Originally published in the San Antonio Current. You don’t have to look far to see Frida Kahlo’s signature brows stitched across a tote bag, dangling from earrings or painted on a prayer candle like the Virgin De Guadalupe. These days, it seems that there is something pressingly important about the commercial urgency to reproduce her…
A Look Inside Southtown’s Frida Kahlo-Inspired Casa Azul de Andrea
I have a confession to make, y’all. When I was finishing my undergraduate degree, I was offered an amazing opportunity for a full partnership in a little restaurant — total creative control and no financial investment necessary, just my kitchen prowess and my hard work. The space was available and the partnership was with an…
Humor and Heritage Artfully Collide in VeryThat
There are people who see beauty in the world, and there are people who make beauty in the world. Cristina Martinez, founder of VeryThat and all-around badass Chicana, does both. I first met Martinez in early 2014 at an art market on South Flores Street. Among a crowd of crafty vendors selling everything from artisanal…
On Main Hosting Frida Look-Alike Contest, Birthday Bazaar
On Main Off Main, Monte Vista’s popular gift store, is hosting a Frida Kahlo Birthday Party and Bazaar at its store on July 9. Frida Kahlo de Rivera, born Magdalena Carmen Frieda Kahlo y Calderón, was a Mexican painter known for her self-portraits. Her image has become iconic in popular culture. On Main’s event will…
The Witty World of Franco Mondini-Ruiz
A Quick Biographical Rundown Franco Mondini-Ruiz was born in 1961. He grew up in conservative, white Boerne, Texas. His father is a rakish and artistic immigrant from Italy who grew up during the Mussolini regime. His mother is Mexican-American and the daughter of a severe Spaniard, and she occasionally posed for Franco’s father’s paintings. Franco…