My Afternoon with Nat Moraga
What is this, day five of no rain? The humidity has been negligible and average hot temps for September. I will have to water my garden today, a first in 30 Vallarta summers. And no hurricanes, for which I am endlessly grateful; wouldn’t it be lovely if that continued straight into winter? Keep the good vibes going, Vallarta!
I spent a delightful couple of hours yesterday with one of our city’s most competent and inspiring artists, Nat Moraga. I interviewed her for the Vallarta Tribune five or six years ago, just as she embarked upon mosaic-ing Parque Lazaro Cardenas in the Romantic Zone/Gayborhood. It was a massive endeavor that resulted in a public space oozing bright, spectacular colors that always offers somebody passing by a restful place to sit and reflect on the reflections all around.
Nat held small workshops (my sister took two!) that helped fund the project and created god-knows-how-many aspiring mosaic artists from all over the world. It was a delight to walk through while it was being glammed up and continues to draw oohs and aaahs, especially at night when mirrored bits catch any light and give it back like teeny captured stars. It is fantastic.
When her contract with the city was finished this Spring, she took a long overdue break, got married, took a cruise to Alaska, and spent time in Mexican wine country with her extended family. And now she is back with plans bigger than Parque Lazaro Cardenas that she could likely spend the rest of her life building.
Nat will build a sculpture park in El Nogalito about ten minutes south of her current sparkly legacy. The scope is in lofty realms a la Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi – to build an interactive sculpture park with classes (free for kids) and ongoing immersive monumental additions as land is acquired along the river.
Plans need to be merged and put on paper; Natasha is now in that convoluted process. She has spent months studying various sculpting techniques that will help her shape her vision and will add one more “must-see” attraction to Puerto Vallarta. Keep your eyes here for volunteer info and the groundbreaking ceremony. Onward and upward, Nat.