Cesar Chavez Boulevard

(etching like the one I am learning to do, but not by me...)

Tim, my brave, self possessed and optimistic husband who rarely if ever complains, is often chagrined at my lack of good things to say about L.A. I know I do sometimes have a grudge against this city that I didn't choose, and that's NEVER a healthy thing. It's kind of like L.A. and I, with her botox lips and her Juicy Couture handbag, got stuck in an elevator together and I initially jumped to the conclusion that we have nothing in common, and that maybe this would be over soon, but the longer we're here together and the more we get to know about each other the more my presumptions get challenged. Like for instance, I can't help but admire her habit of sprucing herself up all over with jasmine and hummingbirds. Few other urban environments can boast those charms to the extent of L.A. Also she has an artsy/edgy side and a Dia de Los Muertos skull tattoo which I must admit is pretty cool. She is definitely Mexican-American, and this week I learned more about some righteous aunts and uncles in her heritage. I am going to try and up the ante for myself on communicating things that I like about Los Angeles. The longer that I am gone from Maine, the more I realize that we are really going to have to make friends! In fact, L.A. is probably already considering herself my friend, and I am just all self-absorbed and shy and not noticing it. Man, I live here now! That reality is STILL sinking in. I'm an earth sign, these things take time. I'm waking up, rooting in, getting my feet on the ground a little more all the time. L.A., sorry for my cold shoulder. Thanks for all the sunshine and flowers and the interesting places and sometimes beautiful scenery. I'll try to give you more of a chance!

Last week I started a printmaking class at an East L.A. community art center called Self Help Graphics. East L.A. is a long highway drive from my house, but I really want to learn printmaking, and this place has a nice print shop and the classes are very reasonably priced. Also, it turns out that this organization has a totally awesome history, and is in a really inspiring neighborhood! First of all, East L.A. is very Hispanic, and has a very strong, established community. It has its problems of crime and gangs sometimes, but the area that my classes are in has the feel of a very strong community which has fought long and hard, and is fighting still for a safe, positive and clean neighborhood. Self Help Graphics is located on Cesar Chavez Boulevard, which is a vibrant street of small businesses like carnicerias, groceries, auto body shops, panaderias, and hardware stores with broad sidewalks and parts of the street have nice, old fashioned iron streetlamps. Self Help Graphics itself is located on a corner in between a Community Youth Center and the local High School. The entire outside of the three-story building is covered in sparkling, colorful hand-set mosaics of glass and broken pottery. The back parking lot has canvas murals covering the chain link fence gates and a big Virgin of Guadelupe statue in the corner. It was started in the 1970's by a Franciscan nun and printmaker named Karen Boccalero and several other local artists whom I unfortunately can't remember their names. Their initial goal was to use art as a tool for social change in the neighborhood and in the Chicano rights movement. Their work came to be seen as part of a Chicano Renaissance of the 1970's, and many of the prints that came out of their shop are now preserved in archives and museum collections as important and instrumental art in the United Farmworkers Uprisings. I find this to be unspeakably cool, because anything having to do with Cesar Chavez pretty much reduces me to tears immediately; I admire him so much for being such a brave, powerful and peaceful warrior for human and ecological justice. Over the years the organization had a "Barrio Mobile Art Van", which drove around the area, (which is pretty rough territory slightly south), bringing art classes and materials to all. They had a punk club on the premises in the early '80's, and they currently offer lots of community and youth programs, including computer graphics and what is now a well-outfitted print shop. My class is made up almost entirely of 25-55 year old Latinas. There is one Asian fellow and myself to add some diversity. The class is taught in English but flows easily back and forth into and out of Spanish like waves crossing a line in the sand. There is warmth, "snacktime," and a very supportive and friendly environment. Many of the women in this class know each other and work together regularly on group projects and exhibitions. I am excited that L.A. has given me such a cooperative and active art community to learn from!