Mascaras (Masks)

Today we went to the Centre to offer an art activity during the shower program. The Tepehua Community we are helping in, is the poorest communities in Chapala. Most homes don't have running water, or if they do, they don't have hot water. The Centre has 2 shower stalls with hot water warmed by new solar panels. Each Saturday, an elder named Petra, also know as the 'Grandmother' comes and helps the kids get cleaned up. They may show up with soiled clothes looking a little defeated, but when Petra is finished with them, they have on clean clothes and they are sparkling clean and smiling. She even brushes their hair. And yes, I saw the girls, all with long hair, grimacing and wincing with each stroke.
I taught the same art activity I taught to the girls that helped us a few days ago; Bere and Chuya, in the hopes that they could help me teach it. But, they didn't come until after we were done. There was only 1 girl I recognized from the day before. Everyone else was new. I took a list of their names.

No one spoke English. I tried to tell them from the start that I would teach them art and they would teach me Spanish. They all agreed.
I told them were we drawing a mascara (mask) mas-kerrrrr-a. I did my demonstration, and they watched me first. Petra sat nearby and watched and listened and she really helped me teach. I would try to say a word in Spanish, like decorate is decorar. The kids would look with blank faces but Petra would catch on very quickly what I was trying to say, correct me and repeat it to the kids in proper Spanish and in a full sentence. "She's asking you to decorate your masks more." While kids were getting warm showers, she would wander over to the teaching area and watch and help. As kids emerged from the showers, they joined in.

 

There was the cutest girl and boy. I asked Petra if they were twins. Si. They must have been about 4. mom was helping the little girl. Mom would pass her a color, and when she finished with that crayon, she would hold it in the air and say something like, "Hey Americana, I need another color." and mom would go get her one. I was giggling each time I heard her yell, "Americana, Americana..." She was so cute.

The masks were done with a wax resist and the last part is messy. The oldest girl there took over my role of adding the black-wash to everyone's mask.

Later an older boy showed up. He sat back and watched. The more he watched what was going on the more interested he became. Slowly he was sitting with us watching. I introduced myself and showed him some of my drawings on Facebook and asked if he made art. He said he was so-so. He told me his name was Drummond, (We used the google translator app on my phone to communicate). He was 12 and he would like to do an art lesson with me. I asked him what he would like to learn. He said painting. Ok. I asked him what he would like to paint, a plant or an animal...no enthusiasm from these suggestions. I wrote the work skull. Si, si! I will teach him to paint a skull in grey-scale on Wednesday afternoon at 2:00. I told him, if he could think of anyone else who would like to try, to bring them. And I will try to pin-point a few older kids to join us too.

When we were cleaning up, he helped Petra put everything away. And I realized he was her grandson. What an amazing woman! And what an amazing boy!