I did this this past wednesday. I just did it and that's that. I've had a mixed reaction to it from other people. I like it, most people hate it. Since it looks like a stencil, i might as well make it into one and paste it all over the city. My friend, the gallery owner, told me people would want to have me killed. For what? for this? come on! He said he would help me put them up. I guess he wants me dead already.
So most of you know i went to isabela last weekend to celebrate my birthday. I had my family there, the closest ones and it was amazing. I didn't think it was going to turn out the way it did. I have to be thankful for all of this and them. I had a lot of fun. Lots of beer and good seafood... it was a dream come true. I came back ready to paint. Yesterday i finished a piece. I don't like it, it's alright. I just keep thinking of the waves and the sun and the beach and the surf boards... priceless.
I stayed last weekend in Jayuya for the Indigenous festival or the Festival Indigena. Here is a little history about the town provided by wiki:
"The town of Jayuya was founded in 1911, but history traces people living in the region as far back as 1878. At that time, a small community was established there, separated from the larger cities of the coasts with little to no communication. Near the end of the 19th century, the town focused on the production of coffee, which greatly boosted the local economy.
In 1911, the town was officially declared a municipality with a population of more than 9,000. In 1950, the town was the setting of what was known as the Jayuya Uprising, where nationalists started a revolt against the Government of the United States led by Blanca Canales Torresola, a social worker, and her cousins, Elio Torresola and Doris Torresola."
Enough said. Anyways i went over there for the whole weekend. I had fun, i'd have to say but it would've been so much better if it didn't rain. I mean it rained non stop the whoooole weekend. I spent the entire festival under an umbrella. Silly me!
I think the trip to Jayuya was the most exciting part of it all. I mean we're talking about a town up in the mountains, this means green everywhere. Plants, trees and the actual road at some point turned dark green from the humidity. Lots of waterfalls and cool views of the island. I had fun but it might be a while when i decide to return to this beautiful town.
I've been asked to do a solo show at this gallery in old san juan. This happened way before i went on vacation. Mid september if i'm not crazy. After i came back from disneys holy land i started to work on this show. Now, keep in mind that i sell my own paintings and have been doing it with some degree of success. I wanted something different for this show. Something new. I have to say the guys from the gallery have been really supportive. They call me almost everyday to ask me how i'm doing and to email the paintings i have done. Awesome people! They want to open a new space in the gallery with a new show and they choose me to complete the new show. Hence the new paintings completely different to my known style. Now the opening is on december 2nd. Gallery nights! in old san juan! a dream come true.
In september, when i had time to work on the show, i was confident on finishing it. Now, half way in, i'm starting to doubt myself. I look at the paintings i've done and all i see is crap. My head is full of images and future paintings that can't come true because there's just doubt in my head. I think i hit the wall... yup like the runners hit the wall. i can hear myself in the background saying what a crappy show this is. i can picture myself in the gallery that night talking shit about the work like it's not even mine. i'm good at that. When i go to other shows i get there with an open mind, it's all mostly crap, but i don't say it or think it right away. I've heard myself defending art that i don't even like. I'm in a slump but i know i can do this, i've had worse. I keep thinking, it's only a show and blah blah blah but that doesn't help. I know it's only a show, i know this! but in the back of my head i keep hearing... it's not only a show... it's my show, my first show! what a way to go to sleep at night huh.
So... I just got back from the Fla. Orlando to be exact. It's funny to see a place as a kid and then see it as man-boy, people object when I use the word adult to describe myself. Then again, these places where so magical and great and castles and fairy dust and just completely out of this world. Now, well the castles are made of plastic, the fairy dust is just dust and this magical place turned out to be just a place. A place of standing in line, fake bushes and rude people. WHO EATS A WHOLE TURKEY LEG??? when i see people eating turkey legs i immediately picture the Geico caveman. All in all, I'm glad i got to go. I'm also glad all my family went with me. Furthermore, I'm glad most of the parks sell beer. So i hung out with my fam fam, got drunk.... and when i did, the place turned out to be magical again. YAY!
if you want to see the pics click here.
