Gallery in the Country

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This has been a very exciting week for us, and especially me!

Last weekend we were invited out with our friends Maggie and Gene to a gallery in the country about 45 minutes from San Miguel. The gallery is called Galeria Atotonilco, and is owned by a ceramic artist named Mayer Shacter. He and his author wife Susan Page (Why Talking Is Not Enough, How One of You Can Bring the Two of You Together, The Eight Essential Traits of Couples Who Thrive, If I’m So Wonderful, Why Am I Still Single, and The Shortest Distance Between You and a Published Book), had a home/gallery built from the remains of a warehouse in the countryside which must have been an architects dream!

This house was built by Kathy House, a quite famous architect with a quite perfect surname! The design is very contemporary, with loads of creative lighting and windows and angles and high ceilings, etc. I forgot to bring my camera but will be going back out specifically to take pictures so you can see what an amazing space it is.

The gallery was phenomenal as well. The two travel throughout Mexico gathering up viejo (old) and nueve (new) Mexican art. They have everything from country antiques, vintage textiles, folk art and even some incredible historic photographs.

Mexican art is typically very intense, with bright colors and graphic scenarios. As explained to us, Mexican art is very symbolic and makes use of opposing images to dramatically impress their cultural and religious passions on the observer. As you walk through the gallery, the emotion and drama of this complex country seem to scream out from the shelves. You cannot help but be smitten and repulsed all at once, and the talent of the artists is sensational.

After our ‘by appointment only’ tour through the gallery we then meandered through the lush green grounds featuring negative-edge pools, waterfalls, interesting plants and flowers, peaceful trees bending over cozy outdoor twig furniture all the while followed by their pack of five lucky Mexican rescue dogs, who were all super sweet except the little short-man-complex Chihuahua who almost bit me!

Then we got to tour their HOME! At first glance I thought it was another gallery, packed to the ceiling with more art but peering closer I could see it was their home. At first I felt like an intruder, but their doors were wide open, beaconing passersby in, and we had a very intimate tour through their private estate. Finally, sitting at her computer amidst her library/office, we met Susan. She is the nicest, most vibrant woman I’ve ever met. Later I learned she used to be a minister and the quintessential organizer of non-profits and currently the proud founder of the San Miguel Author’s Sala (of which she quickly went to work signing me up for whatever I was inclined to help with), and was in the middle of organizing the annual Writer’s Conference in February 2010. This is going to be a big one, so for any writer’s out there, book your tickets now!

Anyway, after a gorgeous blue sky and puffy white cloud day at the gallery, we traveled down a dirt road further in to the countryside, along bucolic fields and a stream where locals gather with their families for picnics, until we came to a beautiful hotel. This was a surprise since all we knew was that we were going to a restaurant. The hotel (rooms allegedly starting at $120.00 per night!) had beautifully designed bungalows nestled among grassy knolls, and an outdoor restaurant next to a lake with swans and ducks. The skies were darkening as if to rain, and the air cooled quickly which is typical for this area. The winds picked up but there were only a few drops of rain and the breeze was refreshing. Unfortunately, the food wasn’t very good for any of us. Too spicy, not enough of this or that and one dish was served with Saltine crackers in the cellophane package no less! Please, send us some homemade tortillas thank-you-very-much!

After paying the overpriced bill we headed home. We picked up the Little One on the way back. She had been played with almost to death by three little girls who are enterprisingly starting a pet-sitting business of which we are their very first clients. Oreo being their first ‘business’, me thinks she was a bit spoiled all day…

And so were we, after another great day in our new country of Mexico.

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