Artist, Spanish Teacher & Local Personality

BEST ARTIST

GLEN ROGERS

Inspired by archetypal designs, symbols and patterns, artist Glen Rogers creates one-of-a-kind paintings and monotype prints in rich earthtones that touch the soul of the viewer. A transplanted Californian with a world-without-borders vision, Glen’s studio in Old Mazatlán is the hub for artistic gatherings and workshops, and was the birthplace of the first Open Studios event and now the monthly First Fridays Artwalk. She’s visited sacred sites all over the world, drawing inspiration from the presence of Mother Earth and the feminine forms present in all cultures. “These works are meant to inspire and to connect the viewer with the spirit of nature,” she says. “My work is accessed not through the intellect, but rather the heart or subconscious mind.” Glen truly “talks the talk and walks the walk” of an artist doing her dream; I wanna be just like her when I grow up!

BEST LOCAL PERSONALITY

ALFREDO GOMEZ RUBIO

Granted, Mazatlán is a small town – or at least our sphere is relatively small. Within that ex-pat circle, though, you had a wide range of answers in this category, from indefatigable volunteers (Toy Pruneda) to long-time civic leaders (Charles Hall) to the regular guy who’s made your life here a little more fun (Bodie Kellogg). But the one person whose name dominated as Best Local Personality was, really, not a surprise: Alfredo Gomez Rubio. Tireless supporter of the arts, dogged advocate for the development and preservation of Centro Historico, restaurateur, devoted father and happy-go-lucky party animal, the man is a whirlwind of bi-lingual activity. Yes, he can be hard to catch up with; yes, his businesses are tremendously successful (Pedro y Lola in the Plaza Machado, The Seafarer in the marina, Centro’s Melville Hotel) – but Google his name and you’ll see exactly how intrinsic his involvement and energy has been, and continues to be, for the development of Mazatlán’s Centro Historico. In big (restoration of Angela Peralta Theater, events like Cine en la Calle, projects like the ambient lighting throughout Centro) and little (great live music outside P&L with musicians actually paid) ways, Alfredo practices what he preaches and delivers on his dreams.

BEST SPANISH TEACHER

HÉCTOR MÁRQUEZ

You can recognize students in Hector Márquez’s Spanish classes by two things: the pile of books and papers they carry with them – and their rapid command of the language. Hector’s reputation as a teacher is well-known, and although he gives you lots of homework – la tarea – it’s well worth it. If you want to learn Spanish, you have to re-train your mind to think in espanol. And that’s where Hector comes in. He’s got classes almost every day and evening in a small studio in his home in Olas Altas. You’ll learn pronunciation, grammar, verbs in all their forms and glory and general conversation. He has a great sense of humor and shares expressions you’ll hear and use on the streets. Tales abound of intense pronunciation drills and frantically trying to catch up after missing a class or two, yet his students have nothing but words of praise - in both languages - for Hector. -MG