Don't Call Him Picasso

When Pablo and I go to the ruins together, I always take my notebook. He takes pad, paper and his congo drum (and his whistles sometimes). We sit on top of a ruin and look out in wonderment, trying to imagine the every day life of the people who once inhabited the site. As I sit there writing for hours, Pablo will draw or play music. He drew some fantastic sketches at Tikal in Guatemala. Those works of art are in pencil. He also designed and painted the full-sized palm tree on the wall of 'the office'. He's got talent! He's got rythym! Who could ask for anything more? Where'd that come from? It could be that an ancient musical era was awakened in the depths of my brain today as I sit here writing and waiting and waiting for photos to upload. Today Carmen is cleaning, Pablo is painting, I am writing, and we have the radio tuned in to what seems to be hits of the 50's (in Mexico!). I digress.

We take lots of photos when we go to the ruins. Pablo printed a copy of this temple at Kabah. His vision of it is with the Ceiba tree coming up through the clouds and leading to EL FIRMAMENTO.

Here's the artist at work, who's decided to use his middle name Francisco on his paintings, so that people don't jokingly call him Pablo Picasso. It is the first thing we all want to say. But he doesn't want that for two reasons. One is he doesn't want to insult Pablo Picasso, and the other is, he might think you are making fun of him. So Francisco Chavez it is!

This is Francisco Chavez' first painting. He sold it within a week.


I remember the first month Pablo and I were together he talked about painting Pakal, one of the most famous kings of Palenque. When he finished his Path to the Firmamento...he started working on Pakal.

And here is the finished Pakal in front of a temple at Palenque.

There are a few weak spots that need honing. He is using old canvas. Frame making is the big issue. (This big band music is getting to me. I am waiting for Benji and Heidi to jitterbug on in here.) We don't have the right wood, tools, or the patience to make the frames quite right. It's a live and learn experience. Aren't they all?

This is a massive painting he is working on, taken from a mural at the ruins of Bonampak.

This is the painting in its ALMOST completed form. Perhaps you note the canvas stretching issue I was talking about. We can fix it! It is a great work of art.

He already has a start on his next project, Chac Mool. I hope I can remember to post a picture of it when it is completed.

I respect a person who can draw. My drawing abilities are very limited. I am a creative person, and I am drawn to other creative people. I think Pablo has a lot of talent here and I encourage him to keep on painting.