Alamos Sonora Mexico

Robyn Tinus Álamos Art

Robyn Tinus art show at Cafe de Sol, Álamos, Sonora, México.

Robyn Tinus art show at Cafe Luz del Sol, Álamos, Sonora, México.

Early March, 2017: I went to see Robyn Tinus’ paintings at the Cafe Luz del Sol and have
lunch. It was hot outside but cool in the restaurant. Robyn’s paintings added color
to a comfortable cafe. It is always interesting to see a place through the eyes
of a local artist, no matter what the media is. Below are her paintings of Álamos.
The show also included many Indian subjects and a big lizard. Each painting had a title,
price and a “no checks” notice. Robyn Tinus provided photographs of her paintings.

Painting by Robyn Tinus: View of Alamos, owner, Joan Winderman, Alamos, Sonora, Mexico

View of Álamos, Sonora, México. Owner: Joan Winderman, Álamos.

I stayed at Joan’s Winderman’s house during the 2017 Álamos Sonic Expedition.
Joan owned four of Robyn’s paintings at the time of my visit and they were my
introduction to Robyn’s art. Joan and Robyn emailed each other about the possibility
of my visiting Robyn’s studio. One of the expedition’s goals was to document three Álamos
artists but life in Álamos can take one down cobblestone streets that lead to unexpected
adventures that waylay the best of plans and immerse one in all that surrounds them,
especially, if the goal is documenting the essence of Álamos,
so an arranged meeting never came to be.

The Quinceanera. Owner: John Sheedy, Alamos.

On the Sunday before I left Álamos I had scheduled spending the late afternoon-early
evening documenting the Plaza. Night had fallen and I was videoing people walking around
the well-lit Plaza when a large dog came into my viewfinder along with an unseen owner who
sat down on the bench next to me. I slowly panned from the dog’s head up to a woman’s
profile. She asked if I was Anders and introduced herself, Robyn Tinus. We had a brief
conversation that led to the making of this page.
(At some point in the future I will post the video on this page.)

Tarahumara Trade Route. Painting by Robyn Tinus. Álamos, Sonora, Mexico artist

Tarahumara Trade Route, 24 x 30. For sale $490.

To see more of Robyn Tinus paintings that are available to be purchased.
The following writings are Robyn’s thoughts on her art and process:

I am living my dream of expressing how I feel about Mexico through my paintings.
I live in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico and I have been actively studying art and
painting for 50 years. I have traveled throughout Mexico and I find it to be
an amazing place, full of culture, life, history, and natural beauty.

Puente de Paulita Owner: Catherine Christiansen, La Aduana, Sonora.

I started painting at 20 years when I enrolled in an oil painting class at
Santa Rosa Junior College in California. A year before that I saw a poster in
a frame shop of Van Goghs “Sunflowers” I bought it and had it framed and started
studying the French Impressionists, favoring Gauguin, Latrec, Matisse, and van Gogh.

Painting by Robyn Tinus. Alameda Evening owner Pamela Price, Álamos, ßonora, México

Alameda Evening. Owner: Pamela Price, Alamos.

I continued taking art classes and workshops and was fortunate to find some
very good teachers. After traveling extensively in Mexico for many years,
I knew that someday I would live in Mexico because that was
where I was most inspired to paint.

Robyn Tinus painting in Alamos, Sonora, México. Photo: Meg Keller.

I like to paint in the early morning before I get distracted. That is when
I feel the most creative, just pick up the brush and see what happens.
I give my paintings a lot of thought and planning and that gives me the freedom
to let the magic of the colors and paint happen.

Tacubaya Etchos. Owner lives in Carefree, Arizona.

I give my paintings a lot of thought and planning and that gives me the
freedom to let the magic of the colors and paint happen. I finish my paintings
within a week, then leave them alone a for a week or two figuring out what
bothers me and making adjustments.

Painting by Robyn Tinus of view from Robyn's Álamos portal. Owner: Debra Patterson, Álamos, ßonora México.

View from Robyn Tinus’ Álamos portal. Owner: Debra Patterson, Álamos.

I enjoy painting the views from my house of Alamos, the palms, the mountains,
shadows and sky at different times of the day. I also use my photos and get
ideas from internet searches.

Alameda Bolero. Owner lives in New York City.

I have been studying and creating art for 46 years. I am retired in Mexico and am now able
to devote much of my time to the love of my life… Painting.

Being surrounded by incredible beauty and culture in the 400 year old
pueblo magico, Alamos, keeps me inspired.

Burros on the road to San Bernardo. Owner: Lorreta Childs, Alameda, Ca.

Alamos and the surrounding countryside with its ranchero culture provides
much inspiration for paintings.

First Day of School. Painting by Robyn Tinus. Tarahumara Indian girls going to school. Álamos, Sonora, Mexico artist

First Day of School. Owner: Joan Winderman, Alamos.

I love to paint the Tarahumara Indian girls from the nearby copper canyon
region, in their colorful full skirts and blouses. Bringing them to life on my
canvas probably gives me the most personal satisfaction… Robyn Tinus

Robyn Tinus art show at Cafe de Sol, Álamos, Sonora, México. march 2017. photo by Anders Tomlinson.

Robyn Tinus Álamos art show at the Cafe Luz del Sol, March 7, 2017.

Many Álamos homes have walls covered with wondrous art including Robyn Tinus’ paintings. To see more Robyn Tinus paintings. All of her paintings are original and painted in her Álamos, Sonora, México studio. The painting are on stretched canvas with wooden frames. The canvas wraps around the sides. They are painted “gallery style” so they have a finished look and a frame is not needed.

Anders Tomlinson, March 20th 2017 | Tags: Alamos Sonora Mexico, Anders Tomlinson, Cafe Luz del Sol, Joan Winderman, Meg Keller, Robyn Tinus, Robyn Tinus paintings
Posted in Alamos artists, Alamos 2017

Mirador Kite Festival

101… On Mirador for the kite flying contest.

Kite festival in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.

Kite flying is a popular past times for the children of Alamos.

The winds of Álamos more come than go and when they are blowing kite flying takes place across the barrios. Sticks, paper, string are a child’s opportunity to take flight and be one with the elements. The child in all of us enjoys watching children enthralled with their kites dancing on a breeze.

Participants in the kite flying contest parade through the town on their way to and from El Mirador, Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.

Many of the festival's colorful kites parade proudly through Alamos.

On the day of the festival kites, and their builders-owners, are seen on their way to and returning from El Mirador. Colorful pennants snapping in the winds on El Mirador announce to the people below that today celebrates a special event.

Kite flying participants atop El Mirador, Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.

This is the place to be: a windy day on top of the world with friends.

The kite flying contest was started by Cammie Nuzum and her then husband Chaco Valdez. These photos are from the 1996 festival. The recent 2012 contest was sponsored by Cammie and Elizabeth Nuzum. Kites were not always a place for children’s imaginations to soar. One of the first written records of kite flying is from around 200 B.C., Chinese General Han Hsin of the Han Dynasty wanted to know how far his troops would need to tunnel to enter a rival city. He flew a kite to measure the distance. With this information in hand his army was able to surprise the enemy and capture the city.

Detrails of competing kites flying in the Alamos kite Festival with Earle and Joan Winderman watching, Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. photos by Anders Tomlinson.

The kite festival is a colorful event to attend with all of Alamos at your feet.

Joan and Earle Winderman, that is a nice kite flying name, enjoyed a sunny day on El Mirador. Besides myself, they were the only gringos I saw at the festival. Whether one is flying a kite, or a spectator, everyone watches the kites.

Close-up of a festival kite's construction, Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.

It is colorful and well constructed but it will if fly with grace and agility.

The kites become what their builders want them to be. Days of design and construction lead up to contest. There is much to learn building a kite. Natural science, mathematics, aeronautics, history, culture, art and crafts come together as a flying objects and opportunities for self-expression.

Kite being presented to a judge for judging, Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.

A kite awaits inspection by a judge. The event was organized by the Museo.

The Museo Costumbrista de Sonora displays the kites after the contest. For centuries kites were used by only by the military. Around the year 600, during the Silla Dynasty of Korea, General Gim Yu-sin’s troops refused to continue fighting because they has seen a shooting star and believed this was a bad omen. The General sent a fire ball into the sky with a large kite. The soldiers, seeing the star return to heaven, rallied and defeated the rebels.

Buddhist monks brought kites to Japan around the 7th century. They were thought to be able to protect rich harvests and deter evil spirits. During the Edo period kite flying became very popular when Japanese people below the samurai class were allowed to participate. The Edo (now Tokyo) government tried unsuccessfully to discourage this pastime as “too many people became unmindful of their work.”

Kite Festival in action, Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.

Amongst all that is going on a flyer must keep his focus on his kite.

Álamos is a wonderful place to fly kites especially from El Mirador up high and open to the winds that carry molecules Caesar, Leonardo da Vinci and Marilyn Monroe breathed. There is a timeless quality to kite flying. It is as as much about the flyer’s thoughts as it is about flying.

Kite flying began in Asia and slowly word spread to Europe. Marco Polo, around the end of the 13th century, brought back to Europe stories of kite flying. Period Illustrations showed military banners with non-flying dragon kites. 16th and 17th century sailors brought kites back from Japan and Malaysia. Kites at first had little impact on European culture and were regarded as curiosities.

Flyers work their kites on a western wind, Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.

Boys and their flying machines work winds off the Sea of Cortez.

Standing with their backs to the Sea of Cortez, the kite-flyers work the western on-shore winds and the drafts that come from the eastern Sierra Madre foothills.

As time marched on kites became universal and many used kites as scientific research tools.
In the 18th and 19th centuries men like Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Wilson learn more about the wind and weather used their knowledge of kite flying. Airplanes came about with the help of kite experiments by Sir George Caley, Samuel Langley, Lawrence Hargrave, Alexander Graham Bell, and the Wright Brothers.

A young boy flying his kite at the Alamos Kite Flying contest, Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.

And all the world, this very moment, is in his hands and in his control.

Here atop El Mirador the Sea of Cortez is some fifty miles to the west and the Copper Canyonlands are some fifty miles to the east. One could say the kite-flyer’s feet mark the center of the universe and their kites announce ownership of the moment.

Warmth Radiates off of Adobe Walls as Another Winter Day Begins.
Kite flying is popular in Álamos, Sonora, Mexico. Drinking beer outside the pickup with friends is popular. Fun and work go on side by side as we visit a wood shop.

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