LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN CELEBRATES FELIZ NAVIDAD IN SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, MEXICO AT LA PARROQUIA PARISH CHURCH 2013

Feliz Navidad to everyone from San Miguel de Allende, December 2013

San Miguel de Allende's Christmas tree stands before the Parroquia church

Giant Christmas tree at the San Miguel de Allende Jardin

Metal pointed stars and oil cloth stuffed hearts
decorate San Miguel's Christmas tree

Parroquia church the San Miguel de Allende Jardin

Gigante puppet at the San Miguel de Allende Christmas tree

Gigante puppet at the San Miguel de Allende Christmas tree

Laurie Beth Zuckerman wishes you FELIZ NAVIDAD!! I just took a magical trip to San Miguel de Allende in Colonial Mexico, timed to enjoy the twinkling Christmas season with its exuberant religious festivals and processions. The only thing missing was the Baby Jesus in the mangers. Not to worry, there are plenty of different size baby Jesuses on sale at the Artesans Marketplace holiday stalls. Wish I could have stayed in San Miguel through Christmas Day to photograph all of the mangers celebrating the birth of Jesus. Below are my photos of miniature and life-size nativity scenes in San Miguel, known as Nacimientos.

San Miguel de Allende's Christmas manger awaits the birth of Jesus.
This life-size creation stands before the La Parroquia parish church on the Jardin.

El Mercado de Artesanias sells a wide variety of handmade Nativity Scenes.

El Mercado de Artesanias sells small and large Baby Jesuses
for display in traditional home manger scenes, known as Nacimientos.

A Nacimiento photographed in progress at the Casa Carmen Bed and Breakfast.

The completed Nacimiento greets guests at the Casa Carmen Bed and Breakfast.
It is decorated with several varieties of living moss and antique clay figurines.

Love and thanks to my dear Rebecca Brooks for sharing her favorite secrets of San Miguel de Allende with all of us on her Loving Lupita Journey, December 10-19, 2013. I loved every magic moment. Stay tuned for more of my adventures from our journey to this historical World Heritage city in Mexico.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS VIRGEN DE GUADALUPE FESTIVAL IN OAXACA

Laurie Beth Zuckerman photographed these wildly colored and beautifully eclectic Guadalupe shrines in Oaxaca, Mexico during the festival of the Virgen de Guadalupe outside of the Guadalupe church. Each of these lifesize shrine displays were designed and painted by individual vendors. The chairs and donkeys are used as props for children and parents to pose with the Guadalupe and Juan Diego for professional photographs.

On December 10, I travel to San Miguel de Allende for the festival of the Virgen de Guadalupe. I hope to find and photograph similar shrines at the churches and marketplaces celebrating the Mother of Mexico.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS GUADALUPE AND VIRGIN MARY IN FORT COLLINS' HISTORIC CATHOLIC CHURCHES

A Virgin of Guadalupe window sticker next door to the
historic Holy Family Catholic Church in Fort Collins, Colorado

Laurie Beth Zuckerman had often wondered what she might find in Fort Collins' two landmark Catholic churches. Assuming they could be nothing like the colonial churches she likes to photograph in Latin America, these two turn-of-the-century churches actually hold some surprising riches. 

Today I am sharing scenes from the Saint Joseph Catholic Church, constructed in 1900 from sandstone blocks quarried in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. I entered the church on a day when not a soul was in the main chapel or praying at the altar. I photographed it all, but prefer the simplicity of this side prayer chapel to the more modern main altar. I was impressed by the 19 gothic stain-glassed windows throughout the vaulted church, depicting the Divine Mysteries.

Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Fort Collins was constructed in 1900

19 gothic stained-glass windows are the most distinctive aspect 
of the interior of the historic Saint Joseph Catholic Church

Saint Joseph Catholic Church lovely side chapel

Virgin Mary plaster statue in the Saint Joseph Catholic Church chapel

A plaster statue of Saint Joseph and baby Jesus in the chapel

I have posted these sightings of Mary in conjunction with Rebecca Brooks' Mornings with Mary. Please click on this link to view all of the wonderful words and photos at Rebecca's site.

Learn more about Rebecca's Loving Lupita journey to San Miguel de Allende. I will be joining Rebecca and teaching a Memory Nicho Altar workshop during her December 10-19 tour of this historic colonial region of Mexico. Come away with us!

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN PHOTOS OF HOLY FAMILY CHURCH, FORT COLLINS, COLORADO

The Holy Family concrete statue

Juan Diego concrete statue holding the cloak of the Virgin of Guadalupe

Closeup of the handpainted Virgin of Guadalupe

Back side of the Juan Diego concrete statue

The Holy Family Church with nicho containing statue of the Holy Family

The concrete statue of the Holy Family stands at the left of the church.

This week I discovered two sweet concrete statues outside The Holy Family Catholic Church of Fort Collins, Colorado. One is the Holy Family, Mary, Joseph, and the boy Jesus. The other is the infamous Juan Diego, holding his cloak with the miraculous image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Sadly, the statue of the Guadalupe is now missing from the landscape, and the fountain was not running. (See the photo below from the church website for reference.)  I planned to photograph inside the church, but it was locked. I will have to visit one morning after Mass, and ask what happened to the Guadalupe.

Photo of The Holy Family Catholic Church

Built in 1924, this historic Old Town church began serving Spanish-speaking Catholic sugarbeet workers at the Great Western Sugar plant. Their community, known as "Alta Vista" and "Spanish Colony," was founded in 1927. There is now the Museo de las Trés Colonias, dedicated to the history of these Hispanic communities. I will make a foray there the next time it is open. Fort Collins History Connection

Forgotten Fort Collins's website tells the story of Lee Martinez who helped build the church. His family came from Southern Colorado's Huerfano County in 1906. I am enjoying reading about his prominent role in the early days of Fort Collins history.

So...much more photography to come in my exploration of the Spanish-Catholic influences on this frontier town of Fort Collins.

Please stop by and visit Rebecca Brooks' Mornings with Mary, as I have linked my post to her sharing.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS THE VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE ALTARS IN MEXICO

A cemetery Guadalupe in Oaxaca's San Miguel Panteon

Laurie Beth Zuckerman invites you to accompany artist and host, Rebecca Brooks to a world of colorful altars and cemetery nichos in the land of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. This adventure to Colonial Mexico is scheduled for December 10-19, 2013. Rebecca has invited me to teach a two-day Memory Nicho Workshop, an option for all who join Rebecca's Loving Lupita folk art tour, highlighting this ancient December 12 festival of La Virgen de Guadalupe.

By sharing my photos of altars dedicated to La Virgen de Guadalupe, the archetypal saint of Mexico, I hope to inspire you to join Rebecca, and myself on this unique adventure.

PLEASE visit Rebecca Brooks blog for Sunday's "Postcards from Paradise"for a taste of what she imagines for her December tour of San Miguel de Allende.

La Virgen of Guadalupe prays in a nicho shrine in
La Luz Panteon, San Miguel de Allende

A special altar to La Virgen de Guadalupe stands
at the entrance to the El Panteon municipal cemetery in Oaxaca,
decorated for the Guadalupe festival

This Guadalupe altar in the Templo San Felipé Neri,
in old Oaxaca city, is simply dressed for her season

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS NEW MEXICAN GUADALUPE ARTWORK IN SANTA FE

The Virgin of Guadalupe, Sanctuario de Chimayo, New Mexico

The Virgin of Guadalupe, Sanctuario de Chimayo side chapel, New Mexico

Stained Glass window in El Sanctuario de Guadalupe Church, Santa Fe, New Mexico

El Sanctuario de Guadalupe Church, Santa Fe, New Mexico

This morning I am linking up with Rebecca Brooks' Mornings with Mary at her recuerda mi corazon website. I am sharing images of several Virgen de Guadalupe images that I photographed at two of the most popular shrines in Northern New Mexico. The first is El Sanctuario de Chimayo, built in 1813, and located north of Santa Fe along the High Road to Taos. The second site is El Sanctuario de Guadalupe Church, built in 1781, and located in the historic Guadalupe district of Santa Fe.

If Our Lady of Guadalupe is your passion, you may consider traveling to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico with Rebecca, and me, on her Loving Lupita journey, December 10-19, 2013.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN TEACHES MEMORY JUGS WORKSHOP IN BOULDER, COLORADO, AUGUST 24-25 at Susan Wechsler's Studio

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's personal memory jug entitled, "Mother of Pearl"
 dedicated to her mother, Blanche Kleid Zuckerman, 1922-2001.

Please click on the flier above to read about Laurie Beth Zuckerman's
August 24-25 Memory Jugs Weekend Workshop in Boulder, Colorado.

TWO SPACES REMAIN in Laurie Beth Zuckerman's weekend Memory Jug Workshop, August 24-25. Click on the flier above to read more about this special workshop in Boulder, Colorado.

Laurie Beth Zuckerman will teach a third session of her two-day Memory Jugs weekend workshop, as the special guest artist of Susan Wechsler Mosaics on August 24-25, 2013. This is a special opportunity to work with two internationally recognized found-object assemblage artists in a private workshop limited to ten participants at Susan's mosaics studio in Boulder, Colorado. I am looking to fill the last two spaces, as I have students arriving from California, Texas, Virginia, and Ohio. 

I will guide each participant in creating their own personal MEMORY JUG, inspired by this enigmatic Victorian-era, American folk art form of memorial art. Susan Wechsler, renowned for her mosaic shrines and memory dresses, will be my assistant throughout this workshop. You will receive one-on- one, hands-on advice from each of us throughout the weekend.

My last workshop in June, hosted by Susan Wechsler, was completely full with artists from around the country. Everyone worked so diligently and their memory jugs were fascinating works of art. I will continue posting photos to this blog post as everyone finishes their unique creations.

During my last Memory Jug Workshop in Boulder, June 8-9, 2013, these three participating artists created their unique interpretations of this American folk craft. There is amazing diversity in this "mosaic-like" medium.

This beautiful memory jug was made by Emily Henderson of Denver.

This elegant jug was created by Peg Harper of Longmont.
Peg added lots of objects she had molded with polymer clay.

A work-in-progress photo showing Peg Harper's memory jug
during my last two-day workshop in June. Compare this before
image with the one above of Peg's finished jug.

This bold and whimsical memory jug was made by Cindy Shepard of Hurst, Texas,
who also included handmade pieces of her own, as well as a host of found objects.

For workshop details and to make your reservations, contact Laurie Beth Zuckerman at 970-482-5589 or lauriebethzuckerman@gmail.com

And if you can't make my next workshop, you may want to check out my 254-page Memory Jugs Book on CD in the meantime. You can order this CD for $20 from this website:

http://lauriezuckerman.blogspot.com/2013/02/laurie-beth-zuckermans-memory-jugs-book.html