I just had a chance to see this wonderful installation after an early work meeting and on my way to the office. The experience was magical! Simple moments like this are the reason why I love this city…

Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts
The American Folk Art Museum has dramatically transformed the Park Avenue Armory’s historic 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall with the installation of 650 red and white American quilts, all of which are on loan from the collection of Joanna S. Rose. It is the largest exhibition of quilts ever held in the city. This magical but ephemeral moment will ultimately be captured in the pages of a fully illustrated catalog copublished by the American Folk Art Museum and written by Elizabeth V. Warren, guest curator of this spectacular presentation.

more info…

I wish you are already having a great holiday season and that the new year brings health, peace, and purpose to everyone!

This weekend I had a chance to participate in the Making Art In The World panel during Pratt Institute’s Reignite weekend. It was great to be back at Pratt, but as it often happens with panels, we didn’t have enough time to discuss everything. I admit, I left Pratt with a lot on my mind and feeling that, unfortunately, the lack of time didn’t let us have a real dialogue.

So I decided to write about some of the points discussed during the panel with the hope that I would hear your comments and experiences as artists “making art in the world”.

One of the points discussed during the panel was the importance of the viewer. In my work, I want viewers to be active participants rather than inactive spectators. And I wonder if it’s even possible to say that we don’t take the viewer into consideration when we exhibit our work in a public space? Why bother taking the work outside of our studios if we don’t want people to see it or respond to it?

Professional development for artists was also briefly mentioned. When I graduated from Pratt, professional development wasn’t part of the curriculum. I always think I acquired my professional development through the process of learning how to balance a full-time job and creative time. I learned how to interact with people with different interests and backgrounds, stay abreast of technology, and consequently apply all of the above to the business of art. But as mentioned at the panel, I agree that the current situation for an MFA candidate or a recent graduate is very different. MFA candidates now have an overwhelming amount of information, but a lot of pressure as well.

As I mentioned on a previous post, I think the key is to understand that a creative career is a life commitment — a marathon not a sprint. Having a clear idea of our priorities (in both art & life) is a good way of staying grounded while feeling pressure at any stage of our careers. Here are some of mine, and I look forward to hearing about yours…

A healthy lifestyle and my family are definitely number one to me. Appreciate the opportunities and people around me — my community. Have a positive and realistic view of where I am and where I want to be next. Follow my own path and welcome change to my creative process. And to absolutely never lack ideas or the curiosity that keeps me going and active.

My world was upside down while doing a headstand during yoga class. Getting ready for the pose is a challenge, but once in the pose, it feels so calm. I left the class thinking of ways to stay calm throughout my day.

As part of my job, I travel uptown, downtown to the eastside and westside. I see different neighborhoods and all the beautiful and diverse colors, languages, and customs that make New York City a unique textile — a masterpiece.

Looking at things from different angles is vital. And like yoga, it gives us the (mental and physical) balance, strength and flexibility needed to positively deal with challenging experiences.

Having a bad run makes me enjoy the good runs. Feeling sick makes me understand how important is to be healthy and to treat my body well. Receiving a rejection letter isn’t nice, but it makes me appreciate the opportunities given to me. Learning how to loose makes me a humble winner.

I’m still enjoying the last minutes of last Sunday’s Super Bowl. My heart was in my throat and can’t forget the moment when the NY Giants won and we all screamed so loud…and the result was upside down. Very exciting!

Image: Joaquín Torres-García, Inverted Map, drawing, 1934

I don’t know who made the drawing, but I’m grateful to the sweet student who thought I was a super librarian and drew me in such great shape. Look at those abs and arms! I love the detail of the English and Spanish dictionary next to the RMSL (Rossana Martinez Super Librarian). This is too funny and I’m going to frame it and hang it in my new office!

Although I’m still laughing at the drawing, it made me think about how there is a little bit of a superhero in all of us. Otherwise, how could we balance our time to be healthy, work, enjoy family and friends, make art and everything else.

This week while commuting to work, the train was full and I saw a man give his seat to an older woman that was cornered in one of the doors. And I thought: superhero! Unlike the cartoons, we can’t save the world in five minutes, but it’s the small, everyday actions that make superheroes.

It’s wonderful and so inspiring to see generous people share and give money to good causes. But for those of us that can’t afford to give money, we can use our creativity to make changes. The common denominator is to follow our hearts, use our intelligence and patience to improve the present and change the future… And remember change takes time.