Making Art and Waiting for the Revolution

Posted on June 22, 2016 by adegarcia13

As you may have seen in the news, the state of Oaxaca is encased in a bit of turmoil. The teachers are protesting reforms, and many others are joining in the fight against what they are calling a corrupt government. Daily protests are the norm and as of Sunday there have been upwards of twelve deaths, scores wounded, and many arrests. My family and I are living in Oaxaca for a month and although we have been surrounded by the protests on more than one occasion, we are completely safe and sound. It seems that this fight has been going on for many years and the months of May and June are typically the busiest as far as the demonstrations go. One never knows what will happen, for this is the first time the teacher’s union leaders have been arrested, AND this is the first time protesters have been killed by the police. However, daily life goes on and we are flowing right along with it. The education we are gleaning from this experience, however unpredictable it may be at times, is incredibly important.

While the fight goes on around us, we are spreading peace and love by making art. Well, that is a bit flowery… I guess you could say we are just making art. The girls are taking an Alebrijes class in the afternoons, and Marty and I are taking a linoleum cut printmaking class in the mornings.

I imagine I don’t need to mention that this one is Marty’s.

Marty has us doing a daily workout regimen to combat all of the food we are eating and I am happy to report that this morning was the first time in a week that the girls and I weren’t too sore to make it down the stairs without wincing.

We have a little less than two weeks left and already the girls are lamenting our departure.

(They do however greatly miss their grandparents and animals.)