The Guadalajara Reporter

Ribera arts review - December 27, 2013

Tickets for the ever-popular Lip Sync Show to support on-going renovations at the Auditorio de la Ribera will be going on sale as of Thursday, January 2. The price is set at 200 pesos for center section seating, plus a glass of wine or beer, or 150 pesos for a spot in the side sections without a beverage. 

Tickes outlets in Ajijic are Diane Pearl Colecciones, Ocampo at Colon; the Lake Chapala Society and the auditorium foyer box office. Performance dates are January 7, 8 and 9, 7 p.m. and January 10, 4 p.m.

Producer Michael McLaughlin has put together an international cast of local amateurs to recreate songs and dances featuring new and old hits by big-name performers such as  James Taylor, The Mamas and the Papas, Led Zeppelin, Adele, Shakira and Ricky Martin, plus some side-splitting numbers from the irreverent Monty Python musical Spamalot. It’s a fun show you won’t want to miss.

Lopez Vega & son

Jesus Lopez Vega will open a new showing of his art work on Saturday, January 4, 4-8 p.m., in the second floor Sala II exhibit area of the Centro Cultural de Ajijic. The collection of oils, acrylics and etchings is titled Atavismos Oníricos (Dream Atavisms).  His son Jesús Eduardo López García will be beside him with Expresiones Graficas, a selection of ten mixed-media pieces. Guests are welcome to drop by to enjoy cocktails and live music as they peruse the exhibit.

Top-notch painters 

Also opening at the Centro Cultural de Ajijic on January 4, 4-6 p.m., is the juried show by members of the Lake Chapala Painting Guild.  The exhibit New Work will showcase the fine artistry of Steve Achs, Geraldine Classen, Cynthia deBois, Ina Gleysztor, Nancy Gray, Winnie Hunt, Helen Marie Krustev, Anita Lee, Maryann Linhart, Carol Ann Owers, Betty Petersen, Lois Schroff and Varn.

To join the Guild and view examples of paintings by the members, please see www.LakeChapalaPaintingGuild.org.

ASA

The Ajijic Society of the Arts holds its first meeting of 2014 on Monday, January 6, at La Bodega Restaurant in Ajijic (16 de Septiembre 124). The business meeting starts at 10  a.m. and the presentation begins at 10:30 a.m.

The presentation will be given by Nancy Greenheart, who will discuss research for regional and cultural subjects, and demonstrate a painting in progress.

Adobe workshops                                             

Adobe Studio, located in Riberas del Pilar, will kick off the new year with a series of art workshops. Basketry classes conducted by Jan Steinbright will begin Wednesday, January 8 and run four consecutive weeks, 10 a.m. to noon. She will also teach a course on coiled yarn jewelry, to be held on Thursdays, January 9 through 30, 1-3 p.m.

Brad Mowers will offer instruction on paper-making from discarded paper scraps, banana leaves, flowers and leaves on Friday and Saturday, January 24 and 25, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Steve Weckel is lined up for clay classes starting in February.

Class size is limited for all of the workshops. For information of costs, registrations and other details contact Jan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Artists go online

A dozen of lakeside’s best known artists have joined forces to promote their work on the Internet.  The new website http://artistasdellago.mex.tl/ features an introduction, gallery addresses and contact information for Cathy Chalvignac, Verónica Cardoso, María Di Paola Blum, Xulia Xill Fessenden, Estela Hidalgo, Kiki Kaye, Luz Preciado, Lori Truly, Antonio Lopez Vega, Jesus Lopez Vega, Miguel Mora and Isidro Xilonzochitl.

A sampling of their works also appears on the 2014 Artistas del Lago calendar, now on sale at the Centro Cultural de Ajijic gift shop and various other commercial locations. A cut of the 130-peso calendar price goes toward the Niños Incapacitados del Lago program for disabled children.

Viva la Música events

Viva la Música Viva  opens its 2014 calendar of events with the annual general meeting and membership gala scheduled for Sunday, January 19 at the Ajijic home of Tony and Roseann Wilshere. The meeting starts at 3 p.m., followed by the party, with guitarist Ernesto Carrasco, a brilliant Viva scholarship winner, providing the musical entertainment for the champagne and hors d’oeuvres affair.

After several program changes, the first public event will be Three Sopranos, a performance featuring the outstanding voices of Dolores Moreno, Berenice Barragan and Viviana Baez, all from Guadalajara, to be presented Thursday, January 23, 6 p.m. at the Auditorio de la Ribera. The program Ethereal Sounds will incorporate selections from religious music, opera, zarzuela and Mexican classics. Tickets priced at 200 pesos per person are available at Diane Pearl Colecciones and the auditorium box office, as well as the Lake Chapala Society on Thursdays and Fridays only, 10 a.m. to noon.

CASA

The Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic (CASA) held its annual holiday party and monthly competition on December 16 at the beautiful home of Peter and Candace Luciano.  The categories were Botanas in Category A and Holiday Desserts in Category B.

Winners in Category A were: Diane Pretti (first place) for her Savory Cheesecake, Sally Myers (second place) for her Holiday Seafood Terrine and Beth Cathcart (third place) for her Phylo Cranberry Puffs with Cranberry Relish. 

Winners in Category B were: Candace Luciano (first place) for her Lane Cake, Rick Feldmann (second place)vfor his Christmas Pumpkin Roll and Judith Greenberg (third place) for her Raspberry Hazelnut Torte.  People’s Choice awards went to Sally Myers in Category A and to Margaret Ancira for her Holiday Pecan Cobbler in Category B.  Winners for best presentation were Diane Pretti in Category A and Candace Luciano in Category B.

For more information on CASA  email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Annie at 766-5243.  The next meeting/competition will be at Min Wah Restaurant on Monday, January 20, 4 p.m.  Also visit the CASA website at www.ajijiccasa.org.