Alicia Fox Photography Blog

This week I had my first sale through ETSY delivered to a very happy customer.
Check out my photos for sale, especially if you are looking to decorate your walls or give a special gift. International delivery is available.
www.AliciaFox.etsy.com

“I received the print & I LOVE it! I’m taking it to the framer on Monday & can’t wait to get it back & hang it up. My husband & I recently bought a new house & Cloud Forest will be the centerpiece of our dining room.”

People told me Colombia is a dangerous place, but I didn’t expect this.

I was enjoying some fresh pineapple from the street vendor in Santa Marta, when I looked up to see the police in a panic, surrounding a man only feet away from me. Within moments, there was a big crowd surrounding the police. I stood on the nearby stairs to get a better view of the mob, next to a man who, with a laugh, explained to us what was going on.

It was all about the banana vendor. He didn’t have a permit to sell his bananas on the street. Apparently this is very common, because although it’s free to get a permit, Colombians tend to be anti-authoritarian and want to make a statement by not following rules like this.

As the minutes passed, the crowd was getting more animated and passionate with their opinions on the subject. Soon there was a police van and 12 cops trying to control the crowd.

It all ended when the banana cart and the vendor were loaded into the back of the police van.

Cartagena is a beautiful, colonial town in the Caribbean Coast of Colombia. We arrived at night to the sounds of Cuban-infused jazz drifting through the warm, heavy air. There were kids playing football in the street, vendors selling maize bread and friendly men offering us water, marijuana, cocaine…

Inside the walls sits an elegant city centre, where we wandered the quiet streets and took in the Cartagena in all her beauty.

Beautiful negra women sell fruit in the traditional dress of the area.

The climate makes for a slow lifestyle with a lot of sitting around and sleeping in the shade of the city streets or gardens.

One of the entrances to the walled city, this archway is about 5 metres thick.

The traditional mixed with the modern. You can buy anything from local handicrafts from the artisanas on the footpath, to the latest fashions in air conditioned boutiques.

Taganga is a fishing village, we recently visited, on the Caribbean Coast of Colombia. The sleepy town is centred around the beach front where cabanas and palm trees look over children playing in the tropical waters. Half of the beach is dominated by modest fishing boats, while the other half is (unfortunately) dominated by plastic bags and soft drink bottles. However, I seemed to be the only one who noticed the trash, everyone else swam through it with a big caribbean smile.

I’m not sure what’s going on in Colombia, but we were surrounded by babies. Human, puppy, kitten, calf. This kitten reminded me of E.T. with it’s big eyes and bony body. This is my boyfriend, James, getting to know her. I think it’s super cute.

James and I have an article in the latest Concrete Wave magazine. Check it out if you live in Canada (and some other lucky countries) or check out the story online at /www.concretewavemagazine.com/

James and I have an article in this month’s issue of Surfing World magazine (Australia). The issue is ‘The Design Issue’. Our article is about an inspired and talented surf board shaper in Japan, who has a dream to grow his own surfboard.

Ono is working with hemp fibres for a unique and environmentally friendly alternative to the highly synthetic boards that currently dominate the market.

Happy Mothers Day to all of the ladies out there doing that special job of being ‘the whole world’ to some miniature people. A special Happy Mothers Day to my Mum, and good luck with your upcoming operation.
With love, Alicia

I have added a new page to my blog, Chugchilan in 30 Days.

Chugchilan is the little village I am currently living in. There is no bank, no post office and no noise. There is a whole lot of charm, culture and natural beauty.

Just click on the tab at the top of the page to take a step into the Andes of Ecuador.

You can also get a written perspective of the village on my partner James’ blog.

Today I am launching my Photo Gallery and Shop at http://aliciafox.net/encap/

Each month I will have a series of 3-5 images available for sale at various sizes. The images can be purchased as single prints or in a set of 3.

The photos are being sold as prints, which you can then frame or mount yourself. The theme this month is Temples of Japan. They will be in the Gallery until the end of April 2010.

When placing your order, please mention if you are on my mailing list or a Facebook Fan, and I will send a complimentary 5×7 inch print of your choice, from the Temples of Japan series. International postage is available.

My boyfriend James is on a mission to recycle everything possible. While in Peru, he designed a funky wallet that can be made from used milk, juice or wine 1 litre cartons.

He taught some local kids how to recycle the cartons into wallets, and he started a 1-man factory in our apartment where he created wallets from the piles of cartons which were donated. All wallets come from either Peru or Ecuador, with a variety of images and writing in Español.

These wallets will be for sale. If you want some early inside info, send me an email at info@aliciafox.net

Here are some shots of James teaching children at the C.E.P school in Huanchaco, Peru, how to make the wallets.