Poem: "I've got my magic back" by Leticia Alaniz

I’ve got my magic back

Moon spells breathe out of my 

mouth and exhale Medusa chants. 

The black springs turn yellow, 

petal pink, and green. 

I left behind the rush and madness 

from the old. 

I’ve put on my high priestess robe. 

Pomegranate juices drip down

my lips.

They open the seeds of 

knowledge.

An altar of onions and fleur-de-lis

winds under my feet.

Lyrical songs sing 

turning leaves, shaking the

branches of my hips.

My body is hotly possessed in

the Minerva temple.

Vanilla orchids cluster their nest 

in my hair. 

Producing Spain of blood, wine, and fire.

Nymphs of the forest tell me

your reflection is resurrect.

My heart flutters.

The ebony raven circles her ritual dialect.

You know my language,

my Astros, my heavenly body,

curves and all.

The prelude of my breath

awakens the sacred.

The verse of my rhythm wind

calls for the love spell

of my magic that

is back again.

© 2023 Leticia Alaniz

Aarian Marrivada Alaniz - Return of the Maya

Aarian Marrivada Alaniz, "Return of the Maya" 2023
Analog Paper Collage on Arches Paper (11x14 inch)
Photo © Leticia Alaniz

Becoming an artist for Aarian Marrivada Alaniz came naturally, instinctively and with deep never-ending passion.  This is Aarian’s debut showcasing the art of his young imagination.  He has demonstrated a creative interest since he could hold a paint brush at the age of three.  Painting and drawing at floor level, he instinctively created art that evolved into forms that are influenced by personal motivation and his surroundings.  Between the age of six or seven, Aarian began to create art influenced by several schools of art that he most loved, including Modern and Abstraction, with a special interest in color and Wassily Kandinsky art.  He perceived everything in a much broader and deeper sense creating narratives from memory, music and his favorite literature.  

In this first professional exhibition, Aarian presents a piece titled, Return of the Maya.  It's an authentic analog collage that celebrates a life of mementos through his eyes.  Aarian has no limits on his decision of splashy color and bold choices of narrative.  There's a cherry-red car in the shape of an ultra-cool rocket that represents suave road trips from a bygone era.  A giant Mayan stone head with an ever looking eye in black and white sits on a colorful Mayan weave.  A monkey sits in the style of Auguste Rodin's bronze sculpture: The Thinker in a playful take in front of a computer with the word "Loading" over his head.   The piece is exhibited as part of a juried group exhibition: Memento: Art That Reminds Us, at 9th Street Studios in Wichita Falls, Texas under the direction of curator and artist, Amber Day Scott.  Another aspect of the exhibition is an audio recording and a personal essay that accompanies the piece.  The essay written by the artist describes his piece:  


My name is Aarian I am nine years old. This is my very first collage. The Mayans from Guatemala and Mexico are in my heritage because my mother is Mexican and my father is from India. The giant Mayan sculpture head is ancient beauty in stone carved hundreds of years before the conquistadors from Spain arrived. I have memories of road trips, sitting on sarapes and weavings at the beach and eating fresh fruit and ceviche. I have my favorite colcha that I call the "colores colcha," the sombrero represents my grandfather, the orchids the south of Mexico. The monkey represents me, learning technology.

Photo © Jess Clark 2023

Aarian perceives art as seriously as he plays music.  Along with creating visual art, Aarian is a musician and composes on the piano original works which he declares are a continuation from his canvases.  Impressionism is another school of art which he particularly enjoys and composes melody beyond standard lyricism.  One of his first compositions is a playful melody that he titled, The Detective.  His freeform melodies are enmeshed with his visual work and his inspirations are infinite.  

Aarian Is mentored by his mother who is also an artist.  He creates in acrylic, oils, oil pastels, and paper collage.  

Aarian Marrivada Alaniz
© Leticia Alaniz 2023