Hello from Spain!

Here are a few of the photographs that'll be included in my

POTE exhibit. This post is coming very late because the location I carried out my project was isolated from phone and internet, in the heart of New Mexico. Immediately after putting all the pieces together (photo selections, enlargements, mounting, etc.) I was off to Spain, studying abroad! Below are a couple of photos which will be included in the full exhibit that I wanted to share a little bit about. The project is its entirety will contain 4 series of 10-12 photos and one more along the bottom showing the faces of Aragon.

The first morning in Aragon, I awoke to one of the most powerful experiences of the trip. During the night, a nearby rancher lost his best horse, and the foal she carried, to birthing complications. He sat up through the night tending to his longtime companion, but ultim

ately the animal died just before sunrise. Soon, we had buried the mare and the day proceeded as normal. It was really eye-opening to be face-to-face with the reality of life and death which is so common in the lives of rancheros in Aragon.

Branding the season's calves is another unique window into ranch life. Seeing photographs of what would would appear to be painful action carried out against wide-eyed baby calves may give mixed feelings to some, but witnessing it is something else entirely. It really is an impressive exhibition of expertise and care towards the well-being of the animals.

I'll post in a little while with some shots of the organization and selection process, just before mounting.

I'm extremely disappointed that I have to miss POTE and all the wonderful artwork that everyone created this summer! A friend is taking photos of the entire night for me, so I'll at least get to see that eventually. Bueno Suerte with the event! Have fun!

-Nick Mendoza