Celebrating World Art Day in Quepos, Costa Rica

This weekend Marina Pez Vela is where things are happening celebrating World Art Day.

This afternoon, several artists have displayed their art, Rocio Perez from Immaculata displayed her acrylic, pencil and painted glass of animals, showcasing a beautiful stallion. While, Billy Mamaya, originally from Mexico, but for many years a resident of Quepos, having the Latin American influence, displayed his Mexican Shaman and the painting of the first bodega in Manuel Antonio owned by Dona Mancha, who passed away this past year. Billy proudly shared that Dona Mancha built and operated the first store 3 km from Quepos across what is now Barba Roja. The storefront, he said, was colorfully designed by an artist who painted for free beer. Pat Cheek showcased her pottery she has been designing over the past four years. She shared that she took classes from La Tombola before the artist moved to Jaco. Pat displayed her mugs, bowls butter dishes and vases, among many other lovely pieces. Pat lives in Quepos. Louis Enrique Campos, originally from Mexico, living near San Jose, showcased his wonderful inks depicting the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, Mainly Limon’s style of architecture.

Some artists were setting up as the little hidden treasure of Quepos, was getting ready to play.

Did you know that Quepos has an orchestra? Well, we do, Orquestra SiNEM Quepos,(El Sistema Nacional de Educacion Musical), it is the hidden treasure in our little town. Sponsored by Costa Rican Ministry of Culture, 12 years ago music was promoted to the children of Quepos in an after-school program. The program constitutes 1 class a week of instrumentals and 1 class a week of orchestra practice, the rest of the week practice, practice and more practice at home. There are 70 children as young as age 4 to adults in the program and 30 have been selected to be part of the orchestra, ages ranging from 8 to early 40’s. The Orchestra Director, Javier started as a teen in the program and 6 years ago became the Director.

Alejandro, a parent of the youngest child in the program and a father of an 8-year-old clarinet #3 player, shared that the ministry provides all the instruments to the program and presently they are in search of a permanent home here in Quepos. He discussed that the children start playing piano, which is made fun for the young ones, and develop a passion for the arts while learning structure, routine and working in a team, gaining work ethic and a drive for higher learning. Then he shared with pride that one of the teens, 16-year-old Eliam, out of 2,500 violinists was selected as one of 20 to the National Orchestra recently. Wow, our little town has a prodigy soon to have the highest honor in Costa Rica.

The seats were beginning to fill as the orchestra was setting up and tuning their instruments and five minutes later, the wonderful music of Verdi silenced the crowd, then, of course, Beethoven with the finale of John Williams’ Star Wars. As the orchestra moved from one piece to the next, the confidence became stronger and the music more powerful. What a wonderful event to end a beautiful day in the little town of Quepos, Costa Rica.

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