Copywritten by Jennifer Carrillo Photography
Recently, I took my kids down to Olvera Street. This is a Mexican Mercado along with some pretty fantastic restaurants, music, a lot of culture as well as touristy stuff, but for me, it is where I spent a huge amount of my childhood. Looking at me, you would never know I am half Mexican. I do not look like your typical Mexican, but I am proud to be of Mexican Heritage on my mother’s side of the family. My grandparents were from Michoacan (my grandfather) and Sonora Mexico (my grandmother). My grandfather, immigrated here with his mother, brother and sister and worked hard before he was able to acquire La Luz Del Dia (long story for another time). He eventually did become the owner of La Luz Del Dia Mercado and the restaurant of the same name (it has now been in our family for over 50 years!). My mother, brother and I would go down to Olvera street to get our meat from my grandfather’s market, lunch in the restaurant, and my brother and I would play up and down the conveyor belt in the back of the restaurant. We enjoyed running up and down Olvera street, listening to the Mariachis and we very much enjoyed Mexcian treats like Tamarindo (those were my favorite treats!). The place smelled of fresh Mexican food and was always full of life. I have the best memories visiting my grandfather, the market and the restaurant. I enjoyed taking my children back now, at an age they can appreciate the history in our family. The restaurant, still in our family, but the unfortunately the market was sold after my grandfather passed away. The market is now a part of a historical museum, the Sepulveda House, that showcases a little bit of the history of the area. There is a photo of the original market, taken in 1977, when the market was in our family. Going back to Olvera Street always feels a little like going home, so much is still the same and yet so much has changed. Both my grandparents have now passed on and I miss them daily, but the love, the history, the memories and traditions they left instilled within me are some of the greatest treasures I have. Now I get to pass those stories, memories, and traditions down to my children, though the experience is not nearly the same, it is something I can share with them to keep the heritage of my family alive. Today was a touching moment for me, as my son rode the conveyor belt today for the first time. Now, all of my children have done the official conveyor belt ride and it is recorded for them to remember and hopefully pass on to their children one day.
As I was walking through the museum today, this quote stood out to me “Art is a weapon that penetrates the eyes, the ears, the deepest and most subtlest human feelings…” Being an artist, I am a deep thinker, feeler, and observer. Being a photographer allows me to combine what I see, smell, hear and feel into images. Sometimes these images are successful and they convey the emotional messages I am trying to achieve but other times they fail to meet the mark. Being an artist though, I am never ever completely satisfied. I am always looking for the next moment, the next person, place or feeling that will speak to me next. I am driven by my passion to capture that which cannot be captured but I will keep trying. I am an artist to the bone and I have realized I can do nothing better then embrace all that makes me who I am and use it for good. I hope these images tell a story, a little piece of my story for you to enjoy, and, if you are ever in the area and want some incredible Mexican food, stop into La Luz Del Dia. Everything is made from scratch, including the tortillas (the most amazing tortillas). They cater too!
Copywritten by Jennifer Carrillo Photography