As you might imagine, it’s a lot warmer here than in Colorado. When we arrived yesterday, the first thing I felt was the sunshine. Being able to walk around outside in shorts and a tank top is a blessing in itself.
A greater blessing by far has been the kindness of people here. This afternoon we went to Donna Billick’s home and art studio, where we were surrounded by mosaics full of color. A trumpet bush hung low above me as I gazed into the patterns on one wall. When Donna explained how the artwork had come together, I felt even more excited. The mosaics were made by a group of people, who were given no rules on how to add to the wall. I loved seeing how the collaboration had worked so well. Looking into the broken tiles and glass, I noticed a face embedded in the design. After that, my eyes naturally followed the face to the neck and shoulders and found a whole body in the artwork. The mosaic came alive, and it was beautiful.
Walking around Donna’s studio, I felt so full of life. I haven’t been out of the country in a long time, and the whole feeling of a new place made me appreciate people in another way. The abundance of art in Todos Santos has helped me rediscover how important creativity is in every aspect of life. She talked with us about how art and science go hand in hand, and how they don’t need to be separated.
At Donna’s, it wasn’t only the artwork that intrigued me. As we stepped out onto the roof of her home, palm trees stretch out for miles, and we could see the surrounding town. The courtyard below was full of plants and workspaces, and even these two things seemed to be working together. Collaboration, of people and their skill sets, is what has brought us to where we are today. Seeing this togetherness in town reinforced my interest in design. I am planning on studying landscape architecture next year, and this experience has sparked my interest again.
Tara