Tradition

January Artists 2008
(L) Christine, Sean, Donna, John, Holly, Nancy, (R) Irene, Charles, Bonnie, Francisco, me, Susan

Started a new tradition at the colony, taking a group picture. We are all painting each other or have a book, that represent our art. I think they all thought it was going to be stupid looking, but it came out really great. I love it, except for my cleavage. Francisco has hire me to take more pictures for the colony's website. So, today, depending on weather of course, I will spend a few hours taking some property shots. I feel privileged. Fransisco & I will go and get a nice print of the group next week. He wants one with out him in it, but I like the one with him for this blog.

Carlos, Fransisco's brother, not in picture took us on a mystery ride today too, and the views were spectacular, I think we drove about 3 hours, thinking we were going swimming at a waterfall, and 3 hours later reached to pacific coast, (I think he forgot to turn off somewhere.) The beach was vocanic, black sand and it was more of a cargo port, but still alot of beach goers, and not the prettiest beach I ever saw. But it was hot! Sometimes its just the journey and not the destination I realize. The trip to the pacific was an adventure in the back of a pick-up truck, the whole way, I took some great photos of the landscape. This coteza amarilla tree was one of the highlights of our cross country journey. On the way back we spend most of the ride laying down because passing police cars we were lucky not to get stopped, being illegal to carry passengers in back of the truck, so we made believe we were melons. lol

Mission Achiote

Ok, yesterday Carlos, Christine & I went for a jungle walk. I mean the jungle. He took his machetti, which is like carrying a jacknife to Costa Ricenses. We had to mark the trail as we plowed through brush and leaves. It was a thrill! I can't even beleive I did it. If I had understood his broken english about where were going I don't think I would've gone. But I was stuck ( didn't want to be a whimp) and so glad I went and trudged behind Carlos through this jungle. He told me we were going to find the "Achiote" tree, he knew the area it was in, but we had to climb down steep paths and up again with really not much of a pathe because everything grows so fast here. We climbed over gigantic ant hills, saw the biggest "elephant tree", crossed the river in our shoes and found the achiote and it was lit up by a stream of sunshine, I felt we had found the hold grail). The tree has these red fruits on it that CR indigenous people use for face painting in their rituals and it is used as a natural "red-orange" food coloring also. Also known as the "Lipstick Tree". It looks like a fruit, but it is a flower that turns into a pod with red seeds inside when crushed turn into red paste. I am using it as watercolor in some of my now recent paintings while I am here. We also saw the property owners beating beans. They gather dried tumbleweeds with the beans attached and then two men beat the dried brush with two bamboo sticks in each hand until the dried beans fall to a collection at bottom, little red beans. What a day, my muscles in legs are killing me today. It was quite a hike and I got some great pictures.

Quintessential Costa Rica

Daily life is quiet now in the colony, subdued and peaceful, this tico culture doesn't hit you like a ton of bricks, I know I have not written in the blog, I just felt I had nothing to say and so much to say. I am trying to figure out how to make uploading pictures easier to the blog too. I think I found it but have to try a few things first.
My spanish class was really interesting today. We had 3 in class and conversation was flying in spanish, not from me though, but I do find it mush easier to understand it, than speak it. Its hard to start off a conversation, I get stuck.
Last night we went to an opening reception for a few artists exhibit at the National Galleria, it was wonderful, Charles, Irene, Donna, and Lynn. Great space, it used to be a prison 100 years ago, and then to be knocked down, now a National Galleria. kind of eeiry, vault-like. You can see where all the cells were with wrought iron gates, stone, castle sitting amidst a run-down section of San Jose.

Above is another wonderful, inspiring artist's business card, Christine.