Article by Mike Diamanti, WIAC member

Cristopher Diaz and Haydee Nucamendi, visiting printmakers from Oaxaca Mexico

The Whidbey Working Artists Studio Tour was held on August 16th and 17th. It has been accepted practice during the studio tour for artists to share studio space. By sharing space, artists can showcase more than one type of creative work and enhance the experience for the visitors.

This year, two visiting artists came to Whidbey Island from Mexico.

Katrina Hude, Whidbey Island glass artist, has been to Oaxaca, Mexico four times. She told me that the first time she went to Oaxaca she was invited by a glassmaker to come and do a short residency in that studio. This was where she met printmakers Haydee Nucamendi and Cristopher Diaz. She learned about them during her subsequent visits.

“I met artists who were friends of my hosts, Haydee and Cristopher. And I learned about what they were doing within their community and I was able to see a crossover that I thought our community here on Whidbey Island would be attracted to.

These two people, along with a cooperative of at least eight or ten people that I met, besides having a cooperative printmaking studio and gallery, they also work in the community. They developed an art program for men, juveniles and women that was administered into the prison systems.”

Katrina told me that the program started in the men’s prison, and then they had such a good response and outcome, the Governor of the State of Oaxaca advocated for this to happen in multiple prison facilities. Now they are doing it in three different systems. Thanks to Haydee and Cristopher’s efforts, the inmates are shifting their focus to a creative outcome. Some who participated in the arts program have been released and a dozen or more of the released individuals are now working professionals, earning an income via their career in the arts.

Besides initiating a program that has benefited so many people in their home region, Haydee and Cristopher have been visiting artists in Cuba, in Brazil, in other places. But coming to the United States was more expensive.

The Kay Parsons Memorial Fund has been set up to reimburse visiting artists from other countries for some of their travel expenses. WIAC members and member organizations are encouraged to serve as sponsors for a creative residency on Whidbey Island. This is exactly what Katrina Hude did by sponsoring and hosting Haydee and Cristopher during the Working Artists Studio Tour.

(Learn more here: https://www.islandartscouncil.org/kay-parsons-memorial-fund )

Katrina was joined in her efforts by artists/printmakers Bruce Morrow and Buffy Cribbs. They made their studio at 6710 South Sills Road available for the two visiting printmaking artists from Oaxaca, Mexico. I had met Bruce and Buffy at art gatherings, but had never been to their studio where they paint and create prints. https://www.cribbs-morrow.com/

Katrina told me that helping visiting artists get to Whidbey Island is all about the notion that we can create cultural understanding by working together with people from different backgrounds. What she knew about Haydee and Cristopher was that they were very accustomed to working with people they didn’t know, with people they have just met, and that they are engaged and open to the exchange of ideas.

Haydee and Cristopher arrived a few days before the tour and set up the studio with their materials and completed pieces. I visited them on Sunday, August 17th during the Whidbey Island Arts Council (WIAC) Working Artists Studio Tour. They demonstrated techniques, showed what they were working on, and interacted with all the visitors who came to the studio.

By bringing their Oaxacan printmaking prowess, Haydee and Cristopher drew additional foot traffic to the host studio of Buffy Cribbs and Bruce Morrow, and gave visitors access to multiple artists. As Katrina mentioned to me, this is why the Kay Parsons Memorial Fund is essential for helping bring artists from other countries to Whidbey Island.

Before the Studio Tour weekend, Katrina made a point of taking Haydee and Cristopher to the Pilchuck Glass School, which has a printmaking facility. They are both familiar with vitreography (a printmaking technique that uses glass as a matrix, then uses it to transfer ink to paper, creating prints.)

Fortunately, they attended an all Spanish language session at Pilchuck, which is the first time that’s ever happened. In addition, there were people there at the session that they had already met in Oaxaca! Their visit to that session may open a future door for them to serve as a studio coordinator, or visiting artist, or teach printmaking. Many valuable connections were made during this visit.

On Monday, August 18th, Haydee and Cristopher gave a talk at the Bayview Cash Store on the second floor, attended by around thirty people. They brought examples of their work and described their interests, spoke about their community dedication in organizing the printmaking sessions for the inmates, and spent time with all of us after their talk answering our questions.

After they returned to Oaxaca, they posted a statement about their visit.

“The weekend on Whidbey Island at the Whidbey Working Artists Open Studio Tour organized by the Whidbey Island Arts Council was truly epic.

It was filled with stunning graphic exhibitions, fascinating prints, and unforgettable moments with good friends.

We had the opportunity to explore a variety of art workshops, each offering a unique and enriching perspective. This experience occurs only once a year, making it a rare occasion to connect with artists from different disciplines, share ideas, and enjoy creativity at its finest.”

What a terrific testament from them to all those who worked so hard to make this visit happen. Artistic engagement, be it local, or in this case, international, demonstrates the spirit and goal of the Kay Parsons Memorial Fund, implemented by the Whidbey Island Arts Council (WIAC).