Latin Art Concepts

The Art of Mexico

2011-12-09T08:03:00.001-06:00

What a wonderful site I've stumbled upon - The Art of Mexico ...

The Art of Mexico is the gallery of galleries for the discriminating collector of Mexican folk art, showcasing a distillation of the best traditional and contemporary Mexican folk art for sale at near wholesale pricing with express shipping direct from Mexico. -- arte popular, arte plástico, and more... created by some of great masters of traditional Mexican folkart.

The Art of Mexico is a great interactive website that truly brings the art alive. Be inspired by the beauty and craftsmanship of many of the greatest masters such as Juan Torres & Juan Horta. I am sure you will end up wanting at least one for your collection!

Celebrate Latin Music with Calle 13 - Latinoamérica

2011-12-01T08:39:00.000-06:00

"Esto no se trata de rebelda, esto se trata de ser indisciplinado por un dia" - Calle 13

"This is not about rebellion, this is about being undisciplined for one day"

Why not? Let loose for one day but do it with a little Calle 13 - Latin Grammy winners!

Diary of a Crafty Chica: Store

2011-11-30T08:54:00.000-06:00

Still looking for Christmas gift ideas? Make it a crafty gift made by the queen of crafts or ...

simply be inspired by Kathy Cano-Murillo to create your own.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday & Small Business Saturday - with a Latin Touch!

2011-11-17T12:47:00.001-06:00

This is the week that many of us kick into high gear in time to plan for those upcoming shopping days to get the best deals available for the holidays. Many families now even spend part of their Thanksgiving get-together laying out strategies for Black Friday deals or taking note of Cyber Monday specials for hard to find gift items on their list. Personally, my favorite campaign has to be the Small Business Saturday where you are encouraged to support local small businesses in your communities. Here in Kansas City we have many small Latino owned businesses where, in addition to supporting their business efforts, you are also fueling the local economy.

Whichever mode of shopping is your favorite or if you hit all three, take note of these Latin Art Concepts favorites in support of gifts with a modern Latin touch to every day living.

Every Latina/o should have at least one item in their closet from these fabulous top Latin Clothing and Accessory Designers such as:

Carolina Herrera

Custo Barcelona
Christian Cota
Maria Cornejo
Narciso Rodriguez
Oscar De La Renta

Jennifer Lopez

You can also now find Latin entertainers with their own clothing/accessory designs such as the Jennifer Lopez Collection and Marc Anthony Collection available at Kohl's or Sofia by Sofia Vergara or Selena Gomez available at Kmart.

Maria Sanchez

For the best in Latin art consider visiting ABLA - Art By Latina Artist, started by artist Maria Sanchez in support of Latina artists. This is a great site to see the works of so many fantastic Latina artists and to find a unique, one-of-a-kind gift for the one you love.

You can also find Latin art available through sites such as the shops at Etsy. In addition to considering this your cyber shopping site you can also consider this a form of supporting your local artists since the site offers you an opportunity of searching for sellers based on your location.

If you are like most large Latino families and have kids or your own, or nephews and nieces, toys usually make it to the top of the shopping list. Why not consider tossing in a gift that not only is enjoyable for the kids but that also is educational? Consider giving the wonderful gift of books!

“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
^{- Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"}

For children, here are books to consider:

Amigoman

For kids 3rd grade and above

Amigoman

For kids in preschool and 1st grade

And for adults, take a look at some of the top recommended books on the right such as "It Calls You Back: An Odyssey through Love, Addiction, Revolutions and Healing" by Luis J. Rodriguez - to give or keep for yourself!

And let us not forget la musica - music that fills our lives with joy!

"Some songs are just like tattoos for your brain...you hear them and they're affixed to you." - Carlos Santana

Again, check out some of our top 10 recommendations on the right and don't forget to also check out your local musicians who might also have Cd's out for purchase in your community. Here in Kansas City we have a wonderful group called Trio Aztlan who perform at various functions around the city.

What ever you choose to give this Christmas consider giving a gift with a modern Latin touch to everyday living!

Latino Designers add a Latin touch

2011-11-13T07:21:00.001-06:00

Looking toadd a diverse mix of designer clothes and accessories to your collection and don’t know where to findand support Latino designers?

Julian Chang

Step onover to Flechada, a members-only shopping site focused on Latin Americandesigners and brands.

You will find manyhigh-end Latino designers and brands such as Carolina Herrera, Paloma Picasso, AngelSanchez, Julian Chang, Onda de Mar and many more.

Members are offered savings up to 70% offretail prices and membership to Flechada is free!

Katch by Kathy Flesch

Flechada is easy to navigate and offers views by categories which include jewelry, apparel, beauty, handbags, accessories and shoes. You can also view items by designer and read a complete bio about each designer.

Even if you don't find something you are looking for it is a great way to expand your list of Latino designers.

You will also find selections from Manos de Madres, recycled items by the women of Honduras. What a great way to support the efforts of the women in Honduras striving to rise above living in poverty. Discover Trash Bags of Honduras - a line of purses, clutches and accessories crafted in Honduras from 100% post consumer bags.

This Christmas consider adding a Latin touch to your gift giving by visiting Flechada!

Salud with Ceja Wines!

2011-11-09T14:06:00.001-06:00

Last summer my familytraveled to Napa, California for the wedding of my cuñado Adrian where we hadthe most wonderful time! It was a dreamwedding which took place in Sonoma at the beautiful Sebastiani Winery. Every detail of the wedding was truly magicaland being surrounded by family and friends truly made for a blessed moment intime.

Jill and Adrian Hernandez

While in Napa we hadthe honor of spending time with the Ceja family, owners of Ceja Vineyards. La señora Amelia Ceja and her mother-in-lawJuanita Ceja joined us at my cuñada's home for the rehearsal dinner. Both Amelia and Juanita brought such warmthand sincerity to our family gathering that spending time with them was liketalking to my own mom and abuelita –

such a loving and welcoming embrace.

My husband Victor, Amelia, Vicky and me - Delia

The Ceja family exemplifiesall that is possible for Latino families in America through faith

anddedication to hard work together as a family.

The Ceja’s have gone from working in the vines to owning the vines!

Having left Mexico in 1967, Pablo and JuanitaCeja arrived in St. Helena in Napa Valley and, in addition to instilling a strongwork ethic; they made sure their children also had a strong education. In 1983 Pablo and Juanita, two of their tenchildren, Pedro and Armando, along with Pedro’s wife Amelia, invested in theirfirst 15 acres in Carneros which was just the beginning of all to come.

CejaVineyards is an ultra-premium Latino family owned winery - first generationMexican-American winegrowers in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Ceja Vineyards is located in the beautifulCarneros region, 40 miles northeast of San Francisco, and it truly is a land ofbeauty. We had a great time visiting thetasting room and learning more about the family history from Dalia Ceja, Ameliaand Pedro’s daughter, who also serves as Director of Sales and Marketing.

Ceja Vineyard in Carneros

Dalia Ceja sharing the history of the Ceja family

In addition to thevineyard in Carneros, you should also visit their wine tasting salon, loungeand art gallery – located in the heart of downtown Napa. You can taste and purchase their awardwinning wines, sample artisan cheeses, gourmet food items and view originalworks by local artist.

And it doesn’t stopthere! We were lucky enough to be inNapa around the same time that Amelia’s son Ariel was opening Bistro Sabor, whichserves contemporary expressions of Latin America’s favorite street food andsnacks.

In addition to enjoying 20 different Mexican,local and international craft beers along with wines from boutique family-ownedNapa wineries and sake selected to pair beautifully with all food dishes, checkout their Saturday Salsa nights!

Latin Art Concepts isso honored to call the Ceja’s friends and encourages everyone to add CejaVineyards to your next visit. And if youare not in the California area be sure to check-out Ceja Vineyards where youcan order your next bottle of wine for the upcoming holidays. Other Ceja sites to visit: Bistro Sabor and TheOle Report starring Dalia Ceja, Dalia's blog focused on wine, travel, fashion, food and fiestas.

Salud y BuenProvecho!

Amigoman - Latino Comic Books

2011-11-08T12:41:00.001-06:00

Looking for that perfect gift for the young ones in the family, or the young at heart? Do you have trouble finding the perfect gift that promotes reading? Do your kids love comic books? Is your husband or father a comic book reader from the past? Looking for comic book characters that reflect your son/daughter's culture, the latino culture?

Check out Amigoman - a superhero comic book for kids grades K-8th, and the young at heart.
And it is bilingual!

The creator of Amigoman is Anthony "AO" Oropeza who also runs AO ART 5 which is one of Kansas City's premier up and coming web, graphics and sports painting groups bringing creativity, dedication, fun and hard work to the table.

Latin Art Concepts is honored to promote Amigoman and is proud of the many contributions to the community and to Latin Art given by Mr. Oropeza.

Order your Amigoman comic book today - 47 days until Christmas and counting!

The gift of the written word. . .

2011-11-08T12:39:00.001-06:00

I love books - all kinds of books! My bookshelves are so packed that I now have piles on the floor in practically every room. No, I am not a book hoarder but I simply cannot throw them away.

Last year I decided I was going to start to sort through our books and donate them for others to enjoy. What a great feeling it is to know that someone else can now enjoy the beauty of the written word.

I also found another way to share my books and find new ones to enjoy. PaperBackSwap is a member book sharing website that lets you list the books you are willing to swap, for the books you are looking for. What a great idea and so worth it!

There was a time when I thought the whole idea of reading online was simply crazy! As a caregiver to my daughter, who also loves books, I discovered that it became difficult during moments of pain to hold some of her books or to turn the many pages. Last year one of my wonderful brothers-in-law gave her a Kindle for Christmas. What an absolute blessing that turned out to be; light weight with so many books and magazines available at her finger tips!

And if you just simply can't avoid holding those dear books in your hands and adding your favorites to your collection then by all means go for it! Books, in whatever form, are truly one of the greatest Christmas gifts to consider.

There are many wonderful Latina and Latino authors such as Sandra Cisneros, Luis Rodriguez, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Isabel Allende, Maria Hinojosa or Octavio Paz just to name a few.

Not sure where to start? Do you have any local talented Latina(o) authors you could support? Here in Kansas City we have Angela Cervantes a writer and poet who has written for "Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul".

You can also get ideas about a variety of Latina(o) authors at La Bloga, a blog about Chicana, Chicano, Latina, Latino, & more. Literature, Writers, Children's Literature, News, Views & Reviews.

This Christmas consider the gift of the written word - in English, Spanish or the many bilingual book options available.

"To read a poem is to hear it with our eyes; to hear it is to see it with our ears" - Octavio Paz

Christmas Count Down - Uno, dos, ...

2011-11-07T10:21:00.002-06:00

What a perfect time to kick-off Latin Art Concepts by counting down the days till Christmas

48 Days!

I am a closet artist/crafter - what you say? Yes, most people who know me don't know that I have a artist/crafter dark side to me that has slowly peeked out over the years. I have always loved art but more importantly I have always had a special place for Latin Art.

Latin Art is celebration, every day, of my culture and the history of where my familia comes from in the Mexican state known for so many art forms - Michoacan. Over the years I bought and sold little things here and there, mostly on eBay, or have made items as gifts for family. Throughout the years I have discovered many talented artist out there who, for many like myself, did it as a hobby or a simple appreciation for Latin Art.

My few creations over the years :)

Paintings, furniture, food, music, photography, clothing, etc. - Latin Art comes in many forms and it is the heart behind the work that makes it the most wonderful gift to give.

Latin Art Concepts will try to connect you to many of the talented artists and the work they do, and hopefully inspire you to give the gift of Latin Art this holiday season.

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." - Pablo Picasso