Wanting to share a small topic, I have found myself having to start with a little history. Ya, you know what that means…
Where does a girl begin to explain the thick culture that has permeated every molecule of her life and the lives of all of her family's ancestors. I was raised in a predominantly Mexican household with strong Spanish and European ties. My grandmother's French father left France as a teenager to scope out a different land before sending for his family. He ended up in Mexico and he and my great grandmother known as, Nana Emilia went on to have many children, one of them being my gorgeous grandmother, Josephina Velderrainne (below). (Click on any images throughout post to enlarge.)
My sis and I adore her more than words. She is funny and magical, inventive and child-like, all at once. She is a woman who cooks on a wood-burning stove, yet has more city style vivaciousness wrapped up in her quaintness than anyone I know. She has stories that you would not believe. Maybe it is because she had huge youthful life experiences. Including boarding a train alone at 8 years old to go live for a while with her father in L.A. where he had gone to find his lifes work. Nana Emilia lived to be a very very old lady, in Mexico, in a house on a hill, in a district where witches, curanderas, and fortune-teller gypsys still thrive, only now it is really scary there.
My Grandma Josephina, married my Grandpa Pedro and they had 5 kids. One being a girly, proper, fantasy loving, fair little girl named Yvonne. My mom. A wonderful fantastic dreamy lady. I won't go into my dad's details, but they are simliar, minus the French guy. Dad is wonderful too, married to my mom for like a 100 years, but this could go on forever so I'll stop there.
Growing up in a little southwest village at the Mexican border meant that almost everyone who had settled there, the kids you went to school with, etc. had a similiar family history. And, let me just say, most of the Mexicans I grew up with were refined people, many of them were of varied (European/Greek even Lebanese) decent. You can imagine my shock when I went off to college and got freaky reactions when I would say proudly, I am Mexican. ZOIKS!!! (Ps: I am not into the word Hispanic. Don't ask why, it just freaks me out for no reason. Maybe because it has the word "panic" in it, says Kandeedo Bandeedo) The world I grew up in was something noone outside of our culture could understand, it was lovely. Saying I was Mexican to some of the kids at that American university automatically made them equate me to their housekeeper or better yet, the guy who made their burritos. Boy, would they be shocked to hear the amazing stories those people had to share and the quality of person in those hard workers.
Still, I had it easy, I was fair skinned and wore my hair light, and we had lived in California off and on for 12 years, so my siblings and I were very Americanized. Sadly, I do not have a sexy Salma Hayek or Penelope Cruz accent… Actually most Mexicans themselves were shocked to hear me even speak Spanish. The following happened many many times…A person criticizing me in Spanish, thinking I couldn't understand them, and me answering in Spanish. What fun, a good laugh for me in the end!!!
The point of my story is that growing up with said ethnic background thriving in my town meant that everyone I knew was generally the same religion and celebrated all the same holidays. Everyone went to mass, everyone had the same family quirks and traditions. And, let me just say, it was very very common to walk into someone's house and find a giant alter with Mary and Jesus and saints. Or better yet, you would go to hang your coat in a closet at a friends house and you would be greeted by a giant glowing Virgin de Guadalupe. (I have one of these next to my shoes in my closet, funny, it is now a "hot style item." Good for the Virgin, thumbs up.)
Sidenote: Sunday fun was going to the Catholic church on the hill with all of your friends for 5 o'clock mass and then out for taquitos in Mexico and cruising in my white rabbit convertible. I wish I still had that car, so sad. Sunday Curfew was 11p.m. It was an early curfew compared to the Friday and Saturday night discoteque curfew of 2a.m., 3a.m. if you were lucky. Then again, you didn't leave the house until 10:30 p.m., hence the time allowance. If you were late, you'd say 5 Santo Ramonato prayers to make sure you didn't get in trouble, Holy Toledo Bandido, it really worked!!!
Sadly, the town I grew up in was really good at breeding really over the top gossipy people. Most kids leave the town never wanting to come back, and being so paranoid about their privacy that they end up in a strange country place holed up in their studio, peeking through tiny windows, freaking out if they so much as hear a human sound, who is it? How did they find me… hee hee.
In the world I grew up in you would never be surprised to see a huge painting of Jesus or Retablos, or Milagros all over someone's house. No biggy.
It wasn't until I moved to Tucson that I had someone over to dinner that they were offended at all my crosses and religious icons. I was shocked, my guests thought it was vulgar. I was floored. Now I am more knowledgable about respecting other people's beliefs and people respecting mine. I have had many wordly experiences that have changed my life. The way I see it, I am very accepting of all of people's beliefs and I do not impose mine on anyone ever. I embrace many ideas about religion and am not afraid to learn.
Almost all of my friends are a different religion and I do not have any issues whatsoever with this. I adore religious antiquities and am an avid collector. If you have never been to the Southwest, be prepared to see many churches and religious antiquities stores, from New Mexico to Arizona. I found a great example on-line called, yep, you guessed it, Southwest Antiques.
Most of the stores people seek out in the area carry heavy duty beautiful antique religious items, from Catholic to Buddhist, to everywhere in between. They are almost used like decorator items here. No, not almost, they are. In the Phoenix Home and Garden magazine you will see Spanish Colonial Art shops over and over. They are everywhere, and they are highly sought after by locals and tourists alike.
Arizona is filled with churches and missions, very very interesting places and anyone can visit. Two of my favorites are the San Xavier Mission and the Tumacaori Mission. Tubac is a little village 3 minutes from Tumacaori, with amazing shops and restaurants. Quite the Saturday fun excursion.
If you are ever in Tucson make sure you visit the San Xavier Mission. It was restored a few years back and quite a wonderful place. You can get the whole Mexican Southwest Religious experience in one visit. Plus, some really amazing Indian fry bread.. Yummy!
I hope you are not annoyed at my tale. I think religion is such a tender subject. Let me tell you how I am. Mr. Lovee is my favorite in the planet. We share seperate beliefs, he is Jewish, and we respect eachother completely. I have friends who are no religion, and Mr. Lovee actually embraces "Nature" more than any religion. (When I took the picture below at Mr. Lovee's, I said, "Wow, look this is a perfect example of our lives." From our beliefs, to the desert, to Spanish furniture that I tweaked with paint, to the guitar I decoupaged for Mr. Lovee's birthday our first year we met. The guitar contains images that make up his world, being a Blues Upright Bassist and all…)
It is wonderful to have an open mind. I adore learning about things, a favorite book that I gave away and had to re-buy is below. If you can not find it, go on Ebay. I think it is out of print.
All of that said, I would like to share some of my collections with you. I think Maryam, of Maryam in Marrakesh, said she shared a love of collecting religious icons also. What do you think Maryam? I would love to see your collection also. I will go into this another time, but, Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is huge here too, with all the skeleton people and such. People spend weeks preparing for the parade, puppet making and costume making that would impress anyone.
Now, for the end of the "True winner of the longest post ever," Some of my collections:
And a few special items I have transported to my loftish space/studio. The Talavera Pot is a very common thing you will find here. The colors are captivating….
So, Goodbye for now from this hidden enchanted place in the desert. I hope you will come back and see me after this Super Duper long post. I will be creating for the next few days, and I have been trying to figure out how to share this with you without totally freaking you out! XXO, Vanessa
Ps: If you ever come here, I will make sure to get you some of this very powerful Virgin de Guadalupe Bathroom Spray, hee hee hee!!! If you ever are here, go to Food City on the South side. Be careful though. They have awesome funny religious things…
Oh Pss:
Thank you Thank you Thank you Miss Tiffany!!!! I won her name contest and I received an amazing package! I adore these little love boxes!!! What an amazing gal, taking the time to send this to little old me!!!
I was touched at the detail!!! How lucky am I?? Thank you again Tiffany!!!! And, the smell, it smells like a sweets shop!!!!
Vanessa, I am not freaked out. I love religeous artwork and poetry and I love all things Mexican, food, art & people. I have a gynormous picture of Jesus in my house which depicts a scene from the Book of Mormon where Jesus visits the Americas and all the faces of the people look Mexican/Indian… but not European. I love Day of the Dead and think it’s such a beautiful holiday and it’s really fun. I also believe that our country needs to better recognize the value of Mexican immigrants to this country, the major contribution they have made to our economy and culture. We need to realize that people are our best resourse and to treat all people with respect and kindness. When we lift one person, we lift everyone. Immigration policy in this country makes me nuts. Sorry, soapbox. Secondly, you are so kind to recognize my little gift. You are simply great! Ofcourse, all the artsy people I have ever met, have just been nice. 🙂
I should have taken pictures of all the Jesus stuff I have given our dad over the years: Jesus bobblehead, Jesus lip balm, Last Supper lunchbox, Holy Toast! (the Virgin Mary toast imprint thing), Jesus tape, Jesus bandaids, Jesus pencil topper. Man, I hope he doesn’t get rid of those things, they are collector’s items!!
Wow, what an informative post! I feel like I know you so much better now. Religion in general fascinates me. Not just one facet of it, but all religions, theology as a whole. If I went to someone’s house and they had religious icons, that would not freak me out at all (unless they were having me over to dinner for the sole purpose to convert me!). In fact, it would probably strike up conversation and learn about why there are specific icons and what it means to that person. I don’t know why people would get freaked- perhaps it is because it is something they don’t understand. Ignorance breeds intolerance and is a shame because I think we should respect all beliefs in this world. On a side note, if you want to help me restore this door then come on over!
WOW! Your grandmother is GORGEOUS! Now I know where you get it from! What a rich and varied culture you grew up in! I envy that. My midwestern midwesterness is nothing much to speak of. And even without the overly-gossipy small town, I still stare out my windows at every noise.
I’m slightly offended that someone would be so rude about your icons. Even if they didn’t know your heritage, which would be understandable with your light skin and hair, who is to say that it is their right to judge? I am positive that I don’t have the same religious beliefs as you, but I can appreciate your icons in an artistic sense. And regardless, they were guests in your home. ARGHHH!
I love that you are brave enough to share with us such a tender and intimate portion of your life. I feel lucky to have this experience to know you better.
I think your Santo de Maria with the peeling paint, looking well-loved and lovely, is my favorite. Beautiful, peaceful.
Thank you.
i am a new reader to your blog and i just adore this peek at your religious collections! i did not grow up catholic but i did grow up in west texas and have such a love for the virgins and in the past few years icons from other religions.
if you don’t mind sharing your address with me i have one that i believe would be right at home in your space. it has that chipped worn look that it seems few of us appreciate fully. 🙂
I love you, I love this story….
ok here is a very brief story of my ancestors (on my mom’s side, by the way, my mommy’s name is Yvonne too)…they were Acadian French, living primarily in Nova Scotia, the Acadians were asked to leave Canada, they later became known as the Cajun French, as they were known to partake in certain rituals that were not too typical, my great great grandmother and her lover, who was Native American moved to New Orleans…
things get fuzzy with the history, but my point is, my mommy spoke Only French and English was her second language, when I was little our house was filled with people speaking French, though my father did not and I only new a bit…we also had religious alters throughout the small house…
that’s all…you are like my long lost part Mexican twin!!!!!!!
Alrighty! I won’t tell you about the wall of crosses that greet everyone who walks up to my front door.
It’s rather funny because my 13 yr old’s friends will come over and I’ll hear them whispering “is your mom super oober religious or something?”
I like crosses.
My form of religion comes more in what I believe in, not from attending a stick-built church every sunday.
And although I wasn’t raised Catholic (but it is in my gene pool) I cross myself at every church I pass while driving, at every siren I hear in the air, before takeoff and on landing while flying, and by every car accident I pass.
I even mentally bless my kiddos at bedtime because they might freak on me if I were to physically cross their foreheads.
I’ve pretty much convinced them that if they don’t bless their food before they eat, they’ll get indigestion.
Funny little quirks we don’t know we have until some huge long topic is posted on a blog!!! (just funnin’ you)
Can I suggest your next super long topic? Let’s talk superstitions and rituals of our familias. Heh heh!
I think I’m in the running for one of the longest replies here.
But just incase I’m not, I’m going back up to space each paragraph. (lmao)
Vanessa, this was a great post, really enjoyed it! I LOVE LOVE LOVE all your retablos, santos, shrines, Virgins, crosses…all of it. I, too, never understand that whole thing where you shouldn’t be proud to be Mexican. Beautiful country, so much culture, generous, generous, people. Be proud!
I looooooooooooved reading this! I think your collection of religious icons is wonderful. I have a very small collection of Buddhist figures myself (maybe I’ll take pictures!). I love Buddhism but I still consider Catholicism my foundation for any spiritual journey I take. I was also really touched reading about your family and the way you talk about them is so moving. AZ is definitely on my list of places to visit, hopefully soon!
PS Vanessa, I love everything that you wrote about your beautiful family.
Oh how wonderful! I loved this post so very much…I adore religious things, and not having grown up in a family that was religious…it was more, you figure it out for yourself type of stuff…And now, I have this amazing collection of crosses. maybe it is growing up in the Southwest? I have enjoyed studying all different religions, and have quite a few icons in the house as well. I also love to visit catholic churches of any kind, and was in absolute heaven in Italy…I’m telling you girl, the art and colors and pure celebration of religion is so amazing and beautiful…I always feel honored to take a part in it. What an amazing world we live in, and it would be a shame not to be open enough to be able to appreciate everything!
oh Vanessa, Vanessa, Vanessa – you break my heart – you dear, precious human BEing – I adore this post I can not even begin to tell you of the overlaps, the synchronicities, the lovely places where we dwell in SPIRIT together – my boys are both Day of the Dead birthdays – we were married under the theme of MILAGROS – which I have collected and you can see on the felt hearts – oh such sweetness and candor and revelation – you do AMAZE and revitalize me – I thank you so – xox – eb.
Vanessa,THAT POST WAS SOOOOO WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!I love it so much!Your grandmother,your sis,the love of your life,religion etc etc you are one beautiful open soul and I am glad I am able to get to know you through this WWW!xoxoxoxoDesirée
You take such amazing photos Vanessa! What a truly gifted woman you are!
I’m with Sarah. I can’t believe that someone would have the audacity to feel at all, let alone tell you that they were offended by your choice of decoration. What a sense of entitlement!
I don’t own anything like this, but I totally would. I don’t have any kind of attachment to it, I was raised outside a church and wouldn’t even know what any of it was or meant, but it’s still fun to look at!
that is a great tale about your family history. I can relate to this slightly. I’m married to an Australian/Italian and his parents came to live in a small country town here in Australia. The tales they have are amazing.
I am not religious at all, but my husband’s family is and we share a perfect understanding of each other. The first time I ever saw religious icons and posters was at his family’s house…and boy do they love them in Italy!
good on you for sharing, and good on you for being so proud of who you are.
I love your collection of religious artifacts. And the telling of your family’s history was lovely paired with your illustrations. You should make a book of the two!
Well, I am with Mr. Lovee and his religious persuasion. But I want to live by that little perfect church that you drew.
Sadly my religious icon collection is not nearly as wonderful as yours (although my parent’s collection is incredible).
Thank you for my daily dose of magic:-)
Vanessa…what a wonderful post!!! I adore reading about all the history and seeing your incredible collections. So many similarities…my hubby, Mexican, catholic…me jewish (with sometimes freakish attraction to all Mexican/catholic icons and symbols)
I am taking Michael de Meng’s pop icon workshop and ArtFest and he leads dia de los muertos retablo making workshops in Oaxaca each year that I would ADORE to go on!!
I think this is a great idea to share our cultural collections and am going to follow suit….so check in again…maybe this weekend!!
love! stephanie
Thank you for that great post. What a wonderful history! You also have a beautiful collection. I admire anyone who surrounds themselves with the things they adore. Not at all offensive!
I loved this post! Thank you for not only sharing your pretty face the other day, but now your lovely heart too. You are having a very brave week! Those are two things that are so precious and sometimes hard to share, but I feel even more like you are an old friend now. Your pictures are lovely! I love the place religion has in our lives, I feel sorry for those poor folks who visited you who didn’t get it, boy are they missing out! And that Tiffany does such a lovely job doesn’t she? I wish everyone could get one of her little boxes in the mail, it just makes for the best day!
You are just as spectacular as I suspected!Oh ,to have such a romantic history as yours(though I do find much romance in my own humble beginings)!!!Heres the funny part,my baby was sitting on my lap and when I scrolled to the pic with the gold frame and silver table ,(I almost bought that very table myself)she said”is that our house”? ,oh yes you and I do share a love of stuff!!!My sweet hub has a love affair with all things Mexican,he even taught himself Spanish ,one springbreak(I’m not kidding) he is now practically fluent….and ofcourse theres my Frida thing(have I told I have played her?). As usual ,AH, those drawings I love them ! Your site is like a story book for grown-up girls!!!
Beautiful. It is really nice to hear where you came from. I hate comments cause I don’t express what I mean, but that is really fascinating. I find your paintings and iconography absolutely stunning. I also really enjoy the mystical way you incorporate your past, even simple phrases like your dad being married to your mom for like 100 years. It is wonderfully rich. Also, one of my favorite things that I did while living in San Antonio was to visit the missions.
Oh, i had a good giggle over the Virgin de Guadalupe Bathroom Spray…
is it heaven scent? hehehe
do you think it’s ozone, i mean heaven-friendly
teehee..ok i’ll stop now!
Wow, Josephina is just as gorgeous as you are…she sounds like a great woman!
I never really knew my own grandmothers, they died while i was young…
i look alot like my dad’s mom, she’s french, oui,oui!
What an interesting post and what an interesting person you are.
Your posts are long, though so filled with treasures.
What a wonderful post Vanessa! I can relate so so much…Im not very religious myself but I do love religious icons and images and have many at home…the Greek Orthodox religion worship Mary and she is such an important figure for us as well…love the statues!
had to laugh at the air freshner – thats so funny!!!
Im so fortunate to have my grandparents in my life too and their stories, quirks, traditions are what have made me who I am today…im grateful my boys also have grandparents to tell them wonderful stories…being Greek kid in Australia in the 70’s was not easy let me tell you…I got teased so much but now they are all lapping up eating our olives and cheeses haha…the world is more accepting..well in some ways…
oh my mum is addicted to Latin soaps which come via satelite from Greece! they are dubbed and so so corny – what a laugh!
Great post…loved it and enjoyed the pics
Chamara
Love this! Your family sounds fascinating…your home town sounds so romantic to a midwestern German girl. I love that you embrace your culture. I visited Arizona for the first time last year and saw so many of the things you spoke of. So beautiful….
I am going back in a couple of weeks…and want to take in more of the wonderful symbols..antiques…etc.
Thanks for the wonderfully long and enjoyable post!
I must say I am really mad at that guy for not liking your shoes, what does he know! Seriously, I am so happy to hear more about you and I have been hoping you would share at some point. You are so unique and fun 🙂
Wish you’d been with me in Italy last summer when I went to the Russian Orthodox Church. The icons blew me away, the building, the towers, the music.. oh… the whole thing was so amazing and I would have loved to have been there with someone that would have loved it too. I’m not religious at all, but I love the imagery, and I’m quite a spiritual person (under all the chaos and lime green vegetable photography).
Plus, totally identify with your stories of small town gossipy-ness. Love the sketches and the one for packing up and gettin’ outta that place – ha made me laugh.
Thanks for all your comments. I’m hoping (fingers crossed) to get a good chunk of time to READ properly your blog. You and Alicia have such great blogs but I have so little time, I whizz through the images and then never get time to read fully.
I adore plaster Saints, Virgins, Icons, Budda’s, Ganesh’s etc etc. It is something that seems to be becoming more acceptable in England I remember as a child I bought a little figure of the Virgin & Child and my school friends were apalled – idolarty they cried! That wouldn’t happen now, well actually I suppose it might I do have a friend who blanches at the icons in my home (some of which you can find under the Christmas category of the blog) stating that her father would not approve!
my favourite author, isabel allende, said that not matter your social status in your country, if you are from latin america, you are assumed to be the lowest in the social scale in the us. it is sad, so sad. i can relate to many things you say in this post.
i love your collections and your drawings!
yay for openmindness and believing in ourselves!
this is a great post…i like the family history, and all the religious icons, beautiful! i have lots of things with the virgen de guadalupe on them too!
Vanessa,
What an amazing post…I wish I had some sort of ethnic background other than ‘growing up in the south’. I really envy your sense of place and family and think the way your were brought up is just fantastic. I am really enjoying your posts and sorry this is out of order, but I only just found out about you recently and it is taking me a while to read all of your blog. Your pics of the Southwest are wonderful too…
It’s fascinating reading about your upbringing and background. I think the religious icons are endearing, they are a work of art in themselves -I was intrigued by the many stores that sold catholic decorative items in Madrid, it’s woven deep into the culture and tradition. Adore the cute paintings too, so colourful and sweet? Thank you for sharing the wonderful pandora’s box of delight that is you 🙂
Nice post ! My house is filled with religious art. It is where a lot of art started really.
I just wrote about Mexican Retablos for a mag called Folk Art Messenger. You can see it on line here
http://artfoundout.blogspot.com/
I was about to find some great works to show as examples
Keep up the collecting !