Boston Printmakers in Guanajuato 2010
August 7-14, 2010
Forum on Creativity: Guanajuato, Mexico
Boston Printmakers’ Week-long Workshop
Karen Kunc lead the group making a book of woodblocks inspired by the trip.
Carol Summers demonstrated his technique and contributed to the portfolio.
Guanajuato Woodblock Forum Photos
Boston Prnitmakers in Guanajuato, Mexico, the Basilica at night
April in Guanajuato in August
Ky in front of the Basilica
Mary from Michigan at Piramidal Gráfica
Mike in blue
Karen in green
Ky with yellow detail
Hugo in black
Christiane in glamorous orange
Renee with gift
Susan in the kitchen
Ky at breakfast
Joyce at la Casa de Espiritus Alegres
Michael with zebra hat
Jim Hibbard at Piramidal Gráfica
Debra with corn husk altar decoration
Candy with candy-colored wall
Mary in yellow with yellow
Orange Carol in orange
Hugo the cook, somalier, host, organizer, etc.
Karen with green plants
Christiane Conquistador!
Fierce Joyce!
Christiane in blue and orange
Karen's matching wall
Michael's matching door
Ky in blue and patterns
White and orange, top and bottom
Debra in black, NO ENTRADA
Carole in contrasting colors
Lauren in her Guanajuato apron
Christiane in Orange
April in Brown and White
Renee in brown and ochre, with blue spot
Carole surrounded by green
Mary rests on pink
24 hour service!!
Mike and Agelica in the kitchen at Alma del Sol
Tres amigos from Flint
Welcome to Casa de Espiritus Alegres! (Angelica)
opening party for the Boston Printmakers group
Casa de Espritus Alegres, decorated by Carol with Day of the Dead sculpture
hibiscus flowers and guacamole
margaritas all around
Hugo explains our schedule
the first evening
Kenny accompanied Karen
Christiane and Mary with Day of the Dead decorations
Mary already got a teeshirt
two amigos in matching shirts
Carol's tasteful decorations
I stayed at Alma del Sol, next to the Jesuit Church
Alma del Sol roof garden, where we had breakfast
the view from the roof of Alma del Sol, with el Pipilia on the left
every night troubadors sang in the street
Chase on the roof
my foyer at Alma del Sol
breakfast overlooking the church
Hugo provided fabulous breakfasts on the roof patio
downstairs, there were children's formal couches at the entrance
Teatro Juarez was a good meeting place
El Pipilia helped Hidalgo defeat the Spanish
on the first day we took the finicular to see El Pipilia
Guanajuato is a colonial mining town
Candy, Karen, Michael and Lauren
Karen and Kenny
two from Flint
Rene, the leader, points
walking down from El Pipilia
prickley pears
Candy takes a photo
nice view!
Karen and her former student Lauren
walking downhill
Chase assisted Mary
Hugo assisted too!
Karen took notes
narrow streets
all the buildings are painted bright colors
Chase in the little stairway
Hugo explains
San Francisco
great stonework
great metal work
great chandeliers!
Candy and Christiane in the street
Lorraine and Joyce in the pharmacy
San Diego
great woodwork!
and more chaneliers
Diego Rivera with Karen and Hugo
walking up to Pyramida Grafica
Jim Hibbard welcomes Karen Kunc
Jim's gallery
Debra and Liz look at his portfolio
Lorraine and Mary check out the garden
Carole, Renee and Hugo
Hugo lives in Nebraska!
Liz in the kitchen
Jim chats with Michael and Candy
lots of light
lunch
beautiful plates
beautiful lunch!
Chicken, cabbage, and a chili pepper
Hugo and Liz
Hugo and Liz in the Pyramid studio
walking downhill from the studio
Plaza el Baratillo, near Alma del Sol, where some of us stayed downtown
our corner in front of the Jesuit church
checking directions
Christiane and a green door
time for a capucino!
time to buy sillly hats!
beautiful streets
a rest at the fountain
April and Mike with silly hats
we bumped into Karen, Renee and Kenny at the main square
showing off the hats in front of Teatro Juarez
Teatro Juarez hosted clowns and tourists in the afternoon
walking uphill for a good view of the city
Guanajuato with th yellow basilica
Michael and a beautiful stair
Hugo welcomed us to Casa de Espiritus Alegres
we had breakfast there before our bus trip
Carol sat at the head of the table
day of the dead plates were specially made for the casa
Nice breakfast!
Debra pours fresh juice for Carol
and cleans up too
Angelica supervises in the kitchen
she has lots of help cleaning and cooking
there are lots of plates to wash!
the bus ride!
Valenciana, el Templo de San Cayetano completed in 1788
this Churrigueresque church was preserved by neglect
when the silver mine finished, they locked it up
18th century decorations intact
amazing chandeliers-inspiration for a woodcut!
ceiling
wooden altar
stone, wood, gilt
amazing space!
flying sculpture
God!
wooden church door
our bus and guide
we drove from Guanajuato to San Miguel de Allende
bisque at our second pottery stop
Karen and Kenny try to decide
lettuce?
the bandshell in the square at Dolores Hildago
shopping arcade at the center of town
communion dresses?
the church at Dolores Hidalgo
our guide described the political history of Dolores Hidalgo
One altar was old, the others had been replaced
all the statues were very realistic
more great chandeliers
more great wood sculpture
more patterns!
time to catch the bus at the main square!
drink stand
The last church was painted everywhere
we didn't have time to read the fine print
paintings, sculpture, writing
illustrations from the life of christ
more great chandeliers
corn husk decorations
Our Lady with mirrors
and floating guardians
we drove home to Guanajuato
early morning at the basicilica in the center of town
the main street
Carol Summers planned his demonstration
first he rolled up white ink on his block
a skull and cross
were printed on the back
everyone watched closely
sitting on the coiunters
Carol travels from Santa Cruz to Guanajuato every year
Mike, Karen, Liz
jig saw blocks
inking up pieces
chatting
rolling up directly on the paper from the back
a little black
Renee and Hugo enjoyed it
magic!
blocks and print
softening the printed ink with solvent
bleedthrough
materials discussion
making two small prints in addition, for our book
northern lights
the block
then Karen gave a talk about her technique
she uses oil base in k and sencils
Japanese paper, and litho ink
she gets soft bleeds by brushing the ink with her palm
a long one
many colors
few blocks
shiny white ink for contrast
big paper
white and green, with some reduction cutting
Debra and Joyce in the courtyard
the courtyard at Espiritus was filled with sculpture
time for a lunch break!
in beautiful dishes, naturally
There was always a lot of action in the kitchen at Espiritus Allegres
Michael's blue bedroom
bright orange wasps inhabited the garden
woodblock, anyone?
Ky and Christiane resting in the garden
Carol gave a long demonstration, he rested too
lunch in the garden
with indian decorations
after lunch Kaeren demonstrated stencils
her block
brayers and transparent base
then Hugo gave a talk about monoprinting on plexi
Renee helped with the press, Carol watched
checking
Renee holds Hugo's print
after party!
a talk about the collection
Carol collected day of the Dead sculpture for many years
from a dangerous part of Mexico
fearsome!
his display in the front room
Carol likes to tell about his collection
Mike in front of a Dia de Muertos display
masks were hung high up
Joyce and Lauren with tamales at the end of the day
saying goodnight in the kitchen
A day of printing at Pyrimidal Grafica
everyone shared a palette
Anna Marie carved with special glasses
Kristen used an exacto
Mary brought one block already carved
Karen led the way
wiping to soften the colors
April in brown and white
the fountain
a view toward the Hidalgo market
the top designed in France?
Hidalgo market
designed like a train station
food, baskets, chilies, everything
Debra bought a melon
another pleasant square
April in front of a mining card turned planter
Teatro Juarez at night
a celebration
Carol gave a talk about his collection of hangings
everyone came to Alma del Sol, downtown
this was made by nomads
Carol, Carole, Karen and Michael
Carol goes to India every year
he likes to see them
This is my bedroom!
everyone came in to see the weavings
a hand woven wedding sari
Michael and Lauren
Chase's room had batik sarongs
checking the photos
Debra and April in front of Pyramidal Grafica
Hugo and Chase got to work
Lauren
Loretta
Karen
Hugo
Candy
Michael
Joyce
Karen working
Kristen working
Renee working
Ky working on her blocks
Karen wiping
Loretta wiping
Lauren
Carole and Lauren with yellow
Jim gave a tour
fine craftsmanship in the ceiling!
Jim's accomplishment
everything complete!
now for a closing celebration!
wearing a print, too!
a toast!
and margaritas
Karen and Michael
group photo at the closing party
the kitchen prepared one last breakfast!
a final breakfast, Angelica cooks with a smile!
Christiane
Renee and Christiane
Karen and April
breakfast
Carol and Candy
everyone left by different planes
a final meal to say goodbye
Carole and Kristen explored Guanajuato for a few extra days
they found a theatrical lineup
with the devil chasing children, and a bull
nice lady with scary masks at the Pueblo Museum
beautiful weavings
Carole and Kristen at the Pueblo museum
San Diego and the back of the theater
downtown Guanajuato, the Basilica
goodbye to Guanajuato!
The Boston Printmakers hosted an educational tour and studio workshop exploring the passion and creativity that has grown from this celebrated region of central Mexico. Emeritus member of the Boston Printmakers and resident of Guanajuato, Carol Summers was host. As a world traveler and avid collector of regional Mexican Folk Art, Carol will provided personal insight on Guanajuato and demonstrated his unique method of printing colorful woodcuts. His award-winning bed-and-breakfast inn, La Casa despiritus Alegres, houses a vast collection of folk art from every state in Mexico.
At the nearby Piramidal Grafica print studio, Boston Printmaker member Karen Kunc will provide an intensive, exciting mentored workshop inducing a response to the culture and beauty of Mexican Folk Art and to our surroundings. Her 3-day, self-directed concentration on printmaking will awaken the possibilities of the woodcut with contemporary, creative methods that can be spontaneous, simple and direct, leading to editionable and monoprint approaches.
Mexican Printmaker Hugo Anaya, manager of La Casa de Espiritus Alegres and co-owner the Piramidal Grafica studio has planned a full itinerary of visits to local arts neighborhoods,meals, studio time, and a gala reception for the final evening. Highlights include: el Centro Guanajuato, an excursion through the Pottery Trail to San Miguel de Allende, and a visit to the print studio in Salamanca.
More details of the conference are available at: Boston Printmakers
