​Dream Chasers Club has recently under gone some renovations and last week it opened up with an exhibition by Ashton Kaleigh called Man-made Machinations. I was really struck by the paintings as I walked in. I noticed that the titles below them were hashtagged. It was easy to see what Ashton was trying to convey with her art. Society has really reached a new point in fragility and huge dependence on technology and it has affected us. I recommend this exhibition to any one in the El Paso region. It will be up all month. 

I was able to ask Ashton what some of her paintings meant and she walked me through some of her masterpieces. Obviously I will not mention all the paintings for those who go check it out. The first one is called #TINKER and it "has to do with the fragility of everybody and she is working on her heart because we constantly try to fix ourselves and the mechanical thing is basically how we go through our daily grind." There is another painting that is called #BARELYFUNCTIONING that also touches on that gear motif presented in the previous painting mentioned. 

Another painting called #THEBIGFIVE refers to the five biggest companies that basically own the media "so it's a controlling of what we know and he is going through the sunflower field. The sunflowers are representative of us. He is killing the things that go along it."

Ashton then pointed to the painting next to that one which were of two sunflowers and explained why those represented us as humans. This whole exhibition is an analogy of society today. There are hidden truths in these paintings, some are more obvious than others. They are all wonderfully done.  Please if you are reading this, go support local art.

Below is some of her artwork that was mentioned above, If you want to see more of her artwork then her on Instagram: ashton_kaleigh !!!

Alejandro is a local artist whose work is greatly influenced by many things in our beloved Chuco. If we live in a city full of rich and amazing culture, why not use it to our advantage and incorporate it into our work? For Alejandro, our local history, architecture, and our Chicano and pop culture influence his very colorful work.

Alejandro began drawing when he was young, but did not get involved with painting until he was in his 20’s and living in the Dallas Fort Worth area. He explains that the art culture was a lot different and he was exposed to art museums and galleries a lot more regularly. When he finally moved back home, to El Chuco, he began to paint more El Paso themed art because it was something he enjoyed.

Alejandro’s work has evolved from when he first started to draw horror movie characters as a kid, to cholo and gang related art as a teenager, and now local surroundings and interests as an adult. He started out with drawing but has moved on the painting murals, signs, and even mixed media projects. He explains that his art will always keep evolving. Overall, his work in heavily influenced by the border and his childhood here. Not only does the city influence his work, but other artists here in the border have also had an impact on his work.

If you ask Alejandro what makes our community so special and unique, he is quick to bring up our Old West and Mexican Revolution history. We have a heavy Mexican culture influence which really has an impact on our community and makes it unique. So we should try to appreciate our history and the city’s unique stories by going downtown and looking at our old and historic buildings.

Even though Alejandro has been drawing since he was very young, it was only about four years ago when he started to sell and display his work. He never really imagined himself living off of his work, but due to economic issues he decided to give it a try. Since then, he has found it very satisfying to be able share his work with other people in the community and to make art an important part of his life.
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If you’re interested in seeing his work, make sure you visit Alejandro at Chuco Relic on Sunday October 29th to get to know him and his work a little better. Remember, support local!

Hello El Paso! Looking for a coffee shop that will satisfy all of your vegan needs? Let me tell you about this little gem in downtown El Paso called Craft, a small, but lovely, completely vegan coffee shop. You can find them at 500 N Oregon Street on the second floor inside One : One.

Rosa Tenorio, one of the geniuses behind this amazing place, was tired of going around to the same places and supporting big chains around town that had options high in sugars and artificial flavors, so she decided to do something about it. She began discussing the idea about a local, healthy coffee place with her partner, and the concept for Craft began to form. 

The idea is to have an eco-friendly shop, so Craft consists of two bikes with solar panels at the top. You can find one of then on Oregon Street Downtown, and the second one at Lululemon on Mondays. Having always been really interested in healthy organic and raw choices as well as super foods she began to experiment on her own and make her own creations. These creations are the ones that you can find at Craft today, and believe me you will not be disappointed. 

Some one people's favorites include Pistachio Matcha, which she recommends iced, for which Rosa makes her own Pistachio milk. Another favorite is the pumpkin spice, not made out of any artificial flavorings, Rosa uses real pumpkins, spices, pecan milk, and maple as a sweetener. The drinks with Spirulina are also customer's favorites, and as you enjoy your drink you can enjoy the cool blue color it has! Craft also sells some baked goods, which are completely vegan, and they are just as delicious as their drinks.

We highly recommend taking a trip Downtown to the One : One office and getting your caffeine fix in this great local shop, you won't regret it!