Great Bluegrass Concert, July 28th at Austin's Big Stacy Park!

Music in the Park Concert Series. Great Concert on July 28th at Big Stacy Park!

What a Perfect way to enjoy the afternoon in the park with friends, family and a Bluegrass Concert.

Friends enjoying the show.

Bottom Dollar String Band.

If you like bluegrass, These bands were fantastic.

We had the Bottom Dollar String Band & the Lost Pines. 

Bottom Dollar String Band.

Local Central Texas boys.

Bottom Dollar String Band began making music in the hills of Central Texas in 2011 with just two instruments: a mandolin and banjo. Emerging into a six-piece band, Bottom Dollar immerses themselves in their music and heritage, and enjoys sharing their creations of old-time standards and new-grass originals live.

Great Saturday afternoon with friends enjoying the show.

The Lost Pines

The Lost Pines.

They've come a long way.

The Lost Pines have come a long way since busking on the street corners of South Congress back in 2007. The success of their first album, Middle of the Morning, paved the way for the band to make appearances on FOX, KUT, KGSR, and the KOOP, finish runner-up in the bluegrass category of the Austin Chronicle’s Reader’s Poll, and perform sets at the Mulberry Mountain Harvest Festival, Austin String Band Festival, RiceGrass and Folk Alliance Conference. After teaming up with Grammy Award-winning producer Lloyd Maines, The Lost Pines recorded and released their second album Sweet Honey in 2011.

Whole families and Friends enjoying the park.

 

The Music in the Parks series is a year-long concert series that provides free, live and diverse concerts to Austin's music-loving community in parks citywide. 

Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center fosters local community solidarity through creative collaboration between newly arrived immigrants and visiting Oaxaca artisans.

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New art in public places (AIPP) installation celebrated at recent presentation by MACC artist in residence, Margarita Cabrera.

MACC's first artist in residence, Margarita Cabrera.

Our, two visiting Oaxaca Mexican artisans, Ranulfo Sergio Santiago Ibañez and Lucila Sosa Luria.

According to  the MACC's first visiting "artist in resident", Margarita Cabrera, "transformative" was the operative word at the recent evening event held in the main auditorium on July 19th, 2012.

Searching for the right wood.

Gathering the wood with the help of the City's arborist.

• Transforming pieces of dead wood, selectively gathered at Austin's Guerrero Park (under the expert direction by one of the city's  arborist).

Mexican folkloric dancers perform a ritual to honor the wood.

Our group, the dancers, and the wood.

• Transforming discarded pieces of wood into appreciated scared objects through ancient Native-American ceremonial dances.

Our visiting artists, Ranulfo Sergio Santiago Ibañez and Lucila Sosa Luria working on pieces.

• Transforming these same pieces of dried wood into objects of great beauty under the loving direction of two masters, members of a long line of Mexican artisans.

Examples of Alebrijes style art that will soon adorn the hallway and the entry way to the MACC's educational wing.

• Transforming a simple entryway of the MACC's educational wing into a magical passageway exciting the imagination of our young students and encouraging their inherent creativity.

Everyone involved received plaques of achievement.

• Transforming the lives of 18 new immigrants into becoming proud and integral members of the greater Austin Latino community.

 A group picture showing the pride of collaboration.

• Finally, helping to further transform the ESB-MACC into a vehicle for enhancing the sense of community that the Center has always strived to achieve.

"Uprooted Dreams"

Margarita Cabrera, a well respected El Paso artist, explained that she believes she was chosen by the "Art In Public Places (AIPP)" selection committee exactly because of of her history of collaborative community projects. She proposed using her art installation project, titled "Uprooted Dreams"  as a way of giving  the local immigrant community a sense of enhanced belonging.  Equally compelling is her belief that each of us individually has the ability to make substantive differences in the world around us.

One of the finished "Alebrijes" pieces, a giant phantasmagorical mosquito.

Working sketch of the ceiling layout for placement of final pieces and the hallway and the entry way to the MACC's educational wing that will be transformed by the beautiful installation.

This evening's event itself was rather unique. Whereas most AIPP events are intended to unveil the finished piece, this event was formatted to highlight the creative process itself by bringing the community into a collaboration with the artists themselves. By having each artist explain the inspiration behind their art work, the entire community becomes part of the creative process.

The MACC staff came up with a creative way of displaying the "Alebrijes" that our artisan visitors brought with them from Mexico. A Taco stand!

Margarita Cabrera at the podium in the MACC's main auditorium.

The first part of the evening took place in the beautiful main auditorium. Margarita showed a short documentary she produced. Shot in a small Zapotec village within walking distance of the ancient ruins of Monte Alban just outside the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, we are introduced to our two visiting Mexican artisans, Ranulfo Sergio Santiago Ibañez and Lucila Sosa Luria in their home workshop. 

Full house at MACC's main auditorium.

There, we were able to view the actual process of combining ancient indian craft traditions and the newer artistic style called "alebrije" (meaning "god is content".) Utilizing the scared Copal tree's wood (a totally renewable resource), these beautiful sculptures are now sold throughout the world. This unique style was created in the 1970's and is generally recognized for its wild colors and phantasmagorical creatures.

Samples of the "Alebrijes" created by our artists.

In the video, we are shown how the division of labor falls between the genders: women paint the wild imaginative figurines, men gather and carve the wood with sharp knives. We learned how this relatively new cooperative business venture gives local women a new and much welcomed sense of empowerment within the traditional (and sometimes abusive) "macho" Zapotec culture. Later the whole family takes Margarita to the ancient ruins to show her how centuries' old Copal trees have always played a significant role in Zapotec history.

Segment from the video Margarita is creating about her project at the MACC.

We then saw two short video segments that will eventually be incorporated into a documentary about this project at the ESB-MACC. Lucila explained that while making the art, creative energy from the artisan enters the sculpture, and after completed, the same benevolent energy continues to radiate outward. I look forward to see the completed documentary when the project is done.

Upstairs tour of the workshop area.

Once in the workshop area, each artist explained the inspiration behind their particular piece. They also spoke of their personal challenges, of separation from family, and country and the difficulties of being a stranger in a strange land. Each one spoke graciously of the kindness they found at the ESB-MACC, the solidarity they felt being a member of the team, and the hope for a better future that this project has given them. 

Joy of Collaboration.

It was very poignant and for me a real demonstration of the validity of Margarita's vision of the power of collaboration and the healing potential of this art work.

Joy of exploring ones own creativity.

Joy from belonging.

Margarita at work.

MACC Staff Linda Crockett and Herlinda Zamora, both happy after an event well done.

We look forward to the exciting unveiling at the project's completion

Rigoberto Gonzalez one man show at Austin's-MACC blogged by S. Bornstein

Massive paintings grace the walls of Austin's-MACC's main during the summer of 2012

The Rigoberto Gonzalez Art Exhibit in the Main Gallery at The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC).



For this show The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center's main gallery has been transformed into a dramatically designed venue to better display the impressive paintings of Rigoberto Gonzalez. Both timely and timeless, Rigoberto has certainly achieved his desired effect. The viewer is immediately transfixed by the drama that these narrative paintings convey.
The MACC considers itself fortunate to add Rigoberto to our growing list of accomplished Latino artists that have graced our gallery with their work.

Rigoberto's achievements have become widely recognized. His work has been prominently displayed in many highly respected exhibition venues. Most recently shown at the Art League in Houston, Austin is very lucky to have this opportunity to display this exceptional exhibition. For the first time, the ESB-MACC undertook the considerable task of repainting the walls of their large main gallery a dark brown to present a more appropriate setting for these somber hued works. This gallery space is a perfect place to view such massive pieces.  One can step back far enough to take in the entire narrative or get close enough to imagine their breathing.

Rigoberto Gonzalez standing in front of one of his pieces at The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center.

Rigoberto, originally from Reynosa Mexico, has lived on both sides of the border, and now resides in the small southeast town of Harlingen Texas. He describes his work in the tradition of the notable "style of Neopolitan Caravaggist painters" of 16th century. Many art historians consider Caravaggio to be among the most influential of Italian painters with the exception of Michelangelo. Caravaggio developed this style during his short period in Naples and is characterized by an overwhelming sense of drama and anticipation of imminent mortal danger. 


Rigoberto has successfully reinterpreted both the style and underlying emotion by portraying today's "narco" border events within this Renaissance perspective. We are certainly very fortunate that an artist of this caliber calls Texas home.

Close up of one of Rigoberto’s works showing Mexican musicians singing a "narco corrido".


Using the modern narratives of Mexican "Corrido" ballads as his central themes, Rigoberto deftly visualizes the broad range of human emotions experienced during these trying times. The "Corrido"  folk ballad has long been highly popular even before the Mexican Revolution of 1910 (developed from the ballads of medieval traveling  troubadours). 


Essentially the traditional Corrido tells a story, usually detailing and extolling the heroic actions of important figures during epic moments in Mexican history. It is only natural, that the current tragic events in Mexico have also been expressed in hugely popular modern "Narco- Corrido" ballads. 

"Beheading" Caption: Photo of the painting “Beheading” 7'x 7'

It is Rigoberto's painting style however, that has earned him much attention and excitement, successfully emulating both the grand style and scale of this famous medieval painting tradition. The very scale of these works, with their larger then life-size images, forces the viewer to react in a very real, almost visceral way. 

These pieces are not just viewed, they are experienced.

A close-up of one Rigoberto's pieces.

The work's subject matter, composition and lighting are extremely reminiscent of pieces that one would see in many of the fine national museums throughout Europe. The paintings display the entire spectrum of human emotions during dramatic moments in the subjects’ lives. Grief, fear, anger, revenge, even religious inspired gestures of salvation, is expertly painted. The timely settings and modern subject mater of the works only further highlight the universal nature of humanity.

"La LLorona" (the crying Woman) 6' x 5'.

This piece, titled "La Llorona" is an exceptionally fine visualization of one of Mexico's most beloved songs (and folk tales.) It is a tragic ballad epitomizing the very ethos that is part of the national character. It has been observed many times that this song alone can bring even the most brutish of men to tears. The song tells us that reoccurring themes of grief, loss, even revenge is both individually and collectively an experience that many Mexican women have learned to endure.

Borrowing imagery from the well-known "Loteria" graphic series, this piece resonates on several levels. This painting shows our heroine, in a moment, frozen in time. Alone, isolated in a swamp, clutching her two children, she has no place to look but her own faith. Even the white heron is indifferent to her plight. Her fate has already been sealed, yet her faith in heaven above is still apparent. 


This piece is excellently painted, deftly rendered to communicate a distinctly Mexican, deep sense of loss and renewal. When all else fails, one's own undying faith still prevails. The same facial expression is seen in much of Rigoberto's work. Is it not the possibility of salvation even in the most dire of circumstances that keeps us human?

"El Dia 17 de Febrero del 2009 en Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico" (On the 17th of February of 2009 in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico), 9'-8" high by 20' wide.

The massive piece, the largest painting in the show, is evocative of the epic murals that grace the walls of Mexico City's National Palace. These masked men, (only one is unmasked) bristling with arms and machismo, personify the public's great ambiguity with which the Federal authorities are viewed. Protectors or facilitators? 


These questions are an inherent part of the complex war on drugs which this painting so poignantly shows. Musicians in the corner sing about the tragic events. Today's gruesome headlines portrayed in Rigoberto's work, will no doubt one day be viewed, in retrospect, as another of the tragic struggles that punctuate the long history of Mexico.

It is not unimaginable that these very pieces will become the definitive icons for this dark period in Mexican history.

The staff at the ESB-MACC have becoming experts at organizing opening night receptions, which are of course free and open to the public.

This is a highly recommended exhibit for adults. Some subject matter may be unsuitable for young children.

This exhibit will be on view through September 1, 2012.  
For ESB-MACC information, Directions and gallery hours see:

http://www.austintexas.gov/blog/enjoy-free-visitor-resident-attractions-...

Austin Parks & Recreation Department hosts 54th summer musical at iconic Ziker Hillside Theater.

In 1959, two musical theatre traditions was born!

Zilker Hillside Theater, 8:30 pm July 5, 2012 - VIP show & test run through

One on Broadway in New York City and the other in Austin’s Zilker Park.

One on Broadway in New York City and the other in Austin’s Zilker Park.

Zilker Hillside Theater is known for it's relaxed atmosphere and a great place to have a picnic with friends or family. Later o,n as the sun sets. the cool breezes and stars in  the skies above add to the magic.

The Austin Parks & Recreation Department's History Arts & Nature Division (PARD/HAND) co-sponsoring together in a historic partnership with the Zilker Theatre Productions are excited to celebrate 54 years of the Zilker Summer Musical! Originally created as a project of the Austin's Parks and Recreation Department in 1959, the Zilker Summer Musical continues to provide high-quality musical theater entertainment to Central Texans and visitors from around the world. The orchestra practicing before the show. PARD/HAND and Zilker Theatre Productions are dedicated to the celebration and preservation of that unique American art form, the Broadway musical, by mounting large-scale musical productions at the Beverly S. Sheffield Hillside Theater in Austin's beautiful Zilker Park.

This year's production: "The Sound of Music"

The storyline is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, about the musically gifted von Trapp family. The musical with award wining music by Richard Rogers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein  produced many songs which have become life affirming inspirational standards for several generations.

Famous Party scene where first see love between Maria and The Captain von Trapp.

Who that seen or heard of the musical storyline can forget the von Trapp family's narrow escape from Nazi tyranny. Returning from their honeymoon, they discover the Nazis have taken over Austria while they were gone Their decision to flee over the mountains to Switzerland on the eve of World War II provides one of the most thrilling and inspirational finales ever presented in the theatre.

The Sound of Music

July 6 - August 11, 2012 Thursdays - Sundays (approx. 8:30pm; at dusk)

Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater Located in Zilker Park across from Barton Springs Pool [ theater info and map]

Admission: FREE!