David Sacach's Painting - Artist Collegue here at the lake

Mayan Corn God - Painting by San Juan painter, Diego

Thrilled about my new painting of the Mayan Corn God, done by Diego. I am currently preparing to paint a mix between my style and traditional Mayan freezes for a commissioned piece. I studied with Diego, his brother, Antonio, and sister-in-law, Angelina, the first woman painter in San Juan La Laguna. During this time, I explored the traditional painting style of this area, referenced in a previous blog post.

Elephants

power. wisdom. strength. 

dignity. intelligence. peace.

good fortune. loyalty. fidelity. 

longevity. solitude. luck.  

 I wish my life to be filled always with all that is symbolized by this pristine animal.

A drawing from my early days in San Marcos that is still with me today.

www.juliafillingame.com

Eat Up!

A successful fast that keeps Nutrition Center Konojel running and growing over the next year. We must thank all those fasters (almost 100!). What better way than sharing on Facebook, after all, it has been the avenue responsible for creating the "all together" vibe.

wwwjuliafillingame.com

Atitlan Organics

Atitlan Organics is a farm over in the neighboring village of Tzununá founded by two of my former workers at Escuela Caracol, Shad and Colleen Qudsi. My art has definitely taken an influence by nature as well as various other lifestyle changes. This place is incredibly beautiful and well-designed. He produces local and organic products while also offering permaculture design courses and starting up community gardens with local indigenous women. Learn more at www.atitlanorganics.com.

Tzununá means place of hummingbirds. The first image is the final logo that plays both ways as leaves and a bird. The final image was another option provided for final selection.

Shangrila (San Marcos La Laguna Coffee) - Logo design & Coffee mug printing

 

It all started with an original painting (by someone else):

 

and evolved into this:

Konojel Nutrition Center

Konojel Nutrition Center started out as a meal service for the 60 most at-risk individuals in the San Marcos La Laguna, Sololá, Guatemala community. Since last year's first fundraising fast, Konojel has grown in it's vision and reality of creating a sustainable model. This model includes a community garden that includes several superfoods, building solar ovens and dehydrators, creating a dried-fruit micro-enterprise and educational workshops. After living within the San Marcos community for over two years, it has been an honor to have become involved - I'm the graphic designer. 

We recently developed the logo from a brainstorm with the four local indigenous women that run the project and the international team of volunteers that manage the fundraising, volunteer coordination and program expansion. Corn is an incredibly important symbol, not only is it a principal crop, but their creation story tells of Mayans being created from corn. Konojel means "all-together" in the local Kaqchikel language, hence the image of the hands. As part of the solar dehydrator and oven installation, Brennan Bird, from EarthBench.org sketched the original concept. From there, I completed the final steps of digitalizing the logo.

 

Over the past few months, we have worked on packaging for the new dehydrated fruit products.

 

In addition, we have been preparing for our annual fundraising fast.



... and thanking our community partners. 

And we continue to advertise our Monday community lunches allowing those in town to come learn more.



A few months back, we had another community-level fundraiser. 



Fresh granola!

Learn more at www.konojel.org

All photographs and posters by Julia Frances.
Photographs incorporated in poster design by Eric Mencher. 

www.juliafillingame.com