~PANCHO'S VILLA~~VILLA de PANCHO~

               This beach home featured a revolutionary era style bedroom that was dubbed "El Cuarto de Pancho"! We also had the "El Cuarto del Tequila", "Cuarto de Dia de Los Muertos" and I got to design the "My Wildest Fantasy in Tile" bathroom. The tile work throughout the house was very fun to design and to watch as my guys brought it to fruition. As the muchachos were putting on the finishing touches, we took the owners on a grand shopping expedition to several of our favorite furnishing & accessorizing destinations thoughout Mexico! Way cool!!!

               After a hard day of revolutionizing, old Panch' kicks back on the porch relaxing to a superb sunset on the Sea of Cortez! Yeah, we know he didn't drink...but we know he WOULD have, if he could have been HERE..."¡Cerveza Victoria...por supuesto!"

               For a welcome into the courtyard our clients wishes were transformed into a custom mural by one of the great muralists of Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato. I drew it up and sent it in to our pal Rene & he had his best guy on it. PERO, pero....find the boo boo....I think old Cayo was a little too much in the spirit when he was installing it. I couldn't take the chance of breaking it (the one tile) to have it re-placed correctly.  Well...as the old saying goes..."Only God is allowed to be perfect".  For more views of awesome tile, visit....
            www.azulejoscolibri.blogspot.com

         

~EXTERIOR VIEW~~VISTA EXTERIOR~

                     OUTSIDE OF THE "THEATRE" SHOWING THE DOOR-STOP HOLDER

~DETAIL SHOT~~FOTO del DETAILLE~

                                   
                                         A CLOSE-UP OF THEIR PLAYBILL.

~UN PAR de SINVERGUENZAS~~A PAIR WITH NO SHAME~

The title doesn't translate TOO badly! Literally translated "without shame". I love Spanish...so expressive. So many definitions/inferences within just a single word. "¡SINVERGUENZA!" An exclamation to express shock or out-rage. It is to say that some one is shameless or brazen.

I was looking through old Mexican movie posters online to explore the relationship between angels and devils in Mexican culture when I can across this title, "Un Par de Sinverguenzas". The storyline of the movie does not deal with devil and/or angels, but the title struck me as perfect. The angel supposedly does nothing to be ashamed of...the devil supposedly feels no shame for his deeds...how perfectly ironic! How fitting...as my premise was to explore their similarities.

I just finished this story box yesterday. 'Asemblage' is my favorite medium. I find many intriguing tidbits on my travels, file them away until I find the proper container. Then, the story wends it's way like a meadering river. I usually craft or modify the accessories to suit size and esoteric requirements. Putting a story box together is like creating a 3D puzzle. I like a complex tale that involves the viewer's imagination, that has many facets to the imagery.

Since moving to Mexico 12 years ago, I'm finding more mystery and inspiration than ever.

~STAR PINEAPPLE~~PIñA ESTRELLA~

A ceramic pineapple in the mid stages of creation. La señora Laura had it slow curing beneath a old shirt. Imagine my thrill as she rolled it up to reveal this special beauty! Their creativity is so amazing! How do they keep thinking them up?They work every day in their shady courtyard studio. I'm reminded of several quotes about inspiration..."Don't wait for inspiration. It comes while one is working."~Henri Matisse. From Johannes Brahms~"Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind." This innovation, dedication & craftsmanship is what makes the Hernandez Cerrano family number one in our Piña loving hearts.

~TILE & STONE VANITY TOP~~CUBIERTA en PIEDRA & AZULEJOS~

This is an example of my 'collage style' tile designs. Here I use tile from 2 tile houses of Guanajuato with sink and accents cut from Saltillo tile along with cut & formed stone from Durango.

The shower uses these same elements, as does the built-in pedestal bed headboard and side tables. I have started a blog dedicated to our tile & tile projects.

Click the link below or on the right...Azulejos Colibri

www.azulejoscolibri.blogspot.com

~HUMMINGBIRD at the DOOR~~COLIBRI en la PUERTA~

Our finishing touch to a home re-model in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora. Hand-cut ceramic tile and glass drops, all made in Mexico!

~ANNOUNCING~A September 2012 opening!  A tile shop/design center annex to Galeria Colibri. We're making our preparations and looking forward to our next adventure in artistic tile. We'll be bringing in ceramic, glass and stone tiles from our favorite tile houses in Saltillo, Lerdo, Dolores Hidalgo, Tonala', Puebla & Ciudad Mexico. There are some truely amazing tiles out there, in diverse styles to fit every taste & budget.  I love collaging with all the colors, textures, finishes & patterns.

~ENCHANTING SHAWL~~REBOZO ENCANTADOR~

Another example of 'Love Incarnate' and the richness that infuses the daily lives of the wonderful artisans and their family members. Notice the adorable 'animalitos' inhabiting this beautiful cross-stitched wool rebozo from Michoacan. It's handwoven wool with cross-stiched designs. very snuggly & comfey. I've even worn mine here in Vallarta, enjoying my morning cup on the deck, watching sunrise color our world.

~¡JAGUARES MAGICOS!~~MAGICAL JAGUARS!~

These beautiful jaguar masks were made by one of our favorite families of Alebrige crafters. La familia Joaquin Vasquez Hernandez from San Martin Tilcajete, Oaxaca.

Jaguars have been revered in Mesoamerica since time immemorial. They are truely amazing creatures. These largest of cats in the western hemisphere are only in the Americas, descendants of the Asian leopards who crossed the Bering Land Bridge and evolved to their new environs. Their prowess and strength earned them a Godly status with the early human inhabitants of the New World. They have yet to relinquish their thrones.

~PERFORMING SQUIRREL~~ARDILLA AMAESTRADA~

Our urban squirrels just LOVE to tease the neighborhood cats!

I just HAD to share this one. I actually have a slideshow of the little imps doing their high wire acts! I roll it out at times, just for a laugh! I just LOVE their little toes!!!

Squirrels have long held a special place in my heart. Growing up in the mountains of Southern Calif., my friends & I would entice them to take peanuts from our hands on our deck railings. We loved them so much that when we found the inevitable car victims, we'd give them funerals in  little shoe-box coffins. What a surprise to find so many of them living here. I now realize how much I've missed them.