Artists of Tamarindo Unite!

Art for art’s sake is not a new notion – cultures have been using art primarily as a form of expression since the dawn of civilization. And the practice of artists’ collectives and artist colonies has been around for just as long a time. Like minds are drawn together and when the muse beckons, the artists respond. In Tamarindo, along with the galleries, there have historically been smatterings of street artists selling their jewelry, pottery, sculptures, and paintings where and when they can. Until recently, the artists have each been self-reliant, with no common bonds. Then along came Paula.

Paula Sancisi moved to Playa Tamarindo nearly seven years ago and opened her art shop, Bahia, more than three years ago near the entrance to what, at the time, was Mambo Bar. Tamarindo was still wild and woolly and the rotunda had a reputation for being the epicenter of the walk on the wild side. With time, Mambo closed, new shop owners moved into various storefronts at The Circle, but the reputation lingered, at least somewhat. Paula also relocated Bahia, keeping it in the rotunda, but moving next to the Caracola restaurant, near the side street, facetiously referred to as “Dengue Alley” that empties out at the Coral Reef restaurant at its other end.

During this transitory period, Paula perceived a need to redefine the rotunda’s image. She spoke with the owners of the other nearby establishments about putting lights in the trees growing in the center of the circle. Little did she know that she was taking the first step to forming a collective effort to refurbish her neighborhood. So, with a general consensus, lights were strung and lit and the rotunda began its transformation. Other artists and shop owners noticed the change in complexion and a new energy started feeding upon itself. Paula is the first to point out that this transformation has been a joint effort by everyone involved and has never been intended to be the “Spotlight on Paula Show.” To the contrary, it has evolved and is evolving as a collective effort. Her nearby neighbors Mary, Livia, and Soledad have already started by moving some of their works outside the shop and interacting with the visitors, even creating their works live as a kind of demonstration for any of the passersby who care to stop and watch their performances.

More artists began inquiring about getting involved, so Paula used her telephone network calling technique to create more space and contact musicians, performing artists, and craftspeople to launch the first Saturday “Arte en Vivo” show, last month, including live fire stick jugglers and free live music by Avellino, Ziggy, and Jon Lucas.  The response has been very positive and the neighborhood has begun to rally behind a common cause. In the process, “Arte en Vivo” has become a regular Saturday event, beginning at six-thirty in the evening.

Ever a visionary, Paula is now ready to pursue her BIG IDEA, which would be to take the presentation to a much larger level. She would like to see the rotunda cordoned off from cars and trucks on Saturdays and made available strictly to pedestrian traffic. A fair amount of communities all over the globe have succeeded in doing this, but it takes a community effort to pull it off successfully. And that means a group commitment to responsibilities and, of course, money. Paula admits that when she presented the idea of putting up the lights, to a person, every shop proprietor responded positively. But when it came time to pay for it, not every one did. To take this event to the next level would require money for the correct paperwork from the municipality in Santa Cruz, security, Porta johns, and a clean-up crew. And the performing artists have to eat, too. Paula is willing to supply the artisans, energy, and connections, but she needs the community to respond with their participation to help transform this part of Playa Tamarindo into an inspiration for travelers to visit the area and spend some of their vacation time here. Walking down Dengue Alley now is a joy, a refurbished former eyesore that reflects the new life and energy of the rotunda. Anyone considering participating in this exciting renaissance should visit Paula at Bahia and experience her refreshing enthusiasm.

Another kind of sharing of art also occurred last month, on the 19^th, at the Pacific Park building: the first exhibit by photographer Isabel Amador. Originally from Turrialba, Isabel worked as a photographer for La Nacion for more than a year. She had been visiting Avellanas, making friends, and falling in love with the area. She eventually purchased cabinas there, where she now lives. It is not fair to the artist or the reader to simply say that the exhibit is a compilation of her photos from a four-year project in Avellanas. The ten photos on display were the finalists from over one hundred of her shots of the area. Isabel stayed true to her school by having the series present a variety of shots from the same general location over a course of time. But, it is the direction she pointed her lens that helps set her work apart. Each photo is a reflection of an image, translated through the ocean’s water, so it has a rippled, other-worldly effect. Honestly, when I initially viewed the pieces, from a distance, I thought they were paintings. They have a dimension and texture unlike most photographs. The ten works were all presented in a large format on very high-quality paper. She has also transferred her works onto buttons, T-shirts, postcards, and canvas bags, which I thought were very cool.

ISABEL WILL BE DISPLAYING HER EXHIBIT, APPROPRIATELY TITLED “180 GRADOS” (180 DEGREES), AT THE PACIFIC PARK BUILDING, IN STUDIO #3, FROM 6.00 P.M TO 9.00 P.M EVERY EVENING THROUGH THE 19TH OF JANUARY. Isabel confided that she is in the formulation process of a new idea, a new direction. Given the impact of her first one, I am looking forward to the next. I should also mention that the event was catered by Basilico Catering, who offered three tapas: cucumber slices with a humus topping, cherry tomato halves garnished with buffalo cheese, and my favorite, breaded meatballs with a chipotle dip.

So, Tamarindo seems to be at a crossroads, one where the community as a whole will make a collective decision as to where they are all going. It’s going to be an interesting year!