Sunday, July 12, 6:45pm at Sylvia and Ernie Guyton's (see below) Movie Night: The Golden Door. Set in 1913, the film begins in a treacherous, barren area of the Sicilian countryside. On advice from a stranger, a widowed father decides to make the difficult voyage to America with his two sons, one of whom is deaf and mute. As the characters travel to America, their minds open up to a new way of seeing. There are authentic costumes and realistic sets, and since this is an Italian film, there's also romance, some surrealist turns, and scenes of stunning beauty. Gelato will be served!
Wednesday, June 24, 10:30-11:30am: AFFA Grant Recipients celebrate the installation of their paintings and mural art at South Austin Multi-Purpose Center, 2508 Durwood (between S. First & S. Congress, behind Habanero's). All AFFA members are invited to attend. Refreshments will be provided by Whole Foods Market.
June 14, 6pm AFFA Movie Night - DOUBLE FEATURE with the filmmaker!
Two short documentaries about Mexico-Burning Judas (on Easter eve in San Luis Potosí)& La Tamalada (Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, celebrating the Immaculate Conception)
by local filmmaker, Curtis Craven, who just received an AFFA grant to finish another documentary.
At the home of Barbara Jackson, 5003 Ridge Oak, Austin 78731
Snacks: tamales, guacamole & watermelon agua fresca
RSVP: mcwheaton@austin.rr.com (with movie night on subject line) Cost: $10 ea. at the door
Saturday May 2, 2pm: Relaciones Geographicas: Rare Maps of Mexico and Guatemala. In 1577, King Phillip II of Spain ordered information about the New World's population, political jurisdictions, languages, physical terrain and vegetation, and UT's Benson Library holds 1/2 of the extant maps produced for the King by Spanish and indigenous cartographers. Michael Hironymous, an expert in this area, will show and tell us about the maps, which are loaded with fascinating detail. Participation is limited to 20, so be on the lookout for the announcement. For a preview: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/benson/historicmaps/index3.html
Cost/RSVP: Participation is limited to 20. Your check for $15/person is your RSVP. Please
make check payable to AFFA, note “Maps” on memo line, and send to
Terry Tannert, 2201 Forest Trail, Austin, TX 78703.
Sunday April 19, late afternoon: Middle-Eastern Pose and Puff at Marc Brewster's Las Casitas estate.
As these photos prove, The Pose & Puff at Las Casitas was an interesting event!
Los Klezmeros set the mood with music from Eastern Europe and the Middle East
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All right, Deborah! POSE!!! |
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Guy Ben Moshe was both entertaining
and informative. |
And then, Twyla Grace and Billy G. showed themselves to be quite a duo. |
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Twyla's instruction, Deborah Roberts, her friend Connie Segal, and Sue Fairbanks,
get the hang of bellydancing.
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Gayle Anglin enjoys movin' to the beat of Billy G, too. |
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Middle-Eastern high fives.... |
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Architect Marc Brewster shares interesting details about one of his ponds. |
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Board member, Amy Morrow and friend, David Mercado explore the grounds. |
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Las Casitas are nestled in five fabulous hill country acres. |
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The patio of one of three casitas on the property. |
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Morrow arranges food from Sarah's Mediterranean Grill. YUM! |
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The food was delicious! |
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Raj helps with clean up. |
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Teresa Kendrick sets up the hookah (also known as a shisha) |
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Jerry Frazee, Shand Walton and Jere Davis check it out. |
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Yep, it works! And ah, that rose flavored tobacco is smoooooothe! |
Karen O'Quin, who took most of these photos, took time out to relax, too. Shand Walton looks like he was offering encouraging words.
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Ellen Hughes and Jean Barac concur. SMOOTHE is the word. |
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Wow, Merry Wheaton, what was in that hookah? |
Sun. March 29, 3pm. Coming to America through Galveston Island with Suzanne Seriff, Ph.D. at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, $15/person, includes admission. No RSVP necessary; just bring a check or cash and meet us there!
 "The Decorative Butterfly and the Utilitarian Honeybee: Insects in Folk Art," March 8, at the home of Barbara von Merz.
Barrett Klein, Ph.D. candidate in Integrative Biology (Ecology, Evolution and Behavior) at UT-Austin was a fascinating, informed, and very engaging speaker at the event on insects in folk art. And Barbara von Merz's house was full of amazing bugs, which Barrett and AFFA members brought to share.
Merry Wheaton reports that the question she heard most frequently after the talk was, "Where did you find him????" Credit for that goes to Deborah Robertson who sent Merry a link to a website that included a reference to Barrett. Barrett Klein's website is http://www.pupating.org/
To download Barrett's PowerPoint file with the unbelievable range of images he showed us, click here: /bak254/Insects&FolkArt_BarrettKlein2009.ppt
Barrett Klein, Ph.D. candidate in Integrative Biology at UT, was loaded with information, images, and concrete examples of insects in folk art. Fascinating, informed, and enthusiastic, Barrett is the kind of person every parent wishes would teach their kids! He commented afterward on what an interesting and appreciative audience we were.
Anna Prothro, Nancy Townsend and Lisa Orr--completely engrossed. "Have you ever heard of cricket fighting, moth eyebrows or sauce to improve sexual prowess made from Amazonian fire ants?"
Barbara von Merz hosted the event in her colorful home full of folk art, surrounded by a wonderful garden and a yard that stretches down to Shoal Creek.
Lee Schultz and Sandie Huston, Troy Lanier and his wife Miriam, Karen O'Quin and her guest Jere enjoyed Barbara's back yard.
Merry Wheaton, Gayle Anglin and Barbara Jackson relax after the talk in
Barbara's great garden room.
Some of the many folk art insects brought by members and our speaker, Barrett Klein
Some of Barbara von Merz's MANY figures by Josefina Aguilar.
 Sun. Feb 15, 4-7pm - AFFA membership party at Mexic-Arte Museum.
- Music by Cienfuegos.
- Dance lessons by Salsa Candela.
- Food by AFFA members. (It was so good that someone said we should have folks bring their recipes next year, then publish a cookbook.)
It's cumbia time according to Dagmar Grieder and a member of the SalsCandela Dancers. In the background Vicky Bergin and another Salsa Candela dancer get fancy--or are they just tangled up? Tom Ashbaugh (left) had the moves down too! (above)
The gracious Candela dancers (ladies in red, gents in black) really got us moving in style, teaching us to do the cumbia and the merengue. Even folks who decided not to dance enjoyed the Latin beat of Cienfuegos (not too loud), the color and the fun. (below)
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Sara Madera shows she can "pretzel" with the best of them (above right)!
Part of Mexic-Arte's awesome Serie print exhibit, Obama definitely approved! The print encouraged all of us learners with its rallying cry, ¡Sí Se Puede! (Yes, We Can!) |
Ed Jordan and Merry Wheaton obviously had fun!
Sat. Jan. 10 VolkKunst: German Folk Art of Pennsylvania & Texas, @ San Antonio Museum of Art & visit to COSAS in Boerne, 8:30am-6:30pm. Let Assistant Curator and AFFA member, Nancy Fullerton, make you savvy about German folk art, then enjoy lunch at Liberty Grill and dessert and coffee at COSAS, the fine Latin-American import store of Bob and Amy Niederhauser.
Cost: $15, includes entrance and carpool drivers' compensation; lunch on your own; dessert & coffee compliments of COSAS. RSVP tkendrick2005@yahoo.com by January 8th.
 Sun. Dec. 7, Holiday Party, 4-7pm. Connect with friends in a beautiful Central Austin home. Great food, company, music and a silent auction. Save the date & return the RSVP card promptly when it comes; reservations limited to 120. Dress is nice casual.
The holiday party at the home
of Bill Head and Patricia Winston was a successful event.
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| Sandi Huston and Teresa Kendrick confer at the holiday party on the silent auction which netted over $3000 for artists' grants. |
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 Sun. Nov. 2, Mariachi Mass, Mission San Jose and Artisan Fair. A different way to celebrate el Día de Muertos. Susan Chandoha, Executive Director of Mission San José, has arranged a special tour for us. We'll see a short movie about the missions, attend a Mariachi Mass, tour Mission San Jose and explore the Artisan Fair being held there. We'll carpool and somewhere in there we'll eat lunch. Cost and departure time TBD; see our website for more info. RSVP by 10/18 and put Mission Tour on the subject line: mcwheaton@austin.rr.com
Sun Oct. 5, Step Into India @ Marigold-Gateway to India, 2200 S. Lamar, 2-4pm
Delight your inner and outer selves with sitar music by Amie Maciszewski (UT PhD in Ethnomusicology) and Shiv Naimpalli on tablas. Enjoy Indian snacks and sari wrapping in Lata Karna's beautiful Indian import store. FREE & open to the public.
 Sat. Aug. 23, Tour of Mexic-Arte's "Aztec & Mayan Revival" Exhibit, 10am. Claudia Zapata, M.A. candidate in Art and Art History at UT and a moving force behind this show, guided us through the fascinating exhibit about Mexico's artistic reach into its pre-Columbian past. Free to Mexic-Arte members; others $5
 Thursday, June 26. About 50 people came, saw, and raved about the screening of Lisa Orr and Troy Lanier's film about the pottery of San Jose de Gracia and Patamban, Michoacan. Those "piña pots" will never look the same to us! It was indeed a wonderful film.
And a wonderful evening. Our hosts, John and Melissa Torres, were so gracious, and everyone enjoyed seeing their collection of Oaxacan wood carvings and meeting Christopher Barnett, who recently completed a 4 x 15" mural for their kitchen. Lisa Orr introduced the film. AFFA had donated grant money for the making of it. The film was professionally done, with a professional voice-over.
Click here for AFFA's 2006 - 2007 Past Events and beyond.
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