RICHARD MICHAELS Berkshire Artist in Oaxaca

Templo de la Compania, Zocalo, Oaxaca, Oil on Canvas, 50 x 70 cm 2018

RICHARD MICHAELSBerkshire Artist in Oaxaca

Interview by Harryet Candee

Richard, tell us exactly where you are? Richard Michaels: Tracy and I live in the city of Oaxaca (the city is the capital of the state of Oaxaca). It is 5,000 feet above sea level, 6 hours from the Pacific coast, Oaxaca is a one-hour flight south of Mexico City.

How best can you describe your personal connection and offerings Oaxaca gives you? Richard: For me that connection developed over time: In 1995 Tracy wanted us to take a 3-week prehoneymoon excursion to Mexico City, Oaxaca, and the Oaxaca coast. The arts of Oaxaca had been calling her for years. While thoroughly enjoying the adventure, I did not know if I would return. Tracy on the other hand said she didn’t want to leave, while swinging in a hammock overlooking the ocean.

In 2010 Tracy went back to Oaxaca for a month. I joined her for 10 days. During those days I caught

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the Oaxaca bug. The art, pace of life, climate, and warmth of the people got to me. More than simply “art” it was the way art appreciation and understanding saturated the culture. An example fast forwarding 7 years: A young travel agent visited me frequently as I painted a church on a corner of the Zocalo. One day she asked what I thought about the small group of people I had just painted walking in the distance. I said I felt so so about it. I asked, “What do you think?” She said “they detract from the painting.” I removed them. Immediately my eye moved freely throughout the canvas again! The people of Mexico from 5 to 85, have grown up with art in their bones, developing discerning and appreciative eyes.

Following the 2010 trip by a few years of increasingly longer visits, Tracy said she wanted to live in Oaxaca. And she didn’t want us to live in an area dominated by other Gringos, but in the midst of

Oaxaquenos. While it became full time for Tracy it was back and forth between home in Great Barrington, work in NYC and family in NJ for me. I was passionate about teaching and coaching, was a Founder and Director of Coaching for Transformation and loved the Berkshires. Finally in 2017 I made a deeper commitment to family, art and the change in lifestyle Oaxaca represented. In 2018 we sold our house in Great Barrington and I joined Tracy full time minus family and friend visits to the US.

What spiritual connections with the heartbeat of Mexican life have you made so far? Richard: The spiritual connections are interwoven into the streets, public and exhibition spaces and people talked about above. Although spiritual connection exists in many places it is also a rare commodity in this day and age. And of course, not a

RICHARD MICHAELS Orange House Foothills of Monte Alban,

Oil on Canvas 80 x 60 cm 2019

commodity at all. Yet something many of us seek. I spent time in Tlahui in the Mixteca, two and a half hours northwest of Oaxaca. It is on a slope reminiscent of San Francisco but my guess is twice as high. Walking up and down its steep slopes, a ceremony Telmo’s dad, Don Gregorio, performed on a high peak before a festival, took me into the heartbeat that has been part of the region and the human race for millenniums many of us don’t cross path with.

A similar experience in one of the visits Tracy and I had with Sonia and her mom Rosa and family high in the mountains five hours from Oaxaca. The village of Josaa, was celebrating and Rosa and others in the village cooked for hundreds of people and danced till well after 3:00 am.

In both the above experiences we were welcomed into families as honored guests, not as foreigners or intruders.

Above I mention a few other villages and cities outside of Oaxaca. Those experiences also touched the stillness and majesty and mystery of nature and ancient traditions.

Now I come full circle to acknowledge the spirit

so rich in the music in the streets, colors, art, murals, and pace of life and warmth of the people in Oaxaca. It stands alongside the rarefied locations mentioned.

What do you feel a little timid about, or fearful of about living so far away from the Berkshires? Richard: My transition from the Berkshires to Oaxaca was gradual between 2010 and 2018. It had time to ripen and grow. So by the time I took the leap it did not feel “far away.” Even though very far away from growing up in New Jersey, then New York State, then Pennsylvania and before moving with Kripalu Center to Stockbridge and then to Great Barrington for over 20 years where Tracy and I lived. One hurdle is speaking Spanish. Fortunately I feel comfortable here but it would be an improvement to speak more of the language!

Your paintings tell me you are very inspired by the landscape, the blue skies, people, nature… The painting of the corn rows with a sunburst is beautiful. What were some of your thoughts that went through your mind during the time spent

painting this landscape? Richard: I was drawn by the dramatic contrast of darks and lights, shadow and sunlight. And the powerful geometry of the fields moving towards the wide-open sky. The interplay between the warmth of the light- oranges, yellows, white, pinks or mauves and coolness and mystery of the darks- deep blues, greenish blues, purples, browns and dark grays. My attempt was to convey that experience of nature, as well as simply that visual experience on a rectangle of paper kept me following the trail of what the painting might become.

Sometimes nailing it with the colors and their interplay, and sometimes struggling, losing it, and staying the course.

Maestro Fortino Lazaro Peralta, from Casa de La Cultura in Oaxaca was a great help. I am learning to paint with acrylics from him after exclusively working in oils. His ability to see fine subtleties of color and skillfulness with techniques to convey that was of immense value.

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Richard Michaels Sunset Over Field Outside Oaxaca Acrylic on Paper 40 x 50cm 2019

Have you seen something new within yourself that puts a new perspective on things since starting a new life in Mexico? Richard: The sunlight in Oaxaca is very brilliant. It affects my painting. There are many sunny days making it easier to build momentum. There are many bright colors in the built and the natural environment. I am inspired by them. The contrast between light and shadow is strong and compelling for me.

People of all shapes and sizes in colorful apparel are integral to scenes on streets and public spaces. So I have been including them in my work and studying drawing.

My interest and ability in seeing and feeling color seems to be creeping in the right direction. When I relax about results this happens more naturally. When I get attached it often falls apart. My love for painting is growing. Philadelphia Architect Louis Kahn used to say- “What does a building want to be?” Painting is like that, what does a painting want to be? What do I want to paint? Hopefully we, as artists and creators of whatever type move in the direction to which we are drawn? Reflections at this point on the journey: Beauty is that which absorbs the mind. It is that which naturally focuses the mind. In so doing one sees more. It is a doorway. A doorway into nature, a doorway into

one’s own feelings and into the mystery and beauty of life. We all have different doorways that cause us to feel more alive. Sports, music, reading, nature, fine art, crafts, conversations with a friend or loved one, work one loves. It increases passion, play and connection with life. Following what attracts our attention is an entry. Following that in ways that are uplifting and brings moments of inner harmony. That is one of the purposes of art, whether it is conventionally “beautiful,” or outside the box and “thought provoking.”

When I step in front of a canvas, or notice a scene or object that I feel motivated to paint, I have to forget all that I just said above, and see it as it is with fresh and curious eyes. Then perhaps on the journey of creating “the painting,” I may re-experience those things I said above. In creating art I, and we, are continually engaging with the process of seeing and feeling. A deep process, a simple process and when I come down to it, one in which I just need to follow the Nike adage- “Just do it.”

Can you describe the art community in Oaxaca? Richard: Oaxaca is known throughout Mexico for its arts. People visiting Mexico often prefer artwork done by Mexican artists. However, the story does not end there. The art community celebrates artists and teachers the world over. I most often paint plein

air. in the streets, the town squares, fields and mountains around Oaxaca. I’ve had people purchase paintings of street scenes that included their houses as well as those who have stopped their cars as I painted a scene they were simply drawn to and later returned to purchase it. And sales are very gradual!

I have been exhibiting in Galeria 910 since 2012 invited by one of my first artist friends in Oaxaca, Vicente Mesinas, one of the Directors of the Gallery and painter who exhibits in Oaxaca and internationally.

Tracy has studied printmaking in Taller La Chicharra, as well as with Burro Press, and with other artists. In early 2018, Tracy was invited by artist and printmaker, Alan Altamirano, alias “MK Kabrito.” That resulted in Tracy and I having our first joint show in February and March of 2018. Friend, political cartoonist, printmaker and painter, Dario Castillejos asked if our opening and exhibit was announced in one of Oaxaca’s major newspapers. We shook our heads in the negative. He got on the phone and two days later we were being interviewed. To our pleasant surprise, it turned into a 2/3 page feature on the first page of the Cultural section of “El Imparcial.” So many of the supports to my and our work has come from the fun, co-creation and generosity of those around us. Each of us have pieces at La Chicharra and in a local coffee shop.

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Do you still have active roots in the Berkshires? Richard: I do. I relish the time to reconnect to my art teachers, colleagues and friends in the community. I lived in the Berks longer than any other place. It holds great memories, connections and meaning for me.

What have you given up for this life-altering change? Richard: I look at it as a moving towards something more than a giving up. Because time and circumstance were right. That said, I miss the regularity of connecting with my Berkshire friends. The list could be long, so I will mention a few. Bizen, Main Street Great Barrington, Monument Mountain, the Clark Art Institute, Baba Louie’s. Front Street Studio, Deb Koffman Gallery and other galleries. The hills and mountains of the Berkshires. My Chiropractor! Guido’s and the Coop. I best stop now!

What were some of the adjustments you had to make to blend in with the Mexican community? Richard: I am grateful how people here embraced me for being from the US, being an artist, being Tracy’s husband, being interested in them, loving their culture. So the adjustment was an opening. Tracy, here longer and more regularly than me, was a huge open door. Mexicans value family and community, they also value welcoming diversity. Being a coach and teaching coaching, the Directors of The Oaxaca Learning Center invited me to teach coaching to their staff in 2014. The people from the US, Canada and elsewhere who came to Oaxaca before us gave to the community and loved the community here. That unseen, but felt sense, creates an opening and good will.

Tell us about a typical day for you? Richard: Wake 6:00 - 7:00am. Spiritual practice and light exercise. Morning check in with Tracy and walk the dogs. Breakfast at home or a local restaurant.

Arrive at office/studio. The activities below vary with the day: Painting on my own, at Casa de La Cultura, or Face Club (Portrait Drawing). Intercambios or Spanish Lessons. Coaching clients. Comidathe big meal between 3:00 and 5:00. Men’s group. Shopping and laundry work into the schedule. Family time, friend/neighbor time, calls to family. A light meal or snack. News, FB, etc. Winding down with an art or spiritual book, journal or being distracted by the internet.

Do you prepare and cook American style food at home now, or is it now Mexican cuisine? Richard: We usually don’t cook comida, the midday meal. Occasionally one of us cooks fresh veggies or pasta or salad. Our diet varies between traditional Mexican or US cuisine or “Health foodsor the great chocolate or carrot cake here.”

Are you aware of some political issues in Oaxaca? Richard: The teachers and occasionally other groups have demonstrations and sometimes blockades to advocate for their needs. They are peaceful and infrequently a hassle with traffic.

You’ve had great teachers in the Berkshires. Do you still follow thoughts and processes from these art educators? Richard: YES!... Margot Trout: “Your style is none of your business.” My paintings fall somewhere between impressionistic and realistic. You can’t produce a good or satisfying result if you try to be someone other than yourself. Another koan or power pack mantra: “What had you want to paint this painting?” Margot, once told me the objects I painted looked fine, but they didn’t look like they belonged in the same painting.She often said: “Paint one color next to another.” And, “Paint colors in relationship to each other.” That translates into don’t “try” to paint water, paint one color next to another, don’t “try” to paint glass, paint one color next to

Richard Michaels Sunflowers and Lilies Oil on Canvas 80 x 50 cm 2018

another. Don’t “try” to paint a tree, paint one color next to another. Ironically that leads to a more natural, accurate and vibrant capturing of what you see and what moves you. “Pay attention to the darkest darks and the lightest lights in what you are painting.” She taught us not to outline shapes but to mix the major colors we see and place those spots of color in relationship to one another. When those colors meet there is a living relationship and not simply a copy of something.

Margot was once giving me a critic on a painting of the edge of two studios and the alley between them. She pointed to one color and said, “That color holds the whole painting together.” She had no way of knowing that when I mixed that color I knew it

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Vicente Mesinas, Richard Michaels and Tracy RoachTracy’s paintings in background of local gallery, Taller La Chicharra, Oaxaca

did not look like what I was seeing, it exaggerated it, but it felt right. So, yes this may be confusing given what I said Margot taught above. But the deeper lesson in that moment for me was Margot intuitively picked up on when I was in a flow and that flow gave me the natural way to what was needed by the painting

Kate Knapp: From early in my years painting, I was drawn to the freedom and looseness I saw in Kate’s work. I spent hundreds of hours in Kate’s classes over the years.Through her critiques I learned to look at my work and its composition and see what might literally be there but was counterproductive to the life and strength of the painting itself. This was a jumping off point for transposing. Painting with colors that were not necessarily what they were in the scene or still life but worked in the rectangle of the canvas to a result which was more alive and flowed together more naturally and successfully than without taking that leap.

While down here in Mexico, I often send Kate a body of work and her critiques continue to affirm or have me look at something I may not have seen.

As with Margot the line between student, friend or colleague has less rigidity. As friends and colleagues, I am still always learning in our interactions. Steve Dietemann: Steve challenged me. He said, “The world doesn’t need another beautiful painting.” He had us paint ordinary things. Use a limited palette, push the envelope. In Steve’s work I found the bold forms and colors of archetypal natural scenes teach me about simplicity and use of color to evoke strong sensations and feelings.

Steve’s architecture in the Berkshires embody

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free thought and freedom and creativity in the use of materials.

His writings question the way we think. Steve has been a teacher and friend over many years.

Have you met great art teachers / mentors / maestros in Oaxaca that you can tell us about? Richard: I have met a number and will comment on a few and the art scene here: Josue Vasquez teaches classes with the human figure with live models. And a weekly free drawing class of portraits of the members of the class called Face Club. While Josue’s work is built upon a method that exercises one’s ability to see and record what one sees in new ways, there is an underlying system of proportion guiding. His colors and the multitude of mediums he uses makes for powerful and compelling art. His partner Selene supports the class and I find equally produces work and skill that expands the learning. It is open to short term visitors.

Alan Altamirano and Taller La Chicharra. A gallery and working studio featuring various types of printmaking, Alan offers and hosts a variety of weeklong workshops with various artists in the month of December. It is open to people who do not live in Oaxaca or Mexico. Alan was also a key in initiating Oaxaca Grafico, a gallery featuring prints opposite Santo Domingo. Other printmakers noted below exhibit there.

Fortino Lazaro Peralta, who I also mention in my work under his guidance teaches painting classes at the Casa de La Cultura. They are open to people who are here for a semester or longer. Ivan Bautista and Edith Chavez of Burro Press produce exceptional work. They sometimes hold workshops.

Dario Castillejos has been awarded honors as the top political cartoonist in Mexico and his works have also been published internationally. Dario sometimes leads workshops in drawing.

Vicente Mesinas is an exceptional artist and his painting and prints can be seen at Galeria 910. He does not generally teach art, however has taught me monotype and on occasion created a set up for individual instruction in print making in Galeria 910.

An art center to put on your radar for viewing and potentially for workshops is “Casa,” in San Augustin Etla. Those workshops require application and requirements I am not equipped to outline here. To go there and view the art, incredible architecture and surrounding mountains make it easy to see why it is an international center. It was founded and guided by Francisco Toledo.

Do you have an end note you would like to share? Richard: I am grateful to Harryet and the Artful Mind. I enjoyed it monthly over the years I lived in Great Barrington. I feel honored to share my art and story in this issue. I understand another artist from Mexico will also be in this issue. Art is an international language, a language of the soul and one of the powerful ways of the transmission of the depths and soul of human experience. Hurray that there is room for all of us from beginner to intermediate to masters.

Thank you, Richard!