It was in 1957 that Ary Stillman again repaired
to Mexico following a disastrous year of illness, an eye injury
which threatened to become permanent, the loss of his New York
studio, and a fruitless search for a suitable home in Paris.
It was early in May that Ary and I took a plane
for Mexico City. It was the first time we had flown and I was
frightened, but Ary was fascinated by the view from the window
-- cities, stretches of country and finally cloud masses. I think
he had imagined all this previously, but the actuality was a delight
to him. In Mexico City we went to the Hotel Ontario, down in the
old section not too far from the Zocalo --typically Mexican of
the end of the last century. We discussed where we should locate
ourselves, and had almost decided on San Miguel de Allende, when
Ary met on the street an artist he knew from New York, Judson
Briggs. Judson insisted that we come to Cuernavaca to look it
over at least -- the climate was perfect, he said -- it was only
about 46 miles from Mexico City and could be reached by bus, and
it was ideal in tempo and surroundings for an artist. So off to
Cuernavaca we went, and it proved to be the setting for us for
five years and for summer vacations for several additional years.
Click on images to enlarge.