March 2009 - Women In Art

Belize is celebrating Women's Month 2009 with several activities in all the districts. The Institute of Mexico and the National Institute of Culture and History presented the Exhibition “Women in Art”, a magnificent collection of Belizean Women artistic creations, about 30 women participated in this exhibit. This was considered one of the most important projects of the Institute of Mexico for the past three years. “Women in Art” was be inaugurated at the Institute of Mexico on March 11th at 7:00pm and will be opened to the public until April 2nd, 2009.

At the Art Show
A section of Art from LOLA, the artist

Women in the Exhibit

Proshka Photography

Gilvano Swasey, the curator of the show & fellow Artists

EXERT FROM THE AMANDALA NEWSPAPER
The Mexican Institute in Belize City plays host to an impressive exhibit of the works of Belizean women artists whose creations are being showcased in the Women in Art Exhibit, organized by the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) as a part of Women’s Month 2009.

“Women and art, whether we look at these two words individually or collectively, have always been undervalued, underappreciated, and quite often misunderstood. When we think of female artists in Belize, the names Rachel Heusner and Carolyn Carr, to many are perhaps the only names that come to mind,” said Icilda Humes, Director of the Women’s Department, in the keynote address. “...there has not been enough done to feature the work and talent of women who perhaps have not been able to reach the stature of prominence as others.” Humes said that it has been a while since such a showcase of women’s art has been organized, and she applauded NICH for resurrecting exhibition as a part of Women’s Month 2009.

The event is the first highlight of a month of activities being spearheaded through the collaborative partnership of the Women’s Department, the National Women’s commission, the Women’s Issues Network and NICH. Mexican Ambassador, Luis Manuel Lopez Moreno, gave the welcome remarks, which was followed by a video montage of Belizean artists and their works.

Poet Angela Gegg recited two pieces: Baby Mama, Baby Drama; and You Are the Bain of My Existence.
Tanya Carter treated the audience to a live performance of her hit song, Show Me. I followed with my latest composition, a poem titled, Ballad of a Belizean Woman. After the performances, NICH president, Diane Haylock, gave the vote of thanks, and expressed her appreciation to all the people who contributed to making the event a success, especially the many women artists, and curator, Gilvano Swasey.

Haylock also welcomed home Belizean writer, Zoila Ellis, based in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and her husband, Mike Brown, Minister of National Mobilization in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. After the formalities, the ribbon was cut for the opening of a three-part, audio-visual exhibit featuring the works of an array of women artists, including digital photography works of Mrs. Myrtle Palacio, Carolyn Carr, Winsom Winsom, Nashanda Higinio, Mary Sabal, Ingrid Cayetano, and much more. Some highlights are Sabal’s ethnic and folkloric dolls, Cayetano’s fine needlework, and Higinio’s rich oil paintings.

Belizeans are invited to see the exhibit, which runs through to April 2.

NICH has organized two activities for Women’s Month. Apart from tonight’s exhibit, NICH is also presenting the grand Women in Art Showcase at the Bliss on Friday, March 27, featuring performing artist, Billie Jean Young, the first Black graduate of Judson College in Marion, Alabama, USA, performing Three Women Talking.
Belizean artists featured on the line-up are the Belize Dance Company, Samantha Smith, Tanya Carter, Angela Gegg and Adele Ramos.

http://www.amandala.com.bz/index.php?id=8288

WATCH MY PERFORMANCE AT THE SHOW BELOW:







WOMEN IN ART EXHIBIT BELOW:






Amazing Stingray Migration in the Gulf of Mexico

Looking like giant leaves floating in the sea, thousands of Golden Rays are seen here gathering off the coast of Mexico .The spectacular scene was captured as the magnificent creatures made one of their biannual mass migrations to more agreeable waters.

Gliding silently beneath the waves, they turned vast areas of blue water to gold off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula . Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, stumbled across the phenomenon while looking for whale sharks. She said: 'It was an unreal image, very difficult to describe. The surface of the water was covered by warm and different shades of gold and looked like a bed of autumn leaves gently moved by the wind.

'We were surrounded by them without seeing the edge of the school and we could see many under the water surface too. I feel very fortunate I was there in the right place at the right time to experience nature at its best'
Measuring up to 7ft (2.1 meters) from wing-tip to wing-tip, Golden rays are also more prosaically known as cow nose rays.
They have long, pointed pectoral fins that separate into two lobes in front of their high-domed heads and give them a cow-like appearance. Despite having poisonous stingers, they are known to be shy and non-threatening when in large schools.
The population in the Gulf of Mexico migrates, in schools of as many as 10,000, clockwise from western Florida to the Yucatan
'It's hard to say exactly how many there were, but in the range of a few thousand'

PROSHKA ART...






Here, you can learn about Proshka the Artist, Angela Gegg. You can view her paintings and her writings and her artistic vision. You can view news links and press articles written about her works, exhibits and accomplishments in the Art Industry, on a local, regional, and international level.

Sex Sells, but Smoking Marijuana Kills ur Brain Cells

SEX SELLS. BUT
SMOKING MARIJUANA
KILLS UR BRAIN CELLS

I think I need to stop
Think about those things
Those things
that make my heart swing
Swing swing swing
from the tree tops
Those times it makes
my heart stop
KABOOM...
Hardle ever do I see,
believe
I feel, lust,
thrust, love
And all those other things.
Endurance..
Its all I need, no speed,
no need For coffee
Just SEX
because SEX SELLS
and Smoking marijuana
kills ur brain cells
DONT STOP DONT STOP
My heart goes flip flop..
SEX SELLS
BUT SMOKING MARIJUANA
KILLS UR BRAIN CELLS
~~~
new poetry from Proshka the artist..
All images, photos and video by ME
Muahhhh....
***
OH and by the way, Im smoking a CIGAR... zoom in babies ;-)

Scientists have discovered more than 1,000 species in Southeast Asia's Greater Mekong region

BANGKOK (AFP) – Scientists have discovered more than 1,000 species in Southeast Asia's Greater Mekong region in the past decade, including a spider as big as a dinner plate, the World Wildlife Fund said Monday.

A rat thought to have become extinct 11 million years ago and a cyanide-laced, shocking pink millipede were among creatures found in what the group called a "biological treasure trove".

The species were all found in the rainforests and wetlands along the Mekong River, which flows through Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the southern Chinese province of Yunnan.

"It doesn't get any better than this," Stuart Chapman, director of WWF's Greater Mekong Programme, was quoted as saying in a statement by the group.

"We thought discoveries of this scale were confined to the history books."

The WWF report, "First Contact in the Greater Mekong", said that "between 1997 and 2007, at least 1,068 have been officially described by science as being newly discovered species."

These included the world's largest huntsman spider, with a leg span of 30 centimetres (11.8 inches), and the "startlingly" coloured "dragon millipede", which produces the deadly compound cyanide.


Not all species were found hiding in remote jungles -- the Laotian rock rat, which the study said was thought to be extinct about 11 million years ago, was first encountered by scientists in a local food market in 2005, it said.

One species of pitviper was first noted by scientists after it was found in the rafters of a restaurant at the headquarters of Thailand's Khao Yai national park in 2001.

"This region is like what I read about as a child in the stories of Charles Darwin," said Dr Thomas Ziegler, curator at the Cologne Zoo, who was involved in the research.

"It is a great feeling being in an unexplored area and to document its biodiversity for the first time both enigmatic and beautiful," he said.

The new species highlighted in the report include 519 plants, 279 fish, 88 frogs, 88 spiders, 46 lizards, 22 snakes, 15 mammals, four birds, four turtles, two salamanders and a toad -- an average of two previously undiscovered species a week for the past 10 years.

The report warned, however, that many of the species could be at risk from development, and called for a cross-border agreement between the countries in the Greater Mekong area to protect it.

YAHOO NEWS!!!

Little Fluffy Clouds ~ Photography

THE MEXICAN WINE INDUSTRY

The Mexican wines industry has centuries of roots, when the Spanish conquered our land and brought their vines to the new world, but when the high quality of the wines produced in this far lands reached the ears of the King in Spain, fearing a competition from the colonies in America, the King decreed a prohibition to harvest grapes and produce wine, except for those wineries that were producing wines for the Church. This prohibition went on until México became independent from Spain in 1810.
The development of the industry was interrupted by laws, revolutions and crisis that delayed it for many many years. Now we are on the road again, still a long long road to learn ahead, but we are doing it pretty well.

Where can we position the wine industry in México? Really hard to tell, because there are many factors involved: private inversion, quality, accessibility, sustainability, diversity, high taxes, small productions and permits and a tremendous price competition compared to the wines of foreign countries.

It is a fact that there is a demand of a more interested and exigent consumer, but also a fast growing crowd of new consumers in México; young people without prejudgments and a palate that is not used or biased to a certain type of wine.

All this gives the Oenologists a freedom that has enriched the wine offer in México.
México does not have a “signature” vine like Australia and their Shiraz, Argentina and their Malbec, Chile and it´s Carmenere or South Africa and its´Pinotage.
México has more than one outstanding grape and not one, but many micro-climates and soils.

Diverse wines, diverse styles; just as the diversity of wineries and the interpretation of their oenologists. Each with it´s own philosophy, it´s own project, it´s own formula, it´s very particular understanding of the terroir, the vine, their dreams and themselves.
Each one driving it´s own oenologic project depending on the understanding of their client, or their own passion and personality.

Good valleys, good soils, weather diversity, a growing demand and a complete freedom of expression. This is the still fragile but fast growing wine industry in México!


The wineries in México can be divided it in 4 categories:

The Big classic Wineries
A group of big traditional wineries with a very classic philosophy, keeping the prototype of European viticulture of classic European vines and classic European process in caves full of French Barrels.
They have all ranges of wines: basic, medium, premium and super-premium.
To name some of them: Santo Tomás, Monte Xanic, Casa Madero, LA Cetto, Domecq and Freixenet de México.


The incubators
Wineries started by Chemists and Enologists coming from big wineries, using their experience and will to start new projects. Their philosophy is to make good wines in small ammounts and support the dreams of many people that want to produce wines.
We can name some of them like “Sinergi” from José Luis Durand, “La Escuelita” from Hugo D´Acosta or “Cavas Valmar” from Fernando Martain.

The Boutique Wineries
This wineries have their our vineyard and the viticulture is completelly manual, the wine is made and aged in the same winery to control the quality. They have the newest technology, an in house lab, their own resources and very high international standards. They usually have 2 or more labels and they intend to have continuity.
In Ensenada we have more than 25 boutique wineries.


The Artisan Wineries
Many new projects are being born and contrary to the boutique ones, their process does not have strict quality controls and they may not have a continuity project, they are “home made” wines.
Some will become boutique wineries in the future, some are made only for personal joy and some will go as fast as they started.


What i can say… to look at the Mexican wine industry amazes me, understanding what passion can do, how far we can go in the future, how much we learned so far and how much we still have to learn. Marvelous dont you think? Salud….y Viva México!!


Parts of this message are from: “Guia de Viñedos de México” “Where is the Mexican Wine” by Sandra Fernández Gaytan.

TEK IT OR LEAVE IT - Channel 5 Belize!

Want to win big money?
How about $5,000.00 cash?
Then weve got the game for you.
Tek it or Leave it!

Channel 5s new game show, hosted by Angela Gegg, will offer you the chance to win up to $5,000.00 in cash every Wednesday night!

Contestants on Tek It or Leave It will pick a mystery amount at the beginning of the game and then decide whether to take a cash buyout offered by the banker or continue playing in hopes of winning $5,000.00 in cash! Contestants, 18 years or older, will be selected from the live audience.

So, be part of our audience every Wednesday night @ 8:30pm, starting November 26th and you can be one of our contestants to could walk away with $5,000.00 cash!

Tickets to Tek It or Leave It recording sessions are available at Channel 5 for $5.00.

For more information on Tek It or Leave It give Channel 5 a call at 227-3146 or visit our website at www.channel5belize.com.

Tek It or Leave It, the game show where you can win up to $5,000.00 weekly!

Tek it or Leave it - Channel 5