Hosted by Randy Smit and Rhonda Edgington
Well known for its beauty, rich history, and preserved colonial architecture, San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas, Mexico, is also the place where one might find Elena Munoz Ruiz on any given day; gazing out her window, stirring her cardamom tea to warm her hands, dreaming of her next creation. She is the oldest of three, with one brother and one sister, and is cared for by her parents, Margarita Ruiz and Juan Munoz. Elena is widely known and appreciated on social media among disabled and nondisabled artists worldwide and has become a dear friend in the faith to me since the spring of 2017. It’s our joy and privilege to introduce you to Elena for this Lenten season’s Poetry Corner. ~ Randy
My name is Elena Muñoz Ruiz. I am from México. I am 42 years old. I’m an artist since I remember and I constantly create illustrations of real and fictional characters that say things about my environment.
On the other hand, if things are not funny and should be serious and dramatic by default, ambivalent messages, with less color and a lot of mystery take place in my watercolors and acrylics.
I create T-shirts with a mix of dream and pop touches and paint eco-friendly bags because there is only one planet to inhabit and take care of before thinking about colonizing Mars. I am a musician as well, a minimalist one, and I like to play with my friends or by myself. You can see and listen to something looking for Orquesta Café Con Pan in Facebook.
I have spinal muscular atrophy, a rare genetic disease that affects motor neurons, leaving the muscles progressively toneless and without strength to move the body. It does not affect the intellect, and it is said that those of us who have this condition are more intelligent than average, but I would say that there is a way to use mind and reason to the fullest, to compensate for such a peculiar physical disadvantage. I do consider myself very intelligent (no matter what). I was diagnosed when I was six years old with type II in a weak spectrum, and with 42 years, I can barely eat with adapted spoons and plastic forks. I use a power wheelchair since I was seven years old, and breathing for me is a miracle. My energy runs out if I speak a little more than needed. I rely on people’s help for everything. I consider myself capable to help in many ways, giving instructions to people to do things. I thank those who are willing to help me, being my hands and my legs to do so. On the other hand, I work producing very nice things with my illustrations for clients from all over the world, and if I talk with numbers, I would say that I have 5 percent of autonomy and mobility in my body. This leads me to think about those who have 100 percent of mobility on their bodies. What they can achieve!
If you want to see my artistic work you can visit:
@mascotidiana on Instagram. Thanks for following me.
www.facebook.com/mascotidiana
www.etsy.com/shop/catbrush
LIFT ME UP
As you are there. So loyal, so cheerful, patient… So friend, so focused, so smart, so lovely. Just as I am. I lift you up. You lift me up.
SELF HUG
Coldness: You should go, you should feel that the winter did not see you. For I will pretend that you do not exist, and I will cover myself with a thousand rays of sun so that you don’t reach to me.
ABSTRACT BURSTING SUN RAYS
The Sun brings to our existence life through colors and bursting powerful rays.
THE WORST IS GONE
I dream about the Ocean, the beach, the sun, the sand, the warm weather. Then I notice the sea, the blue, the seashores, the clear water, and a colorful sky on everything. My scars are there, but the worst and darkest feelings and experiences are gone. I learned.