Thank you to the artists who allowed us to travel to Mante Mexico with their art. We know that many of our Sister City residents might not have the opportunity to travel to Boulder, so we decided to bring a taste of Boulder to Mante. The idea of a art show, “The Spirit of the Sister Cities” was initiated about four months ago by Jeannie DeMarinis.

Jeannie has traveled to Mante many times as part of the Sister Cities Teacher Exchange program. When she asked artists in her painting groups to consider participating in the international art show, many of them graciously agreed. Elizabeth Black’s “The Ditch Project” added a historical perspective, while George Peters and Melanie Walker’s kites  added a festive spirit to the show.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:

Elizabeth Black: The Ditch Project  http://elizabethblackart.com/index.html

 

Poppy Copeland: Oil paintings CopelandCo@aol.com

 

Lamya Deeb Oil paintings  ldeebo@central.com

 

 

Jeannie DeMarinis   Oil paintings   jeanniedemarinis@aol.com

 

Bonnie Iris: Oil and acrylic paintings  Boniris@aol.com

 

Olga Karpiesky: Oil painting  www.olgakarpeisky.com

 

 

Scott Lancashire Oil paintings  Lancashire@comcast.net

 

 

Audrie Mergelman: Acrylic paintings  http://www.amergelman.com

 

Valerie Meyers: Oil paintings   vmeyers@comcast.net

 

Yuki Mickle Oil paintings  Ymikle@gmail.com

 

Susie Mottashe Book “Who lives in your back yard?”   SusieMottt@comcast.net

 

 

George Peters: Kites http://www.airworksstudio.com/

 

Richard Roth Drawings  “Arapahoe Avenue Sketch Book”   Roth@colorado.edu

 

Melanie Walker: Kites http://www.airworksstudio.com/

Saturday, February 20, 2010. The drive to Gomez Farias at 7:00 AM was reasonable, but the “Disco” across the street was unreasonably loud and didn’t end until 4:00 AM.   Still, today was a high point for me because we visited the “El Cielo” (”The Sky”) Biosphere Visitor’s Center.

The El Cielo Visitor’s Center  is the culmination of  Jean Louis Lacaille Muzquiz’s vision.  El Cielo is a natural wonder in the state of Tamaulipas, northwest of Mante.  For at least the ten years that I’ve known Jean Louis, he’s been trying to find a way to balance the preservation of El Cielo with the need to share its wonders with the world.  The El Cielo Visitors Center will offer a fabulous learning experience in an accessible setting.

El Cielo is a protected biosphere that includes the northernmost cloud forest in the Americas.  It sits atop a mountain range far above the flat-lands and sugar cane fields of Mante. The only way to see the cloud forest is to take a tortuous four wheel drive roadway up a challenging excuse for a road.  At the top the “pueblito” of San Jose lies in a shallow valley. Waterfalls, caves, limestone rock formations, orchids and abandoned rusty logging truck carcases can be found.  It’s like stepping into a “Shangra La” movie set.  The natural beauty is breathtaking.  Here in this isolated village, people have lived peacefully, with minimal outside influences.  The rugged roadway weeds out most potential visitors.

Now, the Visitors Center will allow people to see what lies atop without the arduous journey.  This, almost finished, visitors center rivals anything in Colorado.  What started as a modest $250,000 project grew into a $10,000,000 state-funded tourism facility.  The Visitors Centers was “built-green” and great efforts were taken to minimally disrupt the natural setting.  Significant trees were identified and buildings moved to accommodate them.  Walkways were pierced to allow certain trees to grow through them. Recycled building materials were incorporated and natural ventilation used where ever possible.  Fortunately, the climate in this part of Tamaulipas is not as demanding as Boulder.  The El Cielo Visitors Center is reason enough to travel to Mante.  As mentioned before, the people are the real draw.  Combining both is a trip worth making. 

 

 

For more photos of the El Cielo Visitors Center go to http.//boulder-mante.org

Friday, February 19, 2010: Sunshine, finalmente. As the Medical Mission winds down, the Sun emerges. The Mante we’ve grown to love is back and so are the people. Everyone’s spirits are up.

The key to this mission is the people. The medical team, volunteers and host families. The international community comes together and enables this extraordinary event to materialize each year.

 This year Boulder artists were swept up in the spirit and generously parted with their art so that our friends in Mante might see our land and architecture.  Art transcends language and Boulder spoke to the people of Mante. Gracias. 

  So why have all these people taken time to be part of the medical mission for 20 years?  Es la gente….It’s the people!

 

Luz paints from her imagination.  She’s looking for feedback because she’s unsure of her talents.  What do you think?

 

 

 

FLORIAN LOPEZ

 Yesterday Chelito drove us to Xicotencatl (”he co ten’ cutl”) to see Florian’s newest mural. He spent six months painting this mural. But first he read. He read the history of the area, from prehistoric to contemporary time. And then he completed basic sketches and began painting.

 Wooley Mammoths, saber-tooth tigers and other prehistoric creatures once grazed in this area. One panel depicts the past history with the agriculture, transportation improvements that helped the area grow economically.  Food gatherers evolved to farmers, trains soon serve Xicotencatl.  Another panel shows the modernization that has transformed Xicotencatl. Ox carts are replaced by mechanized harvesting machines, sugar and corn fields and the sugar mill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A interesting feature of the mural is the way Florian uses the corner of the panels to create an optical illusion that gives the hotel a three dimensional “corner.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LUCIO TENORIO 

Lucio Tenorio’s mural is found in the computer lab of a Mante elementary school. Like many murals, it depicts the subject matter over time. Here, the arts and sciences. His inspiring images and colors somehow ground the students in Mante’s history as the connect to the world wide web. The signature characteristic in Lucio’s mural is the depiction of the people as Aztecs. The Aztecs’ “head binding” was cultural expression of a select group. Makes tattoos seem mild.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LUCIO RENTERIA 

Lucio Renteria’s miniature sculptures have been popular.  Half have been sold, so I’ve include some additional photos below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 17, 2010:  Miracles do happen.

Virginia is a 32 year-old woman with three children.  She’s been deaf for her entire life.  Over time she learned to read lips.  However, the limits of reading lips meant she couldn’t hear her baby crying in another room.  She spent her life finding ways to deal with her limitations. Fortunately, she had a husband who loved her unconditionally.  Still, she always hoped that there might come a day when she could hear.  That day was today.

Virginia traveled from the city of Leon, far from Mante.  How she learned about the medical mission and its team of audiologist is unknown. Marianne examined her and explained that yes, she was severely deaf.  However, they could fit her with a powerful and sophisticated hearing aid they had set aside for just the right patient, and she was the one.  Virginia burst into tears, sobbing.  At first Marianne thought she was crying because she had told her she was deaf, but no, she was crying tears of joy after learning she could soon hear. Virginia was finally fitted with the hearing aid and her smiled filled the room.  A smile Marianne will probably remember for many years and a testament to why she came to Mante.   

 Finally, a couple of follow-up reports on patients mentioned in earlier blogs.  Earlier this week I wrote about a man with a growth the size of an egg on his ear. On the day he was scheduled for surgery, Sarvjit learned that the man had left the hospital and was outside pacing on the sidewalk.  He asked a translator to bring the man back and learned that the man was terrified of surgery.  Sarvjet spent time explaining the operation, assuring him the surgery would be done under a local anesthesia and thus calming the man’s fears.  The surgery was successful.  Afterwards Sarvjit asked the man what he planned to do now. “I’m going to go find a girlfriend!!”

The boy with a potentially cancerous tumor was examined under anesthesia on Valentines Day.  The surgeon discovered that the tumor was not cancerous and removed it safely.  The prayers were answered for this young boy and his family. 

Like life, not all the stories of the medical mission have miraculous happy endings.  But the desire for great outcomes compels everyone to continue each day, to work a few more hours and probably return next year to Mante.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 15, 2010:  One of the most significant benefits of a sister cities relationship is the cultural exchanges that can emerge.   The Dairy Center Mural by Florian Lopez was a gift from Mante.  Florian is a “muralista” whose talents were recognized at an early age.  Florian’s uncle brought him to the opening of the Ramon Cano Gallery in 1973.   Florian showed examples of this work to the then curator of the gallery, Lucio Tenorio.  Lucio himself was a celebrated muralist, who saw potential in Florian.  Although many young artists brought examples of their work to Tenorio in hope that they would be allowed to apprentice with the master, only Florian was chosen.  He spent the next seven years studying with Tenorio, growing his skill and learning the dicipline it takes to be a muralist.  “First you must read before you paint.”  In other words, you must know the subject matter and message before you can depict it.   The paintings above were created from memory by Tenorio and capture the beauty of the daily life he experienced as a child harvesting sugar cane.  These two paintings hang in the mayors office, a gift to the City.   We were taken to a local elementary school where another of Tenorio’s mural graces the computuer lab.  He spent time explaining his symbolism and use of colors.

Years later his student, Florian, was commissioned to paint a mural in the Mante municipal building.  Parts of this mural are shown below.  Florian’s career as a muralist was now beginning to rise.  His work is greatly influence by his master,  Tenorio who, in turn, was guided by his master Ramon Cano, namesake of the municipal gallery.   So goes the path of Mexican muralistas. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Boulder Art Exposition opened today, providing a glimpse into Boulder’s environment.  These “plein air” paintings were painted out doors, on location.   The last image is a photo of one of Lucio Renteria’s minature sculptures.  Renteria is a Mante artist and this is his  first public exhibition of his work, which he describes as both as both a hobby and therapy. 

 

         Scott  Lancashire

February 14, 2010: “You are what you eat.” Many of us have heard this expression and it is true in Boulder and in Mante.  That is why Elizabeth, a dietician, is an important resource at the Clinic.  During intake, we hear similar stories about intestinal problems, high blood pressure and diabetes.  Many of these ailments can be controlled by diet.  This year Elizabeth has many props to help deliver her messages.  Test tubes are filled with sugar that represents the amount of sugar in a Coke. Other test tubes illustrate the amount of  lard contained in corn tortillas. These graphic illustrations are effective as you see the patients’ eyes widen in surprise.  Tortillas are eaten with most meals and the challenge is to encourage patieints to reduce their intake from 6 per meal to 2. 

 

Sunday at the Clinic sees lower volumes of patients.  This is expected, but it gave us a chance to enjoy a Sunday afternoon meal with Petra, a Mante teacher who spent one year teaching science at Angevine Middle School in Lafayette.  When we arrive at Petra’s we learn that she lives in a small family compound with three houses, all occupied by family members.  In the center of the compound is a large shaded patio with comfortable chairs.  This makes sense because Mante’s summer are extremely hot and humid.  (There is a local joke that “when a person from Mante dies and goes to Hell, they ask the Devil for a blanket.”)

 There is an outdoor kitchen and nearby is a large ceramic bowl of “chicken mole” simmering over an open fire.  Soon, nieces, nephews, in-laws and grandchildren arrive and before long, there are 25 people representing four generations.  This is a Mexican style nuclear family.  After everyone is settled down “almuerzo” begins.  Mole, rice and conversation.  Petra’s family includes educators, a med student, TV/video producer and other professionals.  Her mother is the matriarch and all activities seem to be coordinated around her.  It’s very comforting to be there with her family.  PS,  I only ate two tortillas.

 

February 13, 2010:  Tomorrow is Valentines Day, the day of love and lovers.  Although Valentines Day originated in the US, its popularity knows no bounds.  This day is alive and well in Mante.

On Saturday, the Clinic opened for patients on a sunny day.  Most of the Coloradans basked under the warm sun.   Busy doesn’t quite describe the morning.  Hundreds of patients, young and old were waiting to see a doctor, PA or nurse.  Some had waited a year to see a doctor.  Others hadn’t seen a doctor in years. Some of their ailments are visible, like the man with a growth the size of an egg on his ear or the woman with the yellow ocher skin.

 Intake is an importat part of the process.  At the Clinic “medical”translators don’t exist, but soon our translators are identifying ailments, medicines and organs.  Some of the patients are nervous, others stoic and some entertaining.  For example, a short elderly man started his intake by flirting with Susan.  When she replied with a “Mi Amor” the comedy began.  We were chucklng by the time he left to see his doctor.

Today the surgeons examined the patients and scheduled surgeries for the rest of the week.  Sarvjit an ENT surgeon from Loveland is back again (“gotta pay my rent for being on the planet!”).  He examined a young boy with a tumor inside his ear.  A “cat scan”is needed.  This is an expensive procedure and approval from the DIF (department of social services) is required.  The fear is that the tumor might be malignant.  So his mother is weeping quietly while someone comforts her.  Tomorrow, the boy will be examined more closely while he’s under general anesthesia.  If the tumor looks malignant the boy’s scan will be scheduled for Monday.  Then, more decisions and posibly more tears.

 

 

Sunday the surgeries begin.  The teams are prepared, the instruments in place and the patients scheduled. Tonight, there will be prayers, candles will be lit and tomorrow lives will be changed.