Creativa Fest 2014 Part 3...

Saturday May 3rd...

The organizing committee, realizing the speakers needed a break, were kind enough to plan several trips to Teotihuacan (which means: "place where the gods were born/city of gods").

 

After three days of speaking, signings, interviews and "may I take a selfie with you?" I looked forward to getting a chance to see more of Mexico than the inside of the conference center.

 

Teotihuacan is located about thirty minutes from Mexico City and was once a thriving city with a population of over 175,000. The ruins and pyramids are what remain today and I was about to be exposed to more Mexican culture and history.



(Me by Escultura Montlitica (goddess of water) at entrance to Teotihuacan.)

The Pyramid of the Sun (in the middle of the photograph) is my destination.

All along the way there were those selling their wares to mark the occasion. Big hats were the vogue to ward off the sun as there was no shade once you hit the trail leading to the pyramids.

The trail to the pyramids is called  Avenue of the Dead.  It was just about a mile walk to my destination.

(Almost there...)

                                                                     

                                                             

(Just a little farther to go...)

Approaching the stairs to begin my climb...

 

 

Before I go up...a little sketching of those ascending and descending the pyramid  :-)

View from the first of four levels...

 

 

 View from the second level...

 

 

From the third level...

Four levels, 233 1/2 feet tall, 248 steps later and I'm at the top of the third largest pyramid in the world.

Dehydrated (forgot to take water), light headed and dizzy. Gustavo (one of the volunteers who accompanied us) babysat me while I recovered:-).

Dizzy or not I got in a few sketches...never get this angle again soon... 

 

 Then, we were on our way back to Mexico City... and I to prepare for one more day of talks.

(to be continued...)

Creativa Fest 2014 Part 2...

Thursday May 1...

Day 2 - A smaller staging area, all seats filled, some even sitting on the floor in front of the raised stage. The camera crew is filming, smart phones are flashing but I'm not nervous this time:).

I'm grateful for another opportunity to speak to these eager students of art. 'The Benefits of Quick Sketching' is my topic.

 (my point of view)

(Q&A followed by another autograph session. ).

 This time only a little over an hour:)

(The line of autograph seekers snakes around...)


Day 3 - Friday May 2nd...

My topic for today is Planning a Scene-Part 1...

delivered to an audience of young animation enthusiasts.

 

 As usual, a Q&A, autograph signing session followed and...

 

(left to right: Gloria, me, Pam and Mariana)



these young ladies won a contest to have 'time with Ron', to ask me questions, look at their portfolios and just chat:)

They are holding  lanyards designed by my son Jai. I usually give them away at book signings but this was a special occasion.

 Afterward, those speakers who chose to ( and I chose to) were treated to an open air bus tour of downtown Mexico City about twenty minutes away.

 I was exposed to some outstanding history, monuments, sculpture and culture. Mexico City is beautiful and I really enjoyed my visit.

(To be continued...)

Creativa Fest 2014...

Mexico City...

I was invited to speak at this years' Creativa Fest: International Animation Festival held April 30th - May 5th in Mexico City. It is the largest gathering of people celebrating animation in Latin America and my first visit there.


My journey started out at the Los Angeles International Airport...waiting to board the plane.


                                              


(some waited patiently and others consulted their cell phones as my pen captured their candid moments)

 

A three hour flight later, I and several other guests were met at the airport by Enrique Chavez Antuna(one of the organizing committee hosts). We were taken to the first class establishment Stadia Suites.


Wednesday April 30th, first lecture...

The Creativa Fest events were held at the Expo Bancomer, a short ride from the hotel to the new business district, Santa Fe in the west part of Mexico City.



(The venue: Expo Bancomer)

Inside the building, the crowd is lining up to go inside to the seating areas...the butterflies are starting to fly in my stomach:)



Before my talk an interview...

 

                                                         and another...

(Committee volunteer Elizabeth Solis Graniel (middle) interpreted for me.)

one more. 



Audience point of view...

 

my point of view!

 

 

 

I had not addressed an audience this large before.

The seating capacity was 450, plus those standing along the wall, with cameras and film crews rolling...the butterflies start up again. The first words out of my mouth make me sound like a blithering idiot. I stop speaking, apologize for my nervousness and start my presentation over again:). The audience laughed and clapped ("you're only human," they told me later).

 

 After my talk and a robust question and answer session, I was ushered to another space to sign a few autographs...

 

                                                                

(the line starts...)

(the line continues...)

(and continues:)

 

    

Over two and a half hours later the last signature is scribbled on a writing pad...(the pads were handed out to the attendees).

Back to the hotel for a room service meal and a good nights sleep:-).

(to be continued)



Book contest...

'Quick Sketching with Ron Husband'...
  A few weeks ago I did phone interview with Tammy Turner of the Tiara Talk Show.
 The topics were my career with Walt Disney Feature Animation and the book I had written:

http://thetiaratalkshow.com/the-tiara-talk-show-interview-with-ron-husband-author-of-quick-sketching-with-ron-husband/

Tammy has just opened a contest to give away to the winner an autographed copy of my book. Here is the link:)

http://thetiaratalkshow.com/contests/

 

May the best sketcher win!

 Ron