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Works of Costa Rican artists in a local gallery reveal innovation in mediums and subject matter.
By BRANDY STARK
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 22, 2001
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Florida Craftsmen Gallery's current show features a cultural exchange of art between 14 selected Florida artists and four Costa Rican artists. Some unusual mediums from the Costa Rican artists are on display. Grace Herrera's handmade paper creates a dynamic display with her De La Serie: Memoria Ancestral. Seven pieces comprise the series, all featuring paper made from native Costa Rican plants. Some include paper dyed with multiple pastel colors, others are two-toned works. Native feathers, shells, sticks or stones augment the works.Memoria Ancestral: #7 may be the most eye-catching of the series. Unlike the other six works, this larger work is shaped like an ancestral crest, worn like a poncho, with multiple levels of eye-catching colors.
Alberto Murillo's color woodcuts create a sense of drama. His Las Corridas #10 involves the viewer as bulls run through the streets of a village. As the crowd panics, one unlucky participant, who has fallen into the path of a bull, looks imploringly to the viewer for help. In contrast, Luis Paulino Delgado's woodcuts show more restful scenes from daily life: chairs, homes, people, trees and plants.
Julia Villalobos adds her own touch to the show with her metal-smithing. Her silver jewelry offers a variety of intricate curves that create a sense of motion, without becoming overly dramatic. Her technique is refined, yet unique.
The Costa Rican artists share some personal ties. Grace Herrera is the mother of Alberto Murillo, married to Julia Villalobos. Herrera and Murillo are descended from Francisco Amighetti, a Costa Rican artist known for his revolutionary style and large body of work. Herrera and Delgado, though not related, have been colleagues and friends for many years.
The 14 Florida artists chosen to send art to Costa Rica are also displayed in the Florida Craftsmen show. These works were shown in San Jose, Costa Rica, last month. Among the artists are Jan L. Boyer, Diane Borden Jones, Loyd Jones, Betty Kjelson and Tom McCarthy.
"It was a great honor to be in this show," says Boyer, a cloth artist who lives in Clearwater. "It was exciting to meet artists of other cultures. I'd love to see more cultural exchanges take place. It really broadens our horizons."
The first Costa Rica/Florida art exchange took place in 1990. The show, though successful, featured fewer artists and was smaller in scale. Oldsmar artist Diane Borden Jones was selected for the first exchange and wanted to try a larger show. In the current exhibit, she displays her own art as well as selected other works; she also was host to the Costa Rican artists for the show's opening.
"Artistically speaking, both sides were very happy to be involved with this show," she said. "We learned so much from one another."
"Contemporary Craft from Costa Rica," at Florida Craftsmen Gallery, 501 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Through April 20. Hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; till 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Closed Sunday. Call (727) 821-7391.