traveling solo in San Jose, Costa Rica

Passport in hand, colones in my wallet and traveling with one wheeled suitcase and wearing the only pair of shoes traveling with me, I breezed through immigration and customs to see a throng of people holding signs, shouting names and "taxi!" I wove through the crowd toward one of the bright red taxis and used my rehearsed pronunciation of my hotel in the Aranjuez neighborhood of San Jose. I was quoted the expected $30 fare and off we went. 

If you've heard stories about the driving in San Jose, believe them. Motorcycles dart between large vehicles; tour buses, shuttles, cars and trucks all go as fast as possible, shifting into lanes that might offer a slight advantage through the traffic. In my tourist mode, I watched the city pass by through the side window, not really paying attention to other vehicles until I was flopping around in the back seat when the driver swerved mightily to avoid getting hit by a truck. The driver and I were both OK, but I banged my upper arm on something that caused a 3-inch bruise that I wore throughout the trip. Yes, I buckled my seat belt before we resumed. 

The Hotel Aranjuez is a collection of five houses built around 1930 joined by gardens and seating areas.

The seating area just outside Hotel Aranjuez Room #5, where I stayed two nights. 

The Aranjuez neighborhood is near the center of San Jose, where I strolled through plazas, looked at architecture and enjoyed learning about the country's history, art and culture at the Museum of Jade. 

That first afternoon, I walked around the neighborhood, found a delightfully colored restaurant, Cafe de los Deseos, and had delicious tacos and a mula con tequila. My limited Spanish allows me to order from the menu but then I don't usually understand follow-up questions such as "something to drink?" although my understanding improved a bit and I learned the verb "tomar" in addition to "beber" meaning "to drink". Many people, especially in hospitality/tourism industries, speak English, and even those who don't seemed patient with my toddler vocabulary and clunky syntax.

My intention for a nap after this tasty meal turned into sleeping through the night and ready to meet the next day. 

Cafe de los Deseos, San Jose, Costa Rica

first meal in Costa Rica, and a very delicious one!

artist exchange/winter travel

With the Spanish vocabulary of a toddler who knows a little about food and backed by my 9-percent fluency ranking with the app DuoLingo, I'm heading south for an artist exchange and reprieve from winter. Thanks to Judith Anthony Johnston and Katrina Methot Swanson, fellow members of the  Artists' Cooperative Gallery, and their multiple conversations with Costa Rican artist Elisa Morera, I get to participate in a program to show work in the Sophia Wanamaker Gallery, which is part of cultural center that links North America with Costa Rica. In June, our gallery will host several artists from Costa Rica.

I'm counting on the good will garnered with good manners -- I can easily say 'hello,' 'please' and 'thank-you' -- and the reports of numerous bilingual natives and U.S. expatriates. I expect to have at least occasional Internet access and plan to share a few photos on social media, but I'm really looking forward to sketching and writing as a way to journal about my adventures. My bags are packed, I've got colons in my wallet, and I'm hoping for a "bueno viaje" (good journey). Cheers!

making a cut

I'm excited about being one of six finalists for a yearlong residency at the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel and the only artist from Omaha in the mix. The artist-in-residence will spend about four days a week working in a hotel studio, engaging with visitors and displaying work. Several public events will occur through the year and the artist will create a legacy piece that will remain at the hotel. Visitors to the hotel lobby can cast a ballot for their favorite artist through Jan. 25; finalists will interview with a committee in January and the name of the resident artist will be announced Feb. 1. 

Hotel owner Marcus Corporation has run an artist-in-residence, as well as a writer-in-residence, at its flagship hotel in Milwaukee, the Pfizer Hotel, for several years. Expanding the program to Lincoln has the potential to add a vibrant dimension to Nebraska's art community and I'm eager to see how it develops. 

conceal and reveal

The open house was intense -- many visitors, many engaging conversations and sales, too! Returning the studio to its working mode, I've been finishing up several small paintings. I'll choose from among the paintings on paper to take with me to display in Costa Rica early next year. The image above is of one in a small series that I completed this week. Earlier layers looked like this:

early layers of several paintings on paper

and then like this:

adding texture, pattern and color

concealing and revealing underlying layers

Preparing for open studios!

I've been rearranging artwork and cleaning up a bit to get the studio in shape for the Hot Shops open house Dec. 5 & 6. I'll be in Studio #311 from noon to 8 p.m. or so on Saturday and noon to 5 or 6 p.m. Sunday. I have some new pieces, including a trio of small paintings on paper inspired by Omaha's beautiful old buildings. They are a whimsical take on the ways this architecture adds character to our city that is worth preserving. 

A small painting on paper made with oil colors and cold wax. It's about 7x7.5"

It's always a little less crowded up on the third floor, so I recommend starting up on top and working your way down through the building. There are shows in all the first-floor galleries and about 80 resident artists opening their studios.  Guest artists are in studios, stairwells and hallways, so you're sure to see something that interests you.