Life's a Beach | Expat Life in Playa del Carmen : Art

Expat Interview - Janet Lowe

Rob Kinnon — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:00:00 GMT

This month's Expat Interview features Janet Lowe. Janet is an artist who moved from the United States to Playa del Carmen in 2007. Janet and I have been involved with several of the same charitable organizations in Playa and now we are both members of the new Playa del Carmen Rotary Club Seaside Chapter. When I saw the gorgeous painting she was donating for the KKiS auction last month, I approached her about contributing her point of view about expat life in Playa del Carmen.

As soon as I walked into her home, I knew I was in the home of an artist. Janet's original works dot the walls throughout the house. Each a colorful vignette of her life in Playa and favorite scenes from her travels in Mexico. Her unique shell and bead mobiles turned slowly as we walked past. As luck would have it, I was able observe a private art class she was giving. Janet teaches painting and drawing to locals and visitors who would like to improve their art skills. On this day, I was intrigued to discover that she also exchanges her art classes for other services; in this case, trading art instruction for yoga practice with Arielle Thomas Newman at Yoga by the Sea. I love this idea of bartering skills and services and wish there were more people willing to do the same.

Q: Where are you originally from and where in the Riviera Maya are you living now?
A: I lived in Philadelphia, PA for 30 years. Now I live in Playa del Carmen in a rented house.

Q: How long you have you lived there and what made you chose that area?
A: I moved here in 2007, having visited many areas of Mexico.

Q: What made you chose the Riviera Maya as a place to live? Had you visited the area many times in the past? What attracted you to Mexico and this region?
A: The warm air and beautiful sea were a big influence. I like Merida but there is not Caribbean Sea. I had visited many place in Mexico and kept returning to Playa. The reasonable cost of living was decisive in choosing Mexico.

Q: What did you do for a living back home? What do you do here?
A: I was an artist in the US working with clay. When I decided to move to Mexico I gave away my equipment to young people and began painting in oils. That is what I do here, and teaching painting classes.

Q: What do you enjoy most about the Riviera Maya?
A: The native people.

Q: How's the quality of life? Is it what you expected or have you been surprised by anything?
A: I am very happy with my quality of life. I have learned to be happy with what is available here. I don't own a car and make do with a bicycle. I rent a house.

Q: What do you miss most about your home country when you are here?
A: Art galleries and museums nearby. But there are plenty in Merida so I visit there often.

Q: Which are the best places to live in this region as an expat? Any specific area you would or would NOT recommend?
A: I am very happy in Playa del Carmen but it is getting bigger and bigger. I like Puerto Morelos a lot it is still a small town.

Q: How do you rate the standard of living accommodations and services?
A: There are definite differences: occasional power loss, internet interruption, telephone reception that comes and goes, but I have settled into a lovely house in a Mexican neighborhood where I am very comfortable.

Q: What's the cost of living compared to home? What is cheap or expensive in particular?
A: I live much cheaper here and for me the difference is not having to pay for heat. I have learned to make do with what is available here rather than paying for imported items.

Q: Was it easy meeting people and making friends? Do you socialize mainly with other expats or do you have a lot of Mexican friends?
A: It was very easy meeting people. I started with my neighbors and expanded from there. I love to cook, so I asked neighbors if I could come sit in the kitchen and watch them cook. It was also a great way to learn the Spanish language. I do occasionally go to the expatriot gathering places which helps me meet that community. There is a large group of expatriots who gather for Friday night happy hours at each others homes and I have recently joined the English speaking Rotary Club.

Q: Do you find Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya safe?
A: Totally.

Q: Did you have a problem getting a work visa/permit?
A: I don't work for money in Mexico but have volunteered with several organizations. The year I arrived in Playa I got involved with the Diabetes Club at the Angel Notion Clinic. The first week I was there taking blood pressures and weights, it was explained that knowledge of healthy food was needed. I like to cook, so I began cooking lunch for the 25 people who had fasted before having blood tested and gave them each the recipe every week. After 3 years they each had quite a cookbook. That Clinic closed so I became involved with the KKIS Project (Keeping Kids in School) last year. We are a group of expats who raise money at an annual fundraiser (coming up Feb. 28) to buy backpacks, shoes and school supplies for children who are in need in order to help them stay in school. I also organize a group of volunteers who practice English with grade school children in a neighborhood school north of Playa once a week.

Q: How do you keep busy?
A: I attend yoga classes 4 or 5 mornings a week and usually meet my husband on the beach afterward for a couple hours of swimming and relaxing in the sun. I teach painting classes once a week in my own studio. I paint a lot and now have begun making mobiles of sea shells and tiny seed beads. My paintings are on display in the shop Siete Detalles, the talavera and pewter shop on First Ave and Calle 14. I am very involved with the KKIS Project: finding families that need assistance, buying school supplies, and reading with children at the Pelopidas School in the Guadalupana neighborhood of Playa. I also cook often and we entertain in our wonderful home.

Q: Did your spouse or partner have problems adjusting to their new home?
A: My husband has done very well. He does water aerobics with a group of expatriots and Mexican women three times a week. That community gathers once a month for a potluck party, good fellowship and often an accordion player.

Q: Did your children settle in easily?
A: My children are grown up and on their own but they have visited often.

Q: How would you rate the healthcare by cost and quality?
A: I have been very satisfied with the health care I have needed. I use the Sanar Clinic which features both western medicine and alternative treatment. My husband spent a few days in hospital in Playa and then Cancun, finally deciding to return to the US for treatment of a previous heart condition. The doctors in Philadelphia were very pleased
with the assistance he had received in Mexico.

Q: Is there any specific advice you like to offer new expat arrivals?
A: Learn Spanish and get to know the Mexican people. You can definitely get away with out that challenge, but it is well worth the trouble.

Q: Have you ever considered moving back to your home country and if so, why?
A: Nope.

Q: What brings you the most joy and keeps you here?
A: Yoga classes every morning with the Caribbean Sea as the background, smiling children's faces when I enter their classroom, sunshine and warm water.

**If you would like to take art classes with Janet, she can be reached via email at jlowepots[at]gmail.com.

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About Expat Interviews on "Life's a Beach"

Every week, I answer dozens of emails from people interested in moving to Playa del Carmen. While I am always happy to give my point of view....my perspective on life here as a foreigner.....I thought it might be fun and informative for "Life's a Beach" readers to get to know some more of the folks who have made the big leap into expat life. We began a series of interviews with local business people and families who have moved to Playa del Carmen whose journey may be of interest to those still in the planning stages or even those just dreaming about it. Unlike other expat interviews found on the web, we know all of these people personally. If you are planning to move to Playa del Carmen, they just may be your neighbors! We may not necessarily see eye to eye with everyone we interview but each of these interviews will be published unedited and in their entirety. As such, I imagine that this particular series will be interesting to follow and prompt quite a few comments and questions.

Sunday Kids Art Club! NEW at Zenzi Beach Club

Rob Kinnon — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:03:00 GMT

The Riviera Maya just keeps getting more and more "family friendly". As a Mom, I can't tell how pleased I am to have so many great options for kids sports and activities in Playa del Carmen. Now Zenzi Beach Club is offering an entertainment for kids during their popular Sunday BBQ!

The adorable Miss Sarah Kenyon will be channeling her creative talents into a Sunday Kids Art Club. Sarah is proving all materials and will be on hand every Sunday from 2pm - 4pm to guide your budding Morisot's and Monet's toward their artistic dreams. The cost is just 50 pesos per child!

The club is open to Playa kids and visitors alike and should make for a great opportunity to meet new friends! So come on down to Zenzi Beach Club and sink your toes into the sand while your kids enrich their minds and have some fun.

Zenzi Beach Club is located on Calle 10 on the beach.

Help Raise Funds for the Hekab Be Library in Akumal

Rob Kinnon — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:35:00 GMT

Mark you calendars for March 9th from 5:30 -7:00 pm for a SILENT AUCTION to support Hekab Be Biblioteca de Akumal.Held at the Lol Ha Beach Bar during Happy Hour, the auction will feature the paintings of well-known muralist Oscar Romero and other artists, hand crafts from Bali, Indonesia and Panama.

Hekab Be Library promotes literacy and learning opportunities among children and adults in Quintana Roo, Mexico, in order to meet their educational goals. Serving as a tool for educational, social and economic progress, we provide individuals and families with resources for scholastic advancement, helping improve people’s language and literacy skills, while promoting cultural preservation and awakening the desire to understand other customs and ways of thinking.

The Hekab Be Library acquaints young children with books, provides learning resources for school children, offers literacy and writing classes in the Spanish language for adults, offers classes in the English language for older children and adults, conducts programs in the Maya language, and offers classes in the Maya language.

The Hekab Be Library has been featured for two years in a row in our 12 Days/12 Ways Holiday Giving Series and we encourage all of our readers to participate in this fun event. Come and enjoy the beach bar and help us raise money for our local English-Spanish library serving visitors and locals in the community.

New ONDARTE Artist Residency Program Begins in Akumal

Rob Kinnon — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:00:00 GMT

Applications are now being accepted at ONDARTE Artist Residency Program in Akumal, Mexico. ONDARTE was born from the desire to support international artists and promote cultural exchange between creators from all walks of life. Alec Von Bargen, the founder of ONDARTE, is an artist. Maribel Bianchi, the residency director is an artist at heart who has been surrounded by art and artists her entire life.

The new ONDARTE Artist Residence offers a pristine environment in the heart of the Riviera Maya, perfect for the interaction of artists with nature. ONDARTE'S grounds are spread out over 2 hectares. The area is comprised of the living quarters, open-air working areas, temperature controlled storage rooms, a communal kitchen/dining area and tranquil relaxation areas set around the swimming pool and tropical gardens. Artists have full access to the grounds so that they may create wherever they feel inspired. The facility has furnished suites for the artists in residence, all with private bathrooms and work desks for artists who require a more private area to complete their endeavors. Every effort is made to support the unique creative processes of the residents.

ONDARTE is located in the small town of Akumal, between the Caribbean Sea and Yal Ku lagoon. Akumal has always been a creative haven where people come to live in harmony with nature and art. ONDARTE, along with other initiatives in Akumal, is focused on preserving the natural beauty of the Riviera Maya while responsibly sharing its creative voice with the rest of the world.

Once a month ONDARTE hosts an open house to which local artists and the members of the surrounding communities are invited in order to further promote the cultural exchange between the artists and their adopted home. Opportunities can also be arranged for artists in residence to work with local artists, artisans or craftspeople. Participants who are interested in leading art classes for young children of the area are encouraged to do so and these classes can be set up by ONDARTE organizers.

If you are an artist or know an artist who would like to take advantage of this unique residency program, please send submission materials to ondarte[at]ondarteresidency.com. Included should be:

1. Bio / CV

2. Examples of recent work

3. Intended project during residency

4. Link to website (if applicable)

A jury of local and international experts in their fields decide on the acceptance of the applicants. Only submissions with complete applications will be considered. The jury meets once/twice a month. Admission consideration is continuous. The applicant will be notified within two-three weeks of their sent application. There is a monthly fee of $1000 usd per artist. Upon acceptance, ONDARTE will be more than happy to assist any qualifying applicant with recommendations / invitation letters to help them apply for and secure financial support.

Please visit www.ondarteresidency.com for more information.