Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Puertas (Doors)

There are a lot of really great doors here in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. This is just the tip of the iceburg. Some of my favorites.
Below is a list of links to posts by other bloggers that are doing door posts today.
I look forward to visiting them and seeing what they have to share. Maybe it will be photos of doors, maybe art, maybe a poem. Who knows, but it will be fun to look. There are over forty bloggers participating. I count at least ten countries. I may have missed a few on this list as I have been very busy this week with my painting workshop. If I have left off your name, I am sorry. There may be a few names listed on"The House in Marrakesh"that are not listed here.
Thanks to everyone for sharing Doors, and thanks for looking.




This is one of my favorites. The photo is from my first trip to San Miguel in 1985 with RISD. This was the front door at a glass factory. It is now a very large business and this door is gone. I love the color, shape of the door, and that white hand print.




This door is probably the most photographed door in town. I left the image large. Click on it and you can scroll around to see the details.




There are lots of old doors like this all over town.




This door is on a large antique shop near our house.




Here is a door and a half. I wonder who goes in the little door.




Another beautiful old door near my gallery.




This guy fixes locks and electric windows in doors.
Nice sign.
You can tell what he does even if you can't read Spanish.




Another nice old door with character.




These look more Moroccan than Mexican to me. These are just off the main square.


Thanks for looking. Please visit some of these other bloggers that are joining in on this group post of Doors of the World.


Elizabeth Wix, "The House in Marrakesh", Marrakesh, Morroco

Frank Gardner, "My Paint Box", San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Ambera Wellmann, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Constance, "Rochambeau"

Jennifer Thermes, "Art-Words-Life" - Connecticut , USA

Joanne Giesbrecht,"Thistledown Arts", Alberta, Canada

Jack Riddle, Portland, Maine, USA

Christine Mercer-Vernon, "An Artist's Log", Pennsylvania, USA

Faye Christian Phillips , Kentucky, USA

Britt-Arnhild, Norway

Kate and Roger "The Skophammers", Norfolk, Virginia, USA

Terry Rafferty, USA

Barbara,"Ramblings from an English Garden", London, United Kingdom

Pam Aries,"Art and Soul", Charleston, S.C. ,USA

Mary Sheehan Winn," Just Painting", Florida, USA

"Some Pink Flowers", St. Augustine, Florida, USA

Merisi,"Merisi's Vienna for Beginners", Austria

Paz, "Paz's New York Minute", New York

"Down Under Dale", Australia

The Aesthete, "Aesthete's Lament", USA

Mari/ Kameravena, Finland

Willow from "Willow's Cottage", California, USA

Ari, "Typo Blog", Finland

Lea,"Tales from the Labyrinth",USA

Stephanie, "Rodrigvitzstyle"

Leslie,"Snips and Snails and Puppy Dogs Tales", Pennsylvania, USA

Karen Cole,"Artsortments", Pennsylvania, USA

Barrie, San Diego, California, USA

Sherry/Cherie, Toronto, Canada

Claudia Schmid, London, United Kingdom

Sue, "The Magic Armchair Traveller", Congresbury, Bristol, United Kingdom

Gemma Wiseman, "Greyscaale Territory", Australia

Neulekirppu, Finland

Laura Fortune, "Amongst The Oaks",California, USA

Sara Lorayne, "Much Ado About Something", California, USA

Melanie,"Little cabinet of curiosities", Aubagne, Provence, France

Mari, Finland

Julie, "Virtual Voyage", United Kingdom

"Pigtown-Design", Baltimore , Maryland, USA

"Pret a Voyager", Baltimore , Maryland, USA

Julia Rose, "Verdigris Rose"

81 comments:

Leslie said...

What wonderful doors Frank! Thanks to you and Elizabeth for hosting this scenic tour.

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks Leslie. It is a great tour! I have visited several and will continue tomorrow. Be sure to check a couple of new links posted at the bottom of the list.

Karen Cole said...

What an incredible "artsortment"of colorful doors. I just love Mexico.

The photo from the RISD trip is intriguing. I'd love to know about the hand.

Thanks for being a great host.

Barrie said...

What a fun day of doors this is going to be. Thank you for organizing this, Frank.

Gemma Wiseman said...

Really enjoyed your posting! The colours and textures and shapes are utterly amazing!

Gemma

Merisi said...

These are beautiful doors, very different from Viennese entrances. I love the magenta door with the white hand print. I imagine going to a paint store and selecting a vibrant color like this one.
Elizabeth of Marrakesh invited me to participate, thank you both for your generous invitation!

Anonymous said...

These doors have seen many way ins and outs. If they could speak we could listen to interesting stories and maybe we could even learn something more about life...

virtual nexus said...

Stunning collection and love the heavily carved door. I have really enjoyed this theme. The nearest I've been to Mexico is Santa Fe, and really enjoyed both the art and the architecture.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely CHARM Frank. My favorites are the first one (the pink), and then the door and a half.

Thanks for organizing this event. My door post is up this morning.

By the way, i just learned today that I might be going to Mexico this summer for the international aids conference.

Elizabeth said...

This post gave a real flavor of your town.
I really enjoyed it.
Such fun 'visiting'everyone.
Thanks again for all your hard work.
From the looks of the comments, lots of people are wandering all over.
I also loved the electric wires near some of the doors.
Looks like Morocco to me!

xxxxx said...

Thank you for this wonderful journey!!! Don't you just want to push that first magenta painted door? I surely do.

Prêt à Voyager said...

GREAT doors! Thanks for organizing!

Anne

Barbara said...

I knew your Mexican doors would be different. All so artistic. The door and a half is very interesting.

Anonymous said...

Hi Frank,
Thank you for putting together this door extravaganza! What was moving about your post here is that it evoked all of my feelings and senses. There is beauty, sadness, poverty wealth, irony (the door and a half) whimsy,(the car sign). Your post was about so much more than doors.
Again, this is so much fun since I'm a big fan of doors and the world. I'm really looking forward to this journey today!

Constance

Constance

Anonymous said...

ps
Chantal in Bath UK has come to join us!

http://celestinemusings.blogspot.com/

Christine Mercer-Vernon said...

what a beautiful variety of doors! i can only imagine how much fun it was to photograph them all. the colors, styles, textures are all so different, mexico must be a beautiful place to live! you didn't tell us what building the 'most photographed door in town" is on....a church maybe? stunning, the detail! great post!!

Sherry said...

I love old weathered doors...and I especially like the "half door". There is one like that in a little house on an old street here in Toronto and I've always wondered -- "who would live there and how could they fit?"

Unknown said...

Frank, Thank you for all the time and energy that has gone into this Doors Project. It has already been like having a personal tour around the world! Your doors are so full of character and history. The extremes are represented here as well - old and new, rich and poor, plain and painted - wonderful. I can almost feel like I am walking the streets of Mexico again. Thanks again - especially since you were in the midst of your workshops!!!

Jennifer Thermes said...

I love the really old doors that look like they've seen better days. So much character! And the one that is the most photographed, too. Imagine the time and the craftsmanship that went into making it!

hpy said...

Simple, and also not so simple doors, but all of them have a beauty about them.

Unknown said...

hi there, enjoyed this posting very much and all the other doors as well, how exiting to see every country's culture, do visit my door too :)

Downunderdale said...

fabulous doors, Frank - thanks for the opportunity - Dale

Jack Riddle said...

Frank--glad I left the San Miguel doors to you. Bonnie and I recognize some of these. You picked some beauties! On my door blog I couldn't get the links in the post, so I referred visitors to your site.
Hope the workshop went well. Jack

Lea said...

Thank you Frank for these beautiful and colorful doors... And for bringing us all together to share openings and closings and thresholds many to step over!

The thin door and large door imagery will be working me for awhile! I've not yet been to San Miguel and when I do someday... I will look for these doors!

qualcosa di bello said...

the doors are gorgeous! i backpacked through san miguel de allende in '83 & i honestly wish i had taken a camera!

i found you through rochambeau & have posted doors from a recent trip to charleston sc...though i blog here...
http://ognipiacere.blogspot.com/
in eastern NC

FCP said...

You really captured the charm, history and charisma of your town--thanks for sharing. Good luck with your workshop;your students are lucky to study with you (feel free to quote me on that)
Faye

Unknown said...

These are wonderful Frank! Oh, my favorite is the pink door with the hand print!

I adore Mexico and San Miguel is someplace I have wanted to visit for a very long time...

thank you for this peak here and all over the world!

Mélanie said...

Mexican doors are different , special . They mean something ( to me) . Thank you for opening the door and letting me flying accross the ocean

Mari said...

These doors have seen life. Powerful and original individuals.

I love your paintings too.

Patty said...

Hi I found you at the last minute, but would love to particiapate. My doors are up on my blog
http://autumnsmeadow.blogspot.com/

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Hello Frank, thank you for your part in getting this door project going! And thanks to Elizabeth also. These doors you have posted are quite amazing. We have nothing this full of character and age where I live. And, yes, I too wonder who does go through that little half door???

Ambera said...

How lucky you are to be surrounded by so much beauty Frank. Your doors are stunning, so much story to tell.

Elizabeth said...

Forgot to mention I LOVED the little half door.
Very unusual.
Aren't we all having fun.

artisbliss said...

Hope you don't mind one more tagging along for a ride. I have posted doors at www.artisbliss.blogspot.com

Thanks for this cool opportunity.

Pam Aries said...

Fantastico! The colors are so rich and caliente! .. THank you so much for doing this! I have already met some awesome artists and groovy people here..I still have a few to go to !

Sue Krekorian said...

Thank you so much for allowing me to take such a fascinating Magic Armchair journey through the Doorways of the World to see through the eyes of other talented artists and bloggers. What a stupendous, uplifting, inspiring and fun trip it has been.

Seth said...

Great idea and great posts. The colors and textures of these doors are great. I have a recent post on my blog, also focused on the doors of Mexico. See it at

http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/2007/11/photography-mexico-doors-and-windows.html

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks Karen. I wish I knew the story behind the hand too. I love a good mystery though. Maybe not knowing is more fun.

Frank Gardner said...

Barrie, thanks. It seems like evryone has had a lot of fun "traveling" around today. I have been away from the computer, so I still have a lot of visiting to do.

Frank Gardner said...

Gemma, I am glad that you enjoyed my doors.

Frank Gardner said...

Merisi, Thanks for stopping by. That door seems to be a favorite of a lot of visitors today.
I am glad that you joined in.

Frank Gardner said...

Neulekirppu, I am with you on this. I would love to hear what stories these doors may have.

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

Frank, I can only say that my dreams were overtaken with door posts.
Such is the artist's life. Thanks for sharing :D

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks Julie! It has been a fun theme, and a fun way to get to meet some new people and see some new things.

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Britt, The door and a half is a real funny one.

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Elizabeth. Thanks for your great idea to share doors. I had no idea where this would go.
Wires? I could show you some electric wires.

Frank Gardner said...

Hi She Who Flies, I did push that magenta door open and it was just as amazing inside.

Frank Gardner said...

Hi She Who Flies, I did push that magenta door open and it was just as amazing inside.

Frank Gardner said...

Anne, Thanks for visiting and sharing.

Frank Gardner said...

Constance, Thanks so much. I kind of though of what doors I would use in the terms that you describe. I am glad that you took notice.

Frank Gardner said...

Christine, that "most photographed door" is now a bank. I was once a residence, La Casa de los Condes del Canal.

Frank Gardner said...

Sherry, I think it may be jack Sprat and his wife.
Jack Sprat could eat no fat
His wife could eat no lean.
And so between the two of them,
They licked the platter clean.
:-)

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks Joanne. You will have to make it back over to San Miguel the next time you are down in Mexico.

Frank Gardner said...

Jennifer. Some of those doors have seen better days and some have probably been around for worse days too.

Frank Gardner said...

HPY , Mary, M. Kate, and Dale, Thanks for visiting. I will visit you all, even if it takes me a few days. I am super busy right now.

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Jack. I thought that you would know most of these. The workshop is going great. It is five days, so we are still going strong. I'll tell you about it in an email.

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks Lea. That would be fun, to go and try and find everyone's doors.

Qualcosa di bello, thanks for the visit. Oh, back in '83 it was still nice and quiet.
I will look for your door post tomorrow.

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks Faye. I have a good group this time. They are having a good time.

Frank Gardner said...

You should visit some time Stephanie.

Melanie, I am glad I could give you a glimpse of Mexico to stir some memories. Ill make it over to see your doors when I get a chance.

Thanks Mari.
Hi Autumn, I'll try and take a look at your post.

Hi, Sara. I'll have to stake out the half door and see who goes in.

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Ambera, I am blessed to live in a very beautiful place. I am glad you joined in. That is a stunning drawing.

Frank Gardner said...

Hi artisbliss. The more the merrier.

Hi Pam, I have really enjoyed this too, and I have only been able to make it to see a few so far. I will be visiting doors for days.

Sue, you are welcome. Thanks for joining. I am looking forward to more doors when I have some time to enjoy them.

Hi alteredpage. I'll be sure to check it out.

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Mary. Whew! I have caught up on everyone who has commented. I'm on my way to see your door.

Anonymous said...

I love all the doors, especially the one with the hand print next to it. ;-) Thanks for putting this together with Elizabeth.

Best,
Paz

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks Paz. I have waited 23 years to find a way to share that door with the hand print. I am glad that everyone liked it so much.
I am working my way slowly through the doors. See you soon.

Downunderdale said...

thanks Frank for making this happen - these are wonderful doors - so much more interesting than my environs - Dale

My Castle in Spain said...

Hello Frank,
I'm glad to have found your blog through Elizabeth and this door event.
I especially love the white hand print on this red door and the old wooden doors.
I could see some similarities with doors in some villages here in Andalucia.
Enjoy the Mexican colors
Lala

somepinkflowers said...

amazing collection
and you make me
want to open every

single

one!

:-)

thanks so much for sharing
and
for helping to host
and organize this bloglandia event!

please do more!!

Frank Gardner said...

Hello, Some Pink Flowers.
Thanks for visiting and joining in.
Dale and lala, I still have not had time to get over to your posts, but I will.
Thanks for checking in.

Kate and Roger said...

What a great opportunity to see everyone's views of doors. I really enjoyed the mass blog idea yesterday. I had a lot of fun. Thanks for the idea with my Aunt Elizabeth/Wix. It was outstanding. Beautiful doors in Mexico. Roger and I have only been to Cancun and were disappointed in the "Americanness" of it. We would love to see the real Mexico one day.

Barrie said...

Wow! Those are some very interesting doors. Thank you for organizing this tour.

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks for stopping by Barrie.
Kate, Cancun can be a bit Americanized. But lots of Americans want everything to be "their" way when they travel. We are heading down that way, but further south near Tulum. Much quieter.
Try Colonial Mexico next time.

Unknown said...

These are great Frank.Ilove Yellow in particular.The tangle of the lampand the shadows is amazing.I love the organic look of the architecture,as though it has been lived in and life has left it's mark. Amazing.I'll play next time.Again,I'm really sorry. If you could hear my cough you'd understand.

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

Frank, thanks for stopping by to see my doors.
There must be a way I could have copied your link list but I couldn't do it so I did 'copy link location' and typed in 35 names and somehow hit the control key and lost the list. No biggie.
Be on the lookout for my two American Chica's, Kelley MacDonald and Paula Villanova from New England who are joining Roz Farbush today in San Miguel.
I hope to join them next March on their annual jaunt.
Thanks again Frank, this blogging thing takes time and I appreciate your input.

Terry said...

Fabulous doors, they make me anxious to start traveling again. Thanks for putting this together!

Bonnie Jacobs said...

Who knew doors could be so fascinating? I mentioned you when I wrote about doors today:

http://bonniesbooks.blogspot.com/2008/03/youre-door-able.html

juliaD said...

Hi Frank,
Thanks so much for your kind words, love the hot pink wall/door...
xx

Frank Gardner said...

I totally understand Eric. I hope you are feeling better.
You would love it here if you like that old look with tangles of wires and shadows.

Sorry that you had trouble with the links Mary. I think everyone was able to find their way around. Thanks for joining in. It has been so much fun to travel the world and see so many doors.

Hi Terry, I am glad that you heard about this and could join in. This made me want to travel too.

Hi Bonnie, thanks for the mention and for visiting my blog.

Hi Julia, Thanks. It has been great meeting so many people through this doors project.

Stephen Magsig said...

Frank, Bravo! I am very sorry I hadn't looked in on your site recently. What a great idea, I also love doorways and have shots from France to Detroit. I won't miss the next one!

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Stephen. My bad. I should have emailed you about this. I was thinking of your paintings, but then got busy with my workshop and it slipped my mind.
I will let you know if we attempt this again.

Anonymous said...

Good morning Frank:
I've discovered your blog via Rochambeau..
I'll follow since today.

By the way, my favourite is the first one, with the white hand...
no doubt!

Thanks for your blog.

Saludos desde España

Frank Gardner said...

Bienvenidos onlymary. That photo seems to have the most votes.
I hope that you will be back to visit.