I remember remarking one night back in 1967 in Mountain View, California after consuming multiple mind/body/soul enhancers that were popular at the time,  "I hope I never grow up!"  Call it neither a curse nor a blessing……but I am still that same boy with that "up against the wall" attitude…maybe a softer version….but I never became an identifiable member of the "box"….so tonight we are going to a party here in San Miguel that will be coinciding with the Burn up in Black Rock City…..I am dressing very tribal/casual and bringing my "inner boy"…..gonna have fun and watch the burning peñata….Viva la Vida!

…it costs money to build this Chapel.  For the last month we have been creating and installing a large mosaic installation in a rather small powder room in a home being done over in Centro Historico here in San Miguel…the lovely couple from Austin who own the home gave me permission to do what I wanted…..so we have given it a complete go….we should be finished in a couple of days and then the Chapel wil be cookin' again.  I am waiting to find out from Spencer Tunick who will be part of the Grand Opening which days he is available in early February for the opening…either the 4th or the 11th…..stay tuned…..here are some photos of the bathroom mosaics….

The sky light above….

High above and across from the toilet area….

Looking up and out…..the door…..

straight up from the toilet….

Detail….the owner is a "Birder"…..

In the studio…..

I am loving it!…..

…the interior lighting of the chapel has been 99% completed…just need 2 dimmers for the two small rooms.  It looks very "grown up"…still working away.  Carlos' sons are organizing our huge bottle stash…..so many bottles!  A Wall?  A Wall of Bottles?….

…a very kind gentleman came out here yesterday.  He is 85 years old.  His body is old but he was very engaged and curious.  I was showing his wife and him around the property.  Somewhere in there..he did not quite grock all of what is happening here.  He asked if I was an artist…he asked if I did it as a hobby..yes and no to those two questions.  As we got further into the rhythm of the tour…he fell into the groove and was blown away like a child.  The history of his years seemed to reverse and his enthusiam was something to behold and learn from…The innocence of a small boy….Beginners Mind…he had no agenda…he did not need to know anything…he just absorbed it all.  Kindly he bought his wife an 80th birthday present from my studio and they gave me a bottle of wine and told us we could stay with them if we ever made it to Prescott, Arizona.  What a gift it was to meet this couple…teachers come in different packages….and there is so much to learn and reclaim….

 

…from San Miguel de Allende.  When we first found our property over 10 years ago, the road was of dirt with fathomless craters and nearly impossible to navigate in the rainy season…they paved the road about 6 years ago and now we are 10 minutes from town.  Going to town used to be work…now it is a convenience…and a distraction. Over the last 10 years we have taken on so many projects here.  Quite magically, somewhere along the line…our house has become somewhat of a tourist destination.  Museums have found out about us and we get tours from up North who want to see our folly.  Then, of course, there is the Chapel of Jimmy Ray…our gallery.  It has been a huge undertaking and soon it will be ready for a formally informal Opening in February of 2012…so what I am getting at is this:  the draw of going into town to space out, run errands…movies…lunch…dinner…is time that I need to not waste.  Watering the garden today was such a splendid occurance…The water from the hand held hose mingled with the tears of gratitude that I feel because I am blessed to live 5km down the road from San Miguel in Mexico.  I have been given the opportunity along with Richard to create a truly beautiful setting for our relationship and our kindred critters…what joy!  I think I learned a few things from my years as a gardener…the gratitude is such a reminder of this connection to the olden ways of the Earth's whisper….

….to know that there is another Being on this planet to riff in the groove with in an omni-playful angel winged way…to spring through the moment and rest in the comfort of two…to behold trust and juggle time and place and brag with the wind at our backs and define absolutely nothing and not know anything but……this….this precious kernel of nothing at all….