment. The cochineal is found on the nopal or prickly pear cactus pads inside match head-sized white fuzz balls. By the 14th century, the Incas and Aztecs both had whole agricultural systems based on cochineal and apparently valued the dye as much as gold. The insects were harvested and traded. The insects were collected, dried and crushed releasing the intense red color dye.

This is one of three works of mine that have been accepted into the exhibit at the Santa fe Capitol Rotunda Gallery. The gallery opening for those in New Mexico or visiting will be on Friday, April 17, 2015 from 5-7pm. The exhibit will be up from April to August 2015.

I created a large Cochineal bug and added the white fuzz balls with paint and beads on the nopal pads. String needles on the pads hurt less when handling the work. As always it wouldn't be my work without buttons hand painted and lots of hand stitches. I will share the other two works and their stories later. 

Detail Quest For Red.