BURNT OFFERINGS - An Artistic Journey Through Mexico

Since our first trip in the mid-80's, Mexico captured our hearts. We were engaged and married there, and we go back whenever possible. It is a magical place of mystery, beauty, history and art. Much of our work is influenced by Pre-Columbian culture, so for us, Mexico is a well-spring of unending inspiration. On my 40th birthday, we were on top of El Castillo, a pyramid at Chichen Itza and a rainbow suddenly appeared...like a gift from the gods and later that evening we witnessed the biggest and brightest full moon.

Although we've travelled to many different parts of Mexico, it is Oaxaca that's become like a second home and we feel very connected to it. It is a city full of art and artists and over the years we've made some wonderful friends and contacts for some of the more exotic and hard to find supplies and embellishments that we use in our work. We hand select our Milagros (religious charms) from Louis and his family.

Our copal wood comes from Zeni and his family who live in the woodcarvers village of San Martin Tilcajete.

The colors we use are a combination of many things; dyes, stains, archival washes and the pure pigment from the Cochineal bug which adheres itself to a cactus and raised on a ranch by the artist and weaver, Benito Hernandez in Teotitlan Del Valle. It is the only ranch of its kind.

The range of colors and the vibrancy of the pigment obtained from this very tiny bug is unequaled.

We visited him for the Day of the Dead celebration and he and his wife graciously invited us to dinner and into their home altar room ...it was a wonderful honor.

This was our first time in Mexico during the Day of the Dead. We were most deeply touched at the cemetaries, we went at night with candles and left flowers by the abandoned graves of children. We did this with the utmost respect and left feeling an even deeper connection to this magical place and its beautiful people. We look forward to returning.