Loreta Ragnel Villasenor is a Mural artist from Ashland’s Sister-City, Guanajuato, Mexico. Her mural, “Las Calles de Guanajuato”, is located at the entrance to Lithia Artisans Market of Ashland, Oregon on Calle Guanajuato.
Happy 4th of July! We are open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. 53 artisans will be showing over the course of the weekend, our largest market to date. This weekend you will find hand-forged silver and copper jewelry, pottery, hats, up-cycled clothing, leather work, photography, fine art, woodwork, carved stones, and much more. I am super honored to be the manager of this creative guild of artists. Everywhere you turn on Calle Guanajuato you are witnessing art in action. The folks selling their wares are the same folks who make it. Artisans of the region and beyond make our market unique. This juried art market is a testament to years of experience and the quality shows.
This was the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the newly unveiled mural titled “Las Calles de Guanajuato” at the entrance to the Lithia Artisans Market of Ashland, Oregon(LAMA).
This past week we witnessed the culmination of months of work with the dedication of the City of Ashland’s newest piece of public art. The newly unveiled mural on the wall at the top of Calle Guanajuato, the entrance to our market, is a wonderfully colorful, whimsical depiction of the streets and main landmarks of Ashland’s sister-city, Guanajuato, Mexico. The mural is titled “Las Calles de Guanajuato” (The Streets of Guanajuato) and was conceived by Guanajuato artist Loreta Rangel Villasenor. The project was overseen by Denise Baxter of the Ashland Art Center, and the whole endeavor was funded and promoted by Barry and Kathryn Thalden, a local couple who truly love their community and the idea of public art.
This giant mural, 24 feet tall by 53 feet wide, is the largest public art piece of its kind in downtown Ashland. This international art piece is a giant public acknowledgement of the spirit of cooperation, locally and globally. When we reach out to our closest friends, in this case our fellow artists in our sister-city in Mexico, we are reaching out to the big world. We are embracing our shared humanity by pulling our countries closer together.
We at the Lithia Artisans Market are honored that this international symbol of peace is located in our marketplace. Thank you Loreta and all who made it possible. We appreciate this art that builds bridges rather than walls between us. We are stronger, more loving, more peaceful when we work together and see each other as equals. We are all in this together. Embrace diversity, embrace color, embrace each other. This is art doing its part to create a more peaceful planet. Bravo!
Join us this Fourth of July weekend down on Calle Guanajuato where we celebrate our collective creative spirit with art, craft, and live music.
Kate Wilde plays original tunes with her group, The Ancient Wild. Locally created, Live Music at The Lithia Artisans Market of Ashland, Oregon (LAMA).
Music Schedule
Saturday, July 2
11:30-1:30 Rod Petrone
2:30-4:30 Eric Leadbetter
Sunday, July 3
11:00-2:00 The Ancient Wild
Monday, July 4
12:00-3:00 Cole Cullen