The Guadalajara Reporter

Ribera Arts Review – November 2, 2013

Studio 18

Studio 18 Art Gallery (Colon 18, Ajijic) presents a Day of the Dead ceremony and exhibit on Saturday, November 2, from 4-7 p.m. More than 16 artists will be showing paintings, photographs and sculptures.  An altar erected by Lori Truly will be on display.

Day of the Dead art

Original artwork inspired by the celebration of the Day of the Dead will be showcased at the exhibit opening Saturday, November 2, 6 p.m., at Ajijic’s Galeria Gecko (Ocampo 61).  Featured artists include Milo Needles, Rigo Navarro, Alfonso Nava, Luis Pinedo, Gabriel Mariscal, Jose Pablo Macias Marin and David Sanchez Rico. The show will feature a memorial altar dedicated to famed Mexican cartoonist-illustrator Jose Guadalupe Posada, originator of the emblematic La Catrina skeleton lady.

Paintings, sculptures and installation art created by various local artists on Day of the Dead themes are also showing at the Centro Cultural de Ajijic through the end of next week.

Israeli dancers

Spectacular Israeli dance group Anajnu Veatem (translated as “You and Us” in Hebrew) will be in Ajijic next weekend for two performances at the Auditorio de la Ribera in La Floresta to raise funds for the Lake Chapala Shrine Club.

This traditional Jewish dance group from Mexico City was formed by a group of university students in 1971. Over the years, Anajnu Veatem has participated in important international festivals, including the International Cervantino Festival and the Havana Ballet Festival.  The group played in Ajijic in 2003 and 2005.

Anajnu Veatem will give two performances on Saturday, November 9, 7 p.m. and Sunday, November 10, 1 p.m.

Tickets cost 200 pesos and can be obtained from Noble Denny Strole at 766-0485, Noble Perry King at 763-5126, or from any Shriner.   They will also be on sale at the Lake Chapala Society, O&A Investments, Diane Pearl, the Wednesday tianguis in Ajijic, and in front of Paz Liquor. They may also be purchased at door before either performance.

There is open seating for both performances.   A no-host bar will be available one hour prior to each performance, and at intermission.

Funds generated from this event will benefit Lake Chapala Shrine Club activities, most importantly helping lakeside children in need of medical care.

Collective show

The third annual Exposicion de la Ribera collective show by lakeside area artists is set to open Saturday, November 9, from 4 to 8 p.m., at Galeria de Arte Axixic, Rio Zula 1 at Ocampo. There will be a cocktail reception and music to welcome guests to the display of selected works by Mayor Benton, Paul Durham, Judy Dyskstra-Brown, Gloria Palazzo, Pat Apt, Cathy Chalvignac, Kiki Kaye, Jesus Lopez Vega, Antonio Lopez Vega, Isidro Xilonzochitl, Gabriel Mariscal, Polo Gutierrez and Francisco Gonzalez.

Quilt and fabric art

A one-day show of handiwork created by award-winning quilters and fabric artists will be held Saturday, November 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Paseo de las Canoas 29 in Lower La Floresta. Visitors will be able to observe the artists at work and discover how far the craft of quilting has evolved since grandma’s days. 

Contreras retrospective

Chapala artist Conrado Contreras will celebrate the 60th anniversary of his career in visual arts with a retrospective exhibit of his works in various media, opening Friday, November 8, 7 p.m. in the lobby at Chapala City Hall. A native of Mexico City, Contreras studied graphic art, architecture and theater arts prior entering the professional arena in the art department of a prestigious advertising agency in the nation’s capital. He and wife Zaida Cristina Reynoso put down permanent roots in Chapala in 1975.

Painting Guild

The Lake Chapala Painting Guild will hold an artists’ opening reception for their show “Inspired by Mexico” on Sunday, November 10,  3-5 p.m. at Gloriosa Salon.

Artists showing work are Betty Petersen, Varn, Geraldine Classen, Joan Lowndes, Lois Schroff, Cynthia Dubois, Winnie Hunt, Carol Ann Owers, Nancy Gray, Inak Gieysztor, Steve Achs, and Helen Marie K. 

Gloriosa Salon is located at Plaza Interlago 132 on the Ajijic Libramiento. To learn more about this group go to www.lakechapalapaintingguild.org.

Lakeside Little Theatre

Auditions for the upcoming play “Blood Relations” will be held at the theatre on Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9.

This play reenacts the Lizzie Borden case – did she or didn’t she?  There are parts for four women and three men.  Registration is at 9:30 a.m., and auditions will begin at 10 a.m.  The play will be on stage from January 17 through January 26, 2014.  If you wish to see a script, please contact the director Lynn Phelan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Also note that tickets (for 200 pesos) are on sale this week for the  period drama “The Heiress,” which opens on Friday, November 8.  Set in 1850, the play is adapted from the Henry James novel “Washington Square,” which was based on a true story.  The show, directed by Roseann Wilshere, runs through Sunday, November 17 (no performance on Monday, November 11).  The box office is open from 10 a.m. to noon, from Wednesday, November 6 and through the run of the show (except for the Sunday matinees), and one hour before curtain time for each performance.

Lip sync auditions

A reminder that auditions for January’s big lip sync show will be held Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Auditorio de la Ribera. Prior stage experience is not required. For additional information contact Michael McLaughling at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Maestros del Arte

Get ready for an extravaganza of Mexican folk art coming up at the 12th Annual Feria Maestros del Arte, booked for November 15 through 17 at the Club de Yates de Chapala, located on Paseo Ramon Corona at the waterfront restaurant row.   

More than 70 artists and craft cooperatives have been invited from all corners of Mexico to exhibit and sell a vast selection of top quality hand-crafted merchandise. Gates open daily at 10 a.m., with admission set at 50 pesos per person. Look for all the details at www.mexicoartshow.com and see next week’s Reporter for a feature story on the event.

Oaxaca tour

Are you interested in visiting Oaxaca’s most prominent artisans while enjoyin0g your stay in a restored colonial house in the heart of the city’s historical district?

See Luz de Malla’s presentation of its “Oaxaca: Beyond the Surface!” tour at the Hotel Real de Chapala, on Monday, November 11, 4:30 p.m. A complementary glass of wine will be served.

Luz de Malla heads to Yucatan on December 2, Chiapas on January 10 and Oaxaca on February 3. Call 766-2610 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

Proceeds from the tours help support Lake Chapala fishermen’s environmental projects.

Piano recitals

Chapala’s Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo and the University of Guadalajara School of Music co-sponsor a series of weekly piano recitals that will run through December. Musicians appearing this month in coordination with the UdG Music School are Carlos Velez, Thursday, November  7; Uriel Lopez, Thursday, November 14; Mauricio Allera Malo, Wednesday, November 20; and  Natalia Rangel, Thursday, November 28. All performances begin at 6:30 p.m., with free admission to the public.

CASA

The Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic (CASA) held its monthly meeting and competition on October 21  The categories were Ground Meats Main Dish in Category A and Three Ingredient Dessert Challenge in Category B 

Winners in Category A were Sally Myers (1st place) for her Roasted Vegetable Meatballs, Beth Cathcart (2nd place) for her Meatloaf and Bev Denton (3rd place) for her South African Bobotie. 

Winners in Category B were Joan Warren (1st place) for her Hazelnut Pudding with Frangelican Sauce, Donna Milne (2nd place) for her New Fashioned Apple Pie and Annie Green (3rd place) for her Pineapple Upside Down Cake. 

People’s choice awards went to Denton in Category A and to Milne in Category B.  Winners for best presentation were Beth Cathcart in Category A and Warren in Category B.

CASA will be offering a “Gourmet Shopping and Eating Tour” of Guadalajara on Tuesday, November 19, departing Ajijic at 9 a.m. and returning by 5 p.m.  For more information and to purchase tickets, contact 2013 President Annie Green at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

For more information on CASA, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , call Green at 766-5243, or visit the CASA website at www.ajijiccasa.org. 

The next meeting/competition for CASA will be at Min Wah Restaurant on Monday, November 11, 4 p.m.