The Colors of Chili Season

"The Colors of Chili Season," 5 x 5 acrylic on canvas

 Autumn and winter are chili seasons.

But for me, not the much ballyhooed Tex-Mex varieties. While my children take part in various chili cook offs, I've only done that a couple of times...and lost.

Because, mine isn't complicated, but different.

No chili powder from the grocery store here. Yes, I'll use ground beef, or chili meat, and other ingredients fairly common, some others of which I won't mention.

But there is always chili powder from New Mexico...primarily from red chili ristras, drying in the sun on an adobe wall. We have a special place in Chimayo where we buy ours--mild, medium and hot.

So as chili season approaches, depending on our roller coaster temps these days, be sure that our stash will fill the house with unique aroma, along with some cornbread and tortillas, and maybe some posole.

So this little acrylic can't capture the taste or aroma, but it does the spirit and colors of chili season.

Soon available at @InYourEyeStudio&Gallery in @PaseoArtsDistrict.

 

Christmas Eve pilgrims

"We are all pilgrims," 8 x 10 watercolor, 140 lb. Canson cold press

Christmas Eve  should remind us that we're all pilgrims, just as the magi in the New Testament following the fabled star.

The word "pilgrim" originated in Middle English about 1200, describing a person traveling to a holy place, as penance or discharging a vow or seeking spiritual guidance. 

It also came to mean a traveler, a wayfarer, from the Old French  pelerin, peregrin "pilgrim, crusader; foreigner, stranger"  from Late Latin pelegrinus, "foreigner, stranger," probably from the proto Indo-European  "per" beyond, and "agro," "field," or "land."

More than you want to know, but I had to look that up to add meaning and perspective to my inspiration and art today. 

Sometimes images come in the middle of the night, and I though of those pilgrims making journeys today to holy sites around the world, or anytime of the year, any religion. 

One of the famous ones is at the Santuario de Chimayo in New Mexico in Holy Week--Good Friday to Easter--when thousands of the faithful walk, up to 90 miles, to worship.

"Christmas Eve," 5 x 7 card

Today's larger watercolor is therefore fictional, visualizing  that as happening during Christmas, but I hope it captures the spirit, the essence of being a pilgrim. 

Still, many make pilgrimages to their churches on days and nights like this. Many will travel and gather this year with technology, digitally or on TV. While it's not quite the same socially, it is still a pilgrimage of the spirit. 

I had painted a traditional Christmas card for this day, but this took over my brushes this morning...in a year when we're all more aware than ever that we're pilgrims, of how precarious and precious life is. Here they both are.

Shadows of the cross--II

A crown of thorns always hangs on a cross beside The San Jose de Gracia Church, also known as Church of Santo Tomas Del Rio de Las Trampas, on the high road to Taos at Las Trampas. Built between 1960 and 1775, it's one of the oldest surviving 18th century churches. There are still folks up in that area who speak Castillian Spanish, direct from the Conquistadores' entrada in the  late 1500s.
The shadow of the cross is omnipresent on our favorite journey in New Mexico is up the High Road to Taos to ancient Spanish villages and churches, including Chimayo, destination of Holy Week pilgrimages and holy dirt; Truchas; and Las Trampas.

Inside El Santuario de Chimayo near the beginning of  the High Road where there is holy dirt

Cemetery at Truchas on the High Road to Taos before Las Trampas

Crosses at the ruined pueblo church at Taos Pueblo at the end of the High Road

Somewhere on the High Road

Chili weather is coming

Weather forecast in two works...chili weather.
Headed this way...bitter cold, freezing rain, sleet, ice and maybe snow.
Hence the trip to the grocery store to get ready:
Four pounds ground beef.
Sweet onions
Red onions
Limes
Graded sharp cheddar
Pinto beans with and without jalapenos
Chili beans
Several cans and varieties Rotel chopped green chilies and tomatoes
Diced tomatoes
Crackers
Packaged chili powder
Most important ingredient? Already in stock--New Mexico red chili powder from Chimayo
Plus secret ingredients

Sides for second and third day--cornbread, potatoes

Coming up--Clark's special brew