Vacation!

For the next few days I will have a lot of family and obligations that take me away from NicaPOD! So there will be no NicaPOD posts for a while - probably until July 6 or July 7, 2008! Wherever you are - thanks for visiting, and I hope you will come back later!

Just for fun, here is a photo of a gorgeous bird we photographed at the beach at Pochomil.

Franklin Calero, Young Ceramic Artist

The ceramic artists from San Juan de Oriente never cease to amaze me -- above is a pot from Franklin Calero, a young potter who is making a name for himself. He is the son of Francisco Calero and continues the family tradition of creative designs and a bold use of color. This pot is signed on the bottom, and is a collector quality work of art.




For more information on purchasing ceramic art and other artwork from Nicaragua, go to www.NicaArtGallery.com.

Graves in Granada

On one of my trips to Granada, after a long day of walking and taking photos, I decided to go to the cemetery. It was on the edge of town, and I came close to dusk. There were a lot of people visiting the cemetery, and as I arrived a funeral procession was entering the gates.









The cemetery was like a city unto itself. The mausoleums and crypts were lined up in tidy rows, almost like streets, paved with bricks or stone. For the most part, the graves were very well-tended.











It was a visit that impressed upon me the continuity of life after death in that the memories of the living keep our loved ones close.

Ometepe Island - A Trip to Paradise!

With a population of about 37,000 people on a land area of 171 square miles (276 square kilometers), Ometepe is actually full of people, although the pace of life is slow and easy.

The island of Ometepe is actually two volcanoes, Concepcion and Maderas, joined by an isthmus. It is located in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, or Lago Colcibolca, in southern Nicaragua.

We took a whirlwind 3-day trip there that I've written about in several past posts (April 8, 9, 13, 29, 2008 and June 13, 2008). But it is such a lush and richly creative place that there is still more to say! The photo at the top of this page was taken as we rode the ferry from San Jorge to Moyagalpa on Ometepe Island. The panorama of the 2 volcanoes rides faintly on the horizon. The photo above left, is coming into Moyagalpa port, and above right, the dock at San Jorge as we began the ferry journey. To the right, we watched the vehicles loaded onto the ferry -- they all had to back in, in order to drive straight out at the other side.

We were lucky to have tickets in the upper cabin, which was air conditioned. It was full of wealthy Nicaraguans, North Americans and Europeans. But many other people rode along the lower decks, overlooking the water. We ventured out several times over the course of the 1.5 hour trip, and found beautiful vistas in every direction.

This was the start of a great trip; we learned so much about the local artists and artisans, ate delicious food, and made some great friends! More to come in another post!

Nicaragua My Nicaragua!

"Nicaragua" by Rudolpho Arellano

So many artists of Nicaragua struggle (and succeed) in painting their love for their country. The history of contemporary Nicaraguan art, in particular, painting, has been similar to other Latin countries, in that much of the 19th and 20th century artists were most influenced by the styles, genres and movements of Europe. The art schools in Latin America often imported masters from Europe or hired local artists who had been classically trained in France or Italy. In the mid to late 20th century, many Nicaraguan artists were struggling to define a national artistic identity that was based upon their own cultural, social, political, and geographic experiences and conditions, in effect rejecting the European- centered identity that had formed the artistic environment to this point.

Modern art in Nicaragua was spurred by the Nicaraguan artist Rodrigo Penalba (1908-1979), when he returned in 1948 from training in Europe. He was appointed the Director of the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes, and became the teacher, mentor and motivator of several generations of Nicaraguan artists. Penalba’s influence encouraged his students to experiment in the expression of cultural identity through painting. Penalba is generally acknowledged as the father of the modern art movement in Nicaragua.

In the early 1960’s, a new force began to develop, led by a group of young artists who were driven by the desire to create a national artistic and cultural movement. This group formed Praxis, an avant-garde community of artists that addressed the intellectual and cultural issues of national identity and the creation of art. Praxis was headed by painter Alejandro Arostegui, writer Cesar Izquierdo and Amaru Barahona. They began the publication of a magazine, held lectures and conferences, offered painting and drawing courses, and organized exhibitions. With their first exhibition in 1963, Praxis initiated a national artistic movement.

In her monograph, “Patria: Contemporary Nicaraguan Painting” (Duke University Museum of Art, 1995), Sofia Lacayo describes this exhibition organized by Praxis.

“The major artistic tendency at the exhibition was what has been called the “pathetic” – an expression in both abstract and figurative form of concepts of solitude and alienation. Reacting to the condition of Nicaragua, their work rebelled against human suffering caused by oppressive government and addressed the need for social change. Their work became a symbol of insubordination to the Somoza dynasty.” (page 7)

The Praxis group became an important network for the developing visual arts community for the next 40 years. It is still active, although many additional trends have influenced the Nicaraguan art scene over the years.

The painting above, by Rudolpho Arellano of Solentiname, symbolizes Nicaragua as a beautiful woman. When I visited Sr. Arellano in 2006, and purchased the painting, he explained that this painting was a visualization incorporating many aspects of Nicaragua's beauty and history. The jar on the woman's head is adorned with a flowing river, a reference to the historical hopes for a canal linking the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. The water and fishermen in the background refer to the livelihood of many Nicaraguans still, and the many lush trees and flowers, and animals and birds, represent the glorious flora and fauna of Nicaragua. Out of the pot on the woman's head, flow flowers of all varieties, representing the hopes for the future of the country. The woman herself is looking toward the future, unafraid and optimistic.

Mural Art at Casa Ben Linder

After we had lived in Managua for several months, we visited Casa Ben Linder in Barrio Monsenor Lezcano for one of their Thursday morning charlas. I've written in a previous post (April 11, 2008) about Ben Linder himself, but today I want to concentrate on the fabulous murals that have been painted at the Casa Ben Linder house.

Most of the murals were painted in the late 1980's or the 1990's, with the exception of the mural above. When I was there on a research and buying trip in 2006, I was able to capture this mural in process by Nicaraguan artist Julie Aguirre. Julie is known for her work picturing the lives of Nicaraguan women, and this mural shows a panoramic view of a village with many women, men and children. This is the second mural that Julie has painted on this surface -- the first was ruined by a shellac that was used to cover the painting.

Several works by Orlando Sobalvarro, one of the leading painters of Nicaraguan, are included in the feast of mural art at Casa Ben Linder. Sobalvarro was born in 1943 in Chontales, and became one of the founders of the Praxis Group in Nicaraguan art during the Sandinista period.

He links art and politics, and is considered a master interpreter of allegory and abstract symbolism. In David Craven's book, Art and Revolution in Latin America (2002, page 231), Sobalvarro is quoted, "It is important that the concepts of abstraction be understood by the general public, since the same pictorial qualities apply to painting as to political propaganda." Casa Ben Linder is fortunate to have several works by Sobalvarro. These works are in the form of tile petroglyphs adhered to the walls of the Casa Ben Linder compound.

The majority of the murals at the Casa Ben Linder chronicle Ben Linder's life, and heroes of pacifism, equality, charity and non-violence. The murals of Ben's life where painted by Thelma Gomez and Freddy Gaitan. One mural shows Ben with his father, discovering electricity, illustrating Ben's interest in science and his eventual education as an engineer. This mural is part of a series by Thelma and Freddy about Ben Linder.



















Another mural takes a more political angle, and shows Ben confronting a dragon. The dragon symbolizes the "beast", or US policy toward Nicaragua, including US support of the Contras. Ben is visible atop a hill with a grasshopper in his hand, representing hope in Nicaraguan imagery.











A number of the murals present portraits of heroes of pacifism and charity, and were painted by a Dutch artist, Diederick Grootjans. The absolute accuracy of this attribution is not confirmed; however, Padre Miguel D'Escoto, who was the initiator of many of the art projects and activities at Casa Ben Linder during the 1990's, believes this to be the artist's name (personal communication from Judy Richardson through phone interview, January 20, 2006).

The series includes Tolstoy and a Nicaraguan campesino woman (above left), Martin Luther King and a Nicaraguan woman (above right), Jesus Christ and Dorothy Day (right), an American journalist who was known for her social justice campaigns and who became a devout Catholic later in life.

These portrait murals are reportedly part of a series focused on Tolstoy. Padre Miguel D'Escoto had a great respect for Tolstoy and the path of non-violence, and originally suggested this series to highlight various peacemakers.

In 2005, a series of note cards was published of these murals, and may still be available through the Casa Ben Linder staff.

I would like to thank Penn Garvin and Judy Richardson for sharing their knowledge about these murals and the history of the Casa Ben Linder.

El Porvenir

Life in Nicaragua is full of coincidences and happy surprises. On my very first art research and buying trip to Nicaragua, after we had already returned to the States, I tried to find a translator who wasn't out of my price range and who could help interview artists, specifically in Solentiname. Out of nowhere, Carole Harper appeared, saying she wanted to visit Solentiname anyway, so would I mind if she and her son came along. We split expenses and she wouldn't take a dime for her translating work. We had the most marvelous time, and got to know each other a little. Her son, Mauricio is a great kid, and he was a pleasure to travel with, even though I'm sure he was bored to tears with these old folks he was with!











The second benefit of getting to know Carole is that she was intimately involved with a non-profit called El Porvenir (http://www.elporvenir.org). El Porvenir means "the future" in Spanish, and that is part of the mission of this organization. From the El Porvenir website, the organization "was born in the 1980's during the United Nations International Drinking Water Decade. El Porvenir began as an off-shoot of Habitat for Humanity’s self-help housing program in Nicaragua. In 1990, El Porvenir was incorporated in California under the Nonprofit Corporations law and was approved as a 501 (c)(3). As of 2008, El Porvenir has completed over 600 projects and served over 70,000 people!"

"El Porvenir supports more than 40 community-initiated projects a year in three regions of the country. These projects utilize simple technology and locally available materials, and can be repaired and maintained by the community.El Porvenir's projects, which are always initiated by the community itself, include the digging of covered and sanitary water wells, small scale reforestation programs, construction of community wash stations and household latrines, and installation of appropriate-technology spring-water capture pumps.


One of the unique aspects of El Porvenir is that they do not initiate projects themselves, but respond to the requests of villages and communities for specific assistance. Again, from the website, "Village residents elect their own water committee, provide all labor on a volunteer basis, and take responsibility for the long-term maintenance of all projects. El Porvenir encourages the committee to include women among their members, provides technical expertise and education, and funds the primary materials needed to complete the projects. Staff visit the projects periodically after their completion, to verify that they are still in good working order, are being maintained by the community, and continue to provide for the community's water and sanitation needs."

Individuals from North America who want to become involved can go to Nicaragua through El Porvenir sponsored "work trips", oftentimes vacations that extra meaning. There are also opportunities to travel to Nicaragua for El Porvenir work trips through ElderHostel Service Projects. As many people have discovered, El Porvenir's projects are simple yet life saving. My friend Carole was actually the founder of El Porvenir many years ago, and although she is no longer on the Board of Directors or actively involved, her work continues to bring benefits to many Nicaraguans, and inspires many North Americans as well.

Volcan Jilna - Across the Hills to the Water

A view of Volcan Jilna in Lake Managua from C. Suburbana in Managua. Does anyone know what the building in the middle ground is? This photo seems to capture all the natural beauty of Nicaragua - lush greenery, blue mountains and a sky of clouds and dreams.

Simplemente Madera

In a previous post, I talked about a wonderful wood artist, Francisco Tikay Ortiz from Monimbo a barrio of Masaya. Today I want to introduce you to Simplemente Madera, a really interesting organization both in terms of the unique furniture and architectural designs they produce, and in terms of their methods of operating and commitment to sustainability.

The main showroom and design offices of Simplemente Madera are in Managua on a busy road in Los Robles - Avenida 19 (yes, this is what it is called on the map of Managua!), near the Hospital Monte Espana. The low building is set at an angle to the road with a very picturesque cobble stone parking lot. In an interview with Nick Cook of "Between the Waves" magazine











(http://simplemente-madera.blogspot.com/2008_01_01_archive.html), in December 2007, the founder of Simplemente Madera, Matthew Falkiner, explains that the organization began in 2003, working with a network of independent workshops around the country to produce furniture. They now have 24 employees, and recently moved to a newly built workshop in Managua dedicated to increased production for local and export markets. Approximately 80% of their sales are within Nicaragua, but the export market is increasing every day. They still work with the many independent workshop around the country, and continue to guard quality, safety and compliance with sustainability regulations closely. The close relationship with these workshops ensures that designs are unique, fresh, graceful and beautiful!

The beautiful furniture they produce mirrors the beauty of the wood that is used. The primary types of wood used are Cedro Macho (Royal Mahogany), Nanciton, Santa Maria and Guapinol, and nearly all is "certified wood". Matthew explained that this means that the wood "comes from sources that are guaranteed to be sustainable and well managed, both socially and environmentally."

We purchased several small pieces that we treasure, including a wall mirror with a design akin to American Mission Style, but subtly different. Their showroom in Managua has examples of many indoor and outdoor furniture, as well as lamps, bread trays, cutting boards, and other decorative items. It is a joy to walk through the showroom handling the gorgeous woods and trying the unusual furniture designs!

To learn more about Simplemente Madera, go to http://www.simplementemadera.com.

Eating Out for Pennies - Huembes Restaurants

Huembes Mercado in Managua has everything; we all know that. But many of us don't have a chance to appreciate the amazing prepared food that is available at the many tiny restaurants and cafes within the Mercado walls.

The hot food was the most appetizing to me -- stews and soups of all description! Couldn't be more delicious! A nutritious meal is around 20 to 50 cords, and ranges from a simple lunch to a veritable feast! Of course sweets and cakes and pastries, as well as refrescos and coffee were also available to round out a wonderful meal.

















Strolling mariachi bands would sometimes wander through, playing a song for a sweetheart!




















The women who prepared the food were often small businesswomen, and ran the food stalls with family help. I enjoyed wandering the aisles and sniffing the delicious aromas!

Pewter of Nicaragua

My quest for Nicaraguan pewter began as a small wisp of an idea. There wasn't a lot of pewter in the markets, and I didn't know any specific artists involved in pewter molding. Nevertheless, it was a journey that drew me along the Managua-Masaya Road to the family workshop and sales area of Enrique Castellon. There I learned that each mold is designed by hand by the artisan, and the pewter is poured, cooled and polished in a painstaking process with few modern aids -- it is almost completely a process managed by individual artisan actions, purposefully and deliberately. The results are beautiful, with unique shapes, vessel types, and surface designs.



As you may know, the new divided highway between Managua and Masaya is a wonderful improvement over the old rutted road, but the relative speed of travel forces one to miss a lot of the charm of the scenery and people. The Castellon workshop is an example of just the kind of charm that is easy to miss. The workshop is hidden behind the corrugated metal fencing just beyond the small open hut that serves as their shop.





To reach their spot on the road, we had to travel beyond them on the divided highway, twirl round the round-about, and make our way back to pull off the road near their shop. The way I remembered their location was to keep a view of the Masaya volcano on my right. Somewhere about when the volcano was in the middle of the my right-hand vision, the Castellon workshop was nearby! Not exactly precise directions, but very Nicaraguan! And the beautiful view of the volcano on one side of the road and the lush expanse of valley and hills on the other made the drive a delight!

In the end, we requested about 5 pieces including platters and bowls, and returned for them a week later. It was well worth the wait! Next visit, I want to find more family pewter workshops and get photos of the artisans at work!

Bright Balsa Wood Carvings From Solentiname

Solentiname Islands excels in two distinct types of creative production -- balsa wood carving and painting, and oil painting on canvas or linen. Our hotel was on an island (Mancarron) that was a center for balsa wood sculpture, so we started with a walking tour of the homes / workshops of a group of about 25 families who fish for their primary living, and carve balsa for extra income. The community, named Refugio, has been developed specifically to promote the production of marketable goods and give the local people a more steady source of income. When the community is fully developed, a total of 125 families are expected to live and work here. There is a elementary school and a church, a health clinic (supported by non-governmental funds) which was built through community effort, and at one time the productive activities included furniture construction.

High school age kids either go to San Carlos for continued education (an hour away across the lake), or within the last few years, a Spanish NGO has supported teachers to come to Solentiname every 15 days for a week-end crash course in high school subjects. This is currently the main educational option for local high school kids. Based on our limited discussion with some artisan families, most of the young people will expect to stay in the islands when finishing school. Few expect to go to college.

Below, Arsenio Carillo-Romero and his wife, Amelia Romero (in rocking chair) carve and paint balsa wood they obtained from Papaturo, near the Costa Rican border. Amelia Romero was credited with teaching her husband the trade.














Right, Lydia Castillo Romero paints a balsa porpoise with acrylic paint. Lydia told us that all the artists develop their own designs. Each and every form is hand-carved, then sanded to a satin smooth finish and painstakingly painted.



To the left, long time residents of 36 years, Jose Andrea Romero Obando and his wife Luisa Amanda Sandoval Guadamus. Jose is holding a unique design of his own, an anhinga, a water bird known for sitting on posts with its wings stretched to dry in the sun. We saw anhingas in Texas where we lived on the water years ago, and found them again on Lago Cocibolca. Below, a portrait of the shy and reluctant Jose Romero. He is reputed to be one of the finest balsa sculptors on the island.



Right, kids begin their apprenticeship early -- first beginning with sanding, later moving to painting. Three year old Jefri Miriam Arguilar stops her sanding to stare at the weird strangers!



Rafael Chavarria and his wife, Reina Jimenez Ledessma (not pictured), regular balsa sculptors, were very outspoken, and shared their thoughts on how the community is improving over time. They were wholeheartedly in favor of the premise of my blog and Nicaraguan art sales effort -- to give recognition to the artists so people around the world can appreciate their work. A figure like the chicken Rafael is painting takes 2 days of detailed hand painting.

Reina envisions a telephone and computer that will link the community to the world. She also wants to have teachers resident on the island for all the kids of the village -- not an unreasonable hope for a parent.

Irena Chavarrio Jimenez, 14 and her sister, hard at work, but she can't help smiling as the adults talk. Irena works carefully and seriously.

At the time we were visiting, all the residents of the community were preparing for a large exposition at the central mall in Managua, Metro Centro. We saw boxes and boxes full of balsa sculptures, representing hours of work, and wished them the best of luck!