Thursday, April 17, 2008

Dallas artist Jesus Chairez moving to Mexico City, selling his stuff

By Teresa Gubbins

Jesus Chairez, artist and longtime radio host on KNON 89.3 FM, is leaving Dallas and moving to Mexico City. Chairez, 54, hosted Sin Fronteras, a gay Latino radio show on the community radio station, for 12 years. He's also a prolific artist who hosted shows at ArteFacto, his alternative Latino art space; a writer who contributes columns to Dallas Morning News and Dallas Voice (who did a very nice piece on his departure), and an advisor on the board of local arts organization La Reunion TX.

"So why move to Mexico City?" he asks in an email sent to friends. "Writing my last Opinion Piece in the Dallas Morning News about losing affordable housing in my neighborhood got me to thinking. I knew it was just a matter of time that I had to move anyway. And since I love urban living I decided to move somewhere where there is a lot of writing inspiration, art museums, art galleries, and where life is more affordable for me."

In 2006, Chairez took early retirement from his job with the federal government. But the biggest factor in his move is that he saw that his low-cost living situation in East Dallas was about to come to an end.

"I had been here 16 years, living here, having art shows in my studio, but I didn’t buy the building," he says. "Since I wrote that piece and my landlord went from believing he'd never sell to not getting right price, I knew it was a matter of time. Everything’s being torn down around me. I never thought I would leave Dallas. But acres and acres have started disappearing, and I know I can’t afford that $300,000 condo in Uptown or the W Hotel."

He'll continue writing for area publications as well as his blog, Si Soy Gay. Meanwhile, he's hosting a grand yard sale on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1429 1/2 Bennett Avenue, including artwork, folk art, Lucha Libre Wrestler masks, clothing, jackets, computer desks, working tables, plants, weights, love seats, and coffee tables.

See more stories in:

• Arts
• Media > Radio
• Gay / Lesbian
• Hispanic / Latino
• Local Heroes