Over the Holidays I had the pleasure of escaping my wet, gray,
west coast winter for a brief getaway in sunny Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  I left Penny, my recently adopted
Wirehaired Dachshund in the loving care of my daughter. Although I was
gone for just one week and kept busy with the usual things tourists do on vacation,
my thoughts constantly drifted back to my dog and I soon found myself counting down
the days until I would see her again. Clearly this little bundle of fur has
stolen my heart! I took solace in the many dogs I met in Puerto Vallarta. Here
are some photos I took while there:

Warm, sunny beaches and blue, blue water… you can’t help but relax and unwind.

 

Lunching on delicious fish tacos at Si Senor, I was kept amused
by an adorable French Bulldog on his roof-top perch across the street from us.

There were loads of dogs lounging with their families on the beaches or simply grabbing a sunny spot on the sidewalk to relax and snooze, like this sweet Chihauhau.

Every tourist needs to shop and fine jewelry is in abundance here… the difficult part is making a decision. Many of the shops we visited had a dog (or two) as mascots as did Cassandra Shaw Jewelry. Pictured below is Bean, proudly modelling one of their hand crafted necklaces.

I stopped by an art gallery and found these whimsical dog-themed
sculptures made by artist, Patricia Gawle, the clay she’s sourced herself from the hills
surrounding PV. They can be used as urns as the heads come off and ashes or memorabilia
can be stored inside. 

Here is the artist, Patricia preparing the clay:

A Bull Terrier is being readied for the kiln…

Here is the finished piece:

A rewarding aspect of travelling is getting the opportunity to step outside your regular 9-5 lifestyle, meet new people and see how others live and enjoy life. Yes, there are alternatives!! Patricia, born in the US, told me how she came to live here. Here’s her story in her own words:

"In the U.S. I know where
clay comes from… The Ceramic Supply Store… it comes in a plastic bag, ready
to use in a variety of colors, textures and ranges of firing temperatures. 
In Mexico, not so. I was told to look under my feet.  It took me months of
investigation and aggravation to finally believe it… but, if I really wanted
to work in clay, that was what I was going to have to do. 

 Little did I know that
this quest for clay would change my life… it would lead me on one of the most
educational, enriching and inspiring artistic journeys of my life.

 In El Tuito, just an
hour south of Puerto Vallarta, I found more than clay… I found a home, a
family, a magical town.  I found joy and the artistic inspiration to
re-create a new way of living my life.

 Most of the clay I dig comes from either the side of the road or private
property where we pay a small fee to come and dig with a pick axe, a few flour
sacks full… I have not yet found moist clay by the riverside ready for
use.  Along with digging the clay, we also go to a dry river bed and
collect washed river sand to add to the clay to make it more resistant to
breakage during firing and less sticky so that it can be formed and hold
form.  We crush and sift both ingredients by hand – about 2/3 clay and 1/3
or less sand.  We then mix with water and wedge (or knead, in baking
terms).  This is now the clay that I use to create my work. The pieces are
then fired either in the wood burning traditional kiln in El Tuito or my
electric kiln in Puerto Vallarta depending on the desired end result. I
am ever so grateful to not have found clay to buy in the store and to have
had the opportunity to dig for clay in Mexico."

 For more
information on Patricia Gawle click here.