[ECUADOR] The House of the Macana

The House of the Macana

By Tirzah Russell de Franco


On any day, in a valley of the Andes Mountains you will find Don Jose Jimenez and his family at home – weaving.  They are 1 of only 15 families left that still make the tradicional Macana, a multicolor ladies shawl.  They use only natural materials such as cotten and wool.  Don Jose showed us big clay pots with natural dyes taken from flowers, nut hulls, and a fastener made from ashes.  Don Jose works the weaving loom and when by- passers like us come he gives a little tour. His daughters seem to be the experts at finishing the fringes on the shawls and showing off the finished products to tourists like us who try them on.  The traditional weavers can’t compete with factories that spit out shawls of synthetic fabric and colors, but there is definitely something special about sporting a beautiful handwoven shawl even if it costs more! Besides, technically no 2 shawls are exactly alike. If you ever come to Ecuador come and visit Jose Jimenez and family!

IKAT La Casa de la Macana
Via Cuenca – Gualaceo KM 10 San Pedro de los Olivos
Ecuador

[ECUADOR] "SILENCIOS"

“SILENCIOS”

By Tirzah Russell de Franco

Thirty-two oil paintings on canvas form an art exhibit called “Silencios”, which was recently on display at  “Todo Arte” Gallery in Urdesa part of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Servio Zapata, the Ecuadorian artist, spent a year and a half on these oil paintings. His desire is to express a passion for peace with scenes of trees, hills, waterfalls, beaches, and most of all, the  tropical forest. The detailing of the trees is extraordinary! You feel like you were really there in the peacefulness of the forest! The scenes are inspired by the Ecuadorian countryside but are from Servio Zapata’s imagination. The Gallery “Todo Arte” is directed by Mirko Rodic and is open for viewing from Monday to Saturday. The exhibit closed Jan. 8th and now will be shown in Spain.

Servio_Zapata

“La verdad acerca de piedras”
“The truth about rocks”
2008
120cmx150cm

For more information or to buy contact Mirko Rodic – mrodic@gye.satnet.net


ARTISTS!

Do YOU have an event /gallery /exhibit you would like Sitka Creations to review?

Contact us! info@sitkacreations.com

Follow Sitka Creations on Twitter: @sitkacreations


[ECUADOR] Visiting Guapulo

Visiting Guapulo, ECUADOR

By Tirzah Russell de Franco

On the eastern side of Quito, the Capital of Ecuador, lies an old route, called Guapulo, that Francisco de Orellana took, the first Spaniard to visit the Ecuadorian Amazonian Jungle. Quito lies on a high plateau in the Andes Mountains so the route down to the nearest valley is steep. This route has turned into a quaint, cobble stoned road that is still in use today. It is lined with quaint, old houses and has always been a favorite for tourists and artists to escape the hustle and bustle of the city just 10 minutes away. Guapulo is perfect for a quiet walk any day of the week. There is also an overlook to take in the views; looking down at the community Guapulo and out to the valleys. Nowadays they have built an eight lane highway that heads out of Quito so not as much traffic passes through Guapulo. Escape to Guapulo for a moment even if it’s just in these photos!

All photos by Tirzah Russell de Franco

For more information on Guapulo, ECUADOR:

www.quito.com

(Spanish)

www.guapulo.com

(Spanish)

[ECUADOR] Tropiflora 2009

Tropiflora 2009

Tropiflora 2009

By Tirzah De Franco

On the 30th anniversary of the Botanical Gardens of Guayaquil, Ecuador; a plant exhibition was held on the 11th, 12th, and 13th of September in the Crystal Palace. This two-story glass building on the boardwalk of the Guayas River was where the Ecuadorian Association of Orchids (Orchidology) and the Botanical Gardens of Guayaquil joined forces to bring us a delightful array of many types of plants ranging from ferns, African violets, geraniums, palms, bromides, lilies, bonsai, and the beloved Ecuadorian orchids along with other plants.

Different garden associations had their stands along with individual plant owners who were invited to display their plants.  The flowers and plants were then judged in respective groups: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, plus honorable mention.  Flowers combined with table settings were also judged. After seeing such beautiful plants one was inspired to start gardening!  If the crowds wanted to purchase plants, there were many plants for sale ranging from $2 to $200.

The following are some pictures of my favorite plants from these special 3 days; bromelias, orchids, table settings, and the exhibition of the Guayaquil Orchid association.

Enjoy!

(All photos by Tirzah De Franco)



[Ecuador] Ecuadorian Butterfly Exhibit @ Jardines del Malecón Simón Bolívar

Sitka Creations is pleased to present our first blog post from Guayaquil, Ecuador! We welcome Tirzah De Franco to our team of International Art + Culture Bloggers. A former Tennessee native, Tirzah has now been living and working in Ecuador for over a decade!

Ecuadorian Butterfly Exhibit @ Jardines del Malecón Simón Bolívar
By Tirzah De Franco

It is estimated that one fourth of ALL Butterfly species in the world are found in Ecuador. To enjoy them, one normally has to hike out into the mountains and surrounding forest. Recently however, those of us who live in the city had the opportunity to enjoy the butterflies without even leaving our town. In Guayaquil, Ecuador, at the gardens beside the boardwalk, there was an exhibition in which butterflies were shown. Maybe you are thinking they were shown lifeless, in little glass boxes or tanks. Wrong! The exhibition team made a huge netted area in the gardens, so that visitors entered and the butterflies of numerous sizes and colors, fluttered around them freely. We observed the butterflies in a lush natural environment, surrounded by plants and flowers. A true butterfly garden in the city!

(See photos. All photos by Tirzah De Franco.)

Ecuadorian Butterfly

Ecuadorian Butterfly

Ecuadorian Butterfly

Location
Jardines del Malecón Simón Bolívar (Malecon Simon Bolivar Gardens)
July 9th – August 16th.
Guayaquil, ECUADOR

For more information on Ecuadorian Butterflies:
www.butterfliesofecuador.com
Includes information such as why the butterflies “choose” Ecuador, images and current research.

[Studio MV] Meet SITKA’S International Art + Culture Bloggers!

Anna Marie D’Addarie
Martha’s Vineyard, MA

Anna Marie

“Living on the island isn’t for everyone. Thank God,” says Anna Marie D’Addarie. She washed ashore on Martha’s Vineyard 10 years ago with her husband, Don. A recent widow, a situation she does not recommend to anyone, Anna Marie is a free-lance writer who also works full-time for Martha’s Vineyard Community Services. Anna Marie volunteers in the community when she’s not working one of her many part-time jobs such as knitting instructor at Island Alpaca Co., House Manager at the Vineyard Playhouse, and Library Aide at the Oak Bluffs Public Library. Anna Marie considers her family and friends to be the greatest blessings in her life.

Lidija Butković
Belgrade, SERBIA

Lidija Butković

Lidija Butković is natural-born cosmopolite and incorrigible philanthropist; a (not) meant to be journalist and convinced polyglot. Addicted to chocolate and books. She adores good advertisements and ice-skating. Never misses the Belgrade Book Fair. Her favorite part of a day is the morning with a cup of Earl Grey. Lidija’s unfulfilled wish is to see the ocean. (We’ll get her to MV one of these days!) In her spare time she lives her life; when she grows up she wants to be a child!

Tirzah De Franco
ECUADOR

Tirzah Russell

Tirzah De Franco is a Tennessee native who stumbled upon a new life in Ecuador. She has spent over a decade working in Ecuador and just might stay. When she is not teaching English she loves doing community work, spending time with the locals, and savoring their food, especially anything with peanut sauce in it. Her favorite place to be is out in the tropical mountains, rivers, or beaches.

Kelly Kidson
Vientiane, LAOS

Kelly Kidson

(Painting Credit: “Sid” by Sitka’s Owner, T.R.)

Along with editing blogs, Kelly is the Web Marketing Manager for Sitka Creations and part of it’s team of Web Designers. She welcomes your ideas or requests: kelly@sitkacreations.com or twitter @kellykidson

Kelly is originally from the Adirondacks of New York, spent over a decade in Rhode Island, was inspired by her travels in Eastern Europe (with Sitka’s owner) and later, Southeast Asia. An always-thinking-business-DIY-geek; she blends her previous corporate design and marketing experience with her various (rather un-related) grassroots start-up venture experiences. When not working on SITKA projects, her spare time is spent studying the Lao language, dabbling in freelance writing, exploring Laos via her scooter and camera lens. She has a preference for strong Turkish coffee and Pentel Needle Tip pens; in a world without money she would gladly work for either.

ARIV
Martha’s Vineyard, MA

ARIV

Alfred Rivera is an ever-so-close to nearing middle aged upstart and a career dishwasher bent on recycling pre-existing gentrified personalities, and strange things that he has heard on a bus into a pseudo-fabulous 155 pound mammalian box-set of yellowing teeth, speed-dialed wrong answers with tectonic slabs of over-confidence. ARIV can sometimes be found playing (music) in cafe’s and clubs on Martha’s Vineyard. We’ll keep you posted!

Are you an artist or organization with an upcoming event that you would like reviewed?
Please contact us about the possibility of it being included on our blog!
Email: info@sitkacreations or Twitter @sitkacreations