Bird Levy Strain

I have been promoting artists and their works since 2007 when I retired from the private sector, a law firm in San Francisco. I worked there for the last 17 years of my administration career. I had already started working with artists even before I retired, my first client was Native American painter, Rabbett Strickland, a childhood friend whose works I admired and I pretty much taught myself how to market his work and working with Non profit organizations promoting his work. Today, he enjoys a very successful career, has had major Museum exhibits, write up and even a PBS program about his career and life.

That started me on a great adventure and I began to represent more artists, mostly Indigenous artists, doing exhibits in my community and beyond.

In this exhibit I have the pleasure and great honor to represent six wonderful artists who I have worked with for many years. Francisco Franco, Emily Costello, Pamela Enriquez, Pinchi Michi (Michelle Taylor), Shawn Griggs and Heather Calderon.

If you would like any information on these artists, please contact me at 415-577-4649, I am happy to answer any questions or email you a bio on any of them.

Thank you for coming to our exhibit, always grateful for the support!!

Día de los Muertos Remembering Loved Ones

Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is a cultural celebration of life and death. While the holiday predominates in Mexico, it is celebrated throughout Latin America.

Day of the Dead is a blend of Mesoamerican rituals with European Catholic traditions. However, the 3 thousand year old celebration speaks strongly to the indigenous world view that life and death are equal halves of a whole, that death completes life. This period also marks the completion of the annual cycle of cultivation of maize, a life sustaining element.

The festivities take place each year on November 1 or All Saints Day, a time to remember children and infants who have passed and November 2 or All Souls Day. Día de los Muertos is a time to commemorate the transitory return to earth of deceased relatives and loved ones.

To facilitate the return, marigold flower petals are scattered along the paths leading from the cemetery to homes. Deceased’s favorite dishes are prepared and placed on home ofrendas (altars) and at grave sites alongside flowers, photographs, sugar candy skulls, pan de muerto (bread), candles, playful folk art calaveras (skulls), and calacas (skeletons). Great care and respect is taken with all aspects of the preparations, for it is a time to honor ancestors.

Today, the observance of Día de los Muertos has grown beyond Mexico to include the United States and communities around the world. Contemporary festivities are joyous with music, processions, art exhibitions and holiday crafts and foods. In 2008, UNESCO proclaimed Mexico’s Day of the Dead an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Regards,

Bird Levy