By Natalie Taylor
Alice was born in New York City and spent much of her life there. She studied at the Pratt Institute, then went to Florence and did one year of studies at the Accademia d’arte. She loved the freedom and energy of the magnificent Tuscan city. On returning home, her parents asked if she had gotten an education in Italy, and Alice replied: “I had an education, but it wasn’t in art.”
Alice had also made a stop in Paris. Seeing the French capital in person made a lasting impression on her. She vowed that someday she would live abroad. In New York, Alice developed a career as art director, and doing advertising work for firms. New York in the 1960s was filled with creative people, an environment Alice loved because you could step outside the box and live life as you saw fit.
In 1969 Alice moved to Aspen, Colorado because of a relationship. That did not last, and she then moved to Denver, again taking up advertising as she had done in New York. Denver was a progressive community at that time where you could do whatever you wanted. But the accounts she managed were not nearly as interesting as those she had in New York, so she started her own firm. Her specialty was representing artists; she loved their creativity, their “non-compliance.” Two graphic artists whom she represented in Denver were Merle Peek and Barry Zaid—former New York residents who had moved to Colorado. The relationship with them has continued to this day, right here in San Miguel.
In the early 2000s, Alice began thinking of retirement and she knew—as she had vowed on her first sight of Paris—she was not going to live out her life in the US, she wanted to live abroad. Her twin sister, Maggie, had spent years in the Peace Corp, spoke fluent Spanish, and was living in San Miguel de Allende. In 2004, Alice came to visit her sister and liked the city well enough to consider moving here. But she wanted to make sure Maggie was not opposed to that and asked her opinion. “The town is big enough for both of us,” Maggie replied.
Within a short time, Alice was here moving into an apartment she had rented. This is when her impression of San Miguel changed, because she began to experience what she calls the city’s “everyday magic.” Whether it was the sights and scents, the ever-present blue skies and sunshine, or the little moments of kindness from locals or expats, each day things happened that she could never imagine happening in the US.
Once here, Alice became part of the community. She took Spanish lessons and became involved in the arts community of San Miguel by joining Opera SMA, the Chamber Music organization, the Literary Sala, and the International Writers Conference. Through these she returned to the arts that had always meant so much, and the invigorating atmosphere of creative people. She made friends. She became part of the community.
It has been sixteen years since Alice first arrived in San Miguel and for her, this has been a good home base. Whenever she goes away, she feels glad to return because here, she always feels happy. One way that Alice has found how to give back to the community, is by becoming an active volunteer with CASA, where she is member of the board. This non-profit organization serves the poor, focusing on rural women, who are provided with sex education, birth control, and a pathway toward completing school.
What Alice likes about San Miguel in particular is that the climate, the landscape, and the residents, create an all-around nourishing atmosphere. It’s a place where you have the opportunity to meet the most extraordinary people. A place where you become part of a community in a complete way, with the give and take that this means. You enjoy the local food, drinks, and you take part in the traditions and celebrations that have established this as an authentic Mexican city. But at the same time you find the influence of those who have come to live here from other lands, and have made this such a rich environment. Then, once you absorb all of these bits of magic, you turn around and give back, grateful for what you have. This Alice has done with her involvement in the arts community, and helping the locals through an organization such as CASA.
Natalie Taylor: BA in English Lit and Journalism, Loyola University, Chicago, 1995. MFA in Creative Writing, Vermont College, Montpelier, VT, 1999. Published writer, editor, journalist. Spanish teacher in the US, English teacher in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Translator. www.natalietaylor.org Contact: tangonata@gmail.com
