Raef and I are up and out of the house bright and early. We're off to see the animals at the zoo before it gets too hot. At the hippos, we are treated to a rare sight. All four are out of the water and on habitat.
Hey there Pumbaa. Just kidding as I don't know the name of this warthog.
Loving the ladies today - this one has placed herself right over the water spigot.
The Monkey-Iguana: In this sculpture, the monkey symbolizes knowledge and an affinity for the arts, while the iguana characterizes an ability to adapt and persevere.
Casa Zapoteca - this house draws from the ancient artistry of the Zapotec people of Oaxaca, whose legacy lives on through intricate patterns, sacred textiles, and enduring craftsmanship. The exterior is adorned with diamond motifs inspired by traditional Zapotec weaving. Overhead, strands of marigolds shimmer like sunlight, evoking the region's vibrant festival altars.
A maze for the littles.
This jaguar-eagle hybrid creature combines two kinds of spirit animals. The artists explain: "A Zapotec legend tells that on the day you were born, a little animal came running or flying - your protector in this world. This animal is your tona, a creature with whom you share your destiny and soul. In addition to your tona, you have a nahual determined by your birth year - this creature is a spirit animal with personality traits similar to yours. Jaguars represent strength, strategy, and discipline, while eagles symbolize shrewd leadership.
Coyote-Fish - The patterns on this artwork are rich with meaning. The striking patterns painted on the surface of these sculptures symbolize different aspects of Zapotec life and culture. Each one is inspired by a design traditionally used by Indigenous Mexican artists. The patterns throughout the body of this spirit guide represent joy, fertility, and respect. The butterfly-like pattern represents joy, the eye shape symbolizes fertility, and the rounded rectangular forms signify respect.
Chiles: Spice of Life. Chiles, along with chocolate and corn, are an important cornerstone of Oaxacan cuisine. Indigenous people in the region domesticated chiles from wild chiltepin chiles more than 6,500 years ago. All modern peppers, used in cuisines across the globe, descent from their work, including bell peppers and jalapenos. In Oaxaca, the spectrum of dried chiles - like guajillos, chihuacle, and pasilla negro - are key to mole, a complex source that usually includes nuts, chocolate, tomatoes, herbs, and spices.
Armadillo-Insect. Based in Oaxaca, Mexico, the artists also operate a community workshop providing training and employment to hundreds of local artists. Their work blends to contemporary sculpture with Mesoamerican cultural traditions and patterns found in Indigenous Mexican artwork. The animals they depict have symbolic meaning. The Angeleses draw a particular inspiration from the astrological systems of the Zapotecs, an Indigenous group native to southern Mexico. Similar to zodiac signs, they associate different animals with unique traits; the armadillo represents empathy while the insect symbolizes vitality.
The Three Sisters - without Indigenous people, there would be no corn, beans, or squash. These crops were domesticated in southern Mexico at least 5,000 years ago. Indigenous Mexicans slowly modified the wild plants by choosing and replanting those with the most desirable traits for nutrition and suitability for cultivation in local growing conditions. Those farmers also developed a system of intercropping still in use today known as a milpa, growing the three crops in the same plots. The plants complement each other - corn provides a structure for climbing beans, beans supplement soil nitrogen, and squash's large leaves shade the soil, saving water and suppressing weeds.
A floral tribute to Mexico - Mexico iso ne of the richest botanical regions on Earth, with thousands of species, both rare and familiar. In fact, dozens of our favorite summer flowers have origins as wildflowers in the Mexican mountains and deserts. The list is long, including cosmos, ageratum, cannas, dahlias, glove amaranth, salvia, marigolds, and morning glories. Many have traditional uses as dye, medicine, or in celebrations like Dia de los Muertos.
Casa de Saltillo - this house pays tribute to the artisanal tilework of Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila in northern Mexico. Known for its warm red clay floors, Saltillo tile reflects a blend of Indigenous, Spanish, and regional influences. To recreate the look of these iconic tiles, we've used red warty pumpkins, paired with accents of Talavera-style ceramics - a decorative tradition that began in Puebla, Mexico, using techniques brought from Spain and blended with local artistry. Serape-inspired fabrics add vibrant woven patterns that reflect the creative spirit of northern Mexico. Together, these elements form a joyful tapestry of texture, craftsmanship, and cultural exchange.
Deer-Butterfly - This sculpture is inspired by the astrology of the Mesoamerican Zapotecs. Similar to the astrology that you might know from your own horoscope, Zapotec astrology features animals associated with birth dates. These animals can by symbolic of personality traits, but they are also believed to share a destiny and soul with their human counterparts. The creature it depicts is a hybrid of two different animals. Each of these animals draws on the symbolism of the Zapotec astrological calendar - the deer represents agility and energy, while the butterfly represents hope and optimism.
Crane - The striking colors of these sculptures hold their own symbolic meaning. Inspired by Indigenous Mesoamerican cosmology, orange represents the earthly world guided by the jaguar, black represents the underworld guarded by the serpent, and red signifies the spiritual world governed by the eagle. Traditionally, colors like these were drawn from the earth. These sculptures are painted with acrylic paint to withstand the elements, but the artists also use natural pigments they create themselves. Used by Zapotec and other Indigenous Mexican artists, traditional paints are made from plants and other natural sources including copal trees, indigo plants, pomegranates, and cochineal insects.
Well, that was Mundo Mexcio - now to just wander the gardens a bit.
Still beautiful roses.
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