New Directions 2008 is a totally new approach for Henry.

No more watercolors; she is painting in oil and acrylic. The colors almost explode off the canvases in abstracts full of motion and space. The collection also includes a series of monotypes with a playful suite of tango shoes.

Pat Henry invites all to visit her studio on June 6th (6:00 – 9:30pm) at Jacarandas 183 in Zona Romantica to see New Directions 2008, a show of her new work. June 6th from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at 183 Jacarandas – Zona Romantica. For information: 222-4119

After June 20th the studio will open by appointment.

Puerto Vallarta artist Pat Henry sailed into Marina Vallarta on her 31’ sailboat eleven years ago this week and decided to stay. After traveling 40,000 miles alone and visiting 40 countries, with the natural beauty of the Bay, the charm of the old town, the local art scene, and the incredibly friendly people, she chose PV for her home.

Henry continued painting the watercolor scenes that had paid her way around the world… markets, old buildings, and daily life from along her route.

Throughout the years of Henry’s voyage (’89 – ’97), each time she put down her brushes to sail across another ocean or to repair and do the numerous maintenance jobs on board an active sailboat, she vowed to become more free with her painting… to loosen up and let the paint fly.

And each time she began painting again, her work became even more precise. Her watercolors were well known for the attention to detail and the feeling of being drawn into the scene. Not realism, but realistic and full of color.

In 1999, she took a painting sabbatical to write the story of her adventure and the inner journey that ensued, By the Grace of the Sea: A Woman’s Solo Odyssey Around the World (McGraw Hill/International Marine) was published in 2002.

With many projects and interests over the following years… a book tour and speaking engagements, the John Huston Homage, Coming About… the women’s sailing school she launched, helping to bring the Wallace Method to Puerto Vallarta, and her involvement in TangoVallarta… it took a long time for Henry to find her way back to painting. But she has.

WEBSITE: http://pat-henry.mexican-gold.com/index.php3

Puerto Vallarta Chefs Pay Tribute to San Pascual Bailón

On Saturday May 31st, Puerto Vallarta’s culinary professionals will erect a monument to San Pascual Bailón on the new section of the Malecón near Vitea Ocean Front Bistro.

Puerto Vallarta’s culinary professionals will erect a monument to San Pascual Bailón, the patron saint of cooks in Mexico, on Saturday May 31, 2008 at 7 pm.

This majestic work of art was created by renowned Mexican sculptor Ramiz Barquet, whose numerous works embellish the surroundings of Puerto Vallarta’s historic quarters.

The inauguration of this monument will be followed by a fundraising dinner at Vitea Oceanfront Bistro organized by four restaurants – Trio, River Café, Los Xitomates, and Café des Artistes – with proceeds going towards the payment of this sculpture.

The monument will occupy the esplanade of famous national chefs, and plaques with the names of acclaimed chefs will be placed around it. Award winners will be selected by a special committee led by Mr. Ulrich Schwartz, one of the monument’s sponsors, and a select group of well known Mexican culinary celebrities.

This award will be presented during the annual International Gourmet Festival as one of the highlights of the world renowned culinary extravaganza.

This monument will offer greater relevance to the great symbol of Mexico’s culinary heritage in order to “celebrate it with the effusiveness that it deserves.”

Municipal authorities, as well as authorities from Jalisco state and the federal government, National and local media will also be in attendance at the inaguration ceremony highlighting the importance of this event.

Puerto Vallarta owes much of its great success to the high quality and variety of its gastronomy, which constitutes one of the destination’s fundamental pillars and sets it apart from competing destinations.

Fine gastronomy has also earned Puerto Vallarta the title of “Mexico’s Culinary Capital” after Mexico City, whose massive proportions can’t be compared with our destination. It is worth mentioning however, that even in Latin America’s great metropolis the gastronomy of this charming Jalisco town is well known.

The First Puerto Vallarta Contemporary Art Festival, Arte Contemporáneao, will begin this coming Wednesday, May 28th and run through Sunday, June 1st.

We need volunteers for a variety of jobs: handing out programs, making sure people don’t bring food and drinks into the galleries, assisting with seating and other logistics at the panel discussions, hanging posters, etc.

If you’d like to be involved, please contact Valeria Moeller via email: valeriamoeller at gmail dot com.

For more info on the festival, please visit the website at: http://www.pvartecontemporaneo.com/

JEROME MURAT will perform at the Los Arcos Amphitheater on Saturday, May 3 at 9pm. I hate mimes (editorial opinion…), but this guy is spectacular. Free.

Be there on time because the show lasts only 12 minutes (well really, how long can even a spectacular mime show be?).

[youtube 6-p7bPdCjj0 Jerome Murat]

Thursday, April 17 at 10 am in the Presidencia Square there will be a city-sponsored celebration of the birth of Manuel Lepe, Puerto Vallarta’s most famous artist, beginning, in Vallarta, the “Naif” school of painting.

Other events of the day include at 6pm the Pro-Dance troop of Profra. Deborah Bravo at the Los Arcos Amphitheater and at 8pm the Youth Orchestra of the Cuale Cultural Center led by Prof. Antonio Jerezano.

“Puerto Vallarta is a Paradise”, Manuel Lepe responded, when asked during an interview why he always painted angels in the skies… and why do angels fly in planes? “Because the angels are tired and it is fun”. Manuel Lepe was in love with Vallarta simple, human, charitable, and moreover he never lost the exuberant innocence of childhood. These sentiments are expressed in his ingenuous painting of Puerto Vallarta. His reputation as a painter extends beyond Mexico to the United States and Europe. Manuel was declared “National Painter of Mexico” by a former Mexican President Luis Echeverria.