From Campo to the City

April 16, 2016

From Campo to City:

Hard to believe that almost three years ago I came to San Jeronimo for the first time and decided that part of my purpose here in Paraguay was to be a part of adding to the art and beauty of this humble, unassuming neighborhood.  In this time I have come to know and befriend, Ruth, a resident and leader of the cultural happenings in the neighborhood.  As a parting gift and final art project, I have been painting a mural for her on her patio wall.  Often our conversations are about the impressions this mural and art in general has had on the residents and how art can change your entire outlook in a space.  Ruth has seen these effects since San Jeromino's renaissance as an artistic, touristic barrio that began in 2009.  She has seen firsthand how the inhabitants and visitors respond to the art makeover.  Recently, the neighborhood has experienced a decline in visitors but I believe new art projects will rekindle the spirits of the residents and those who support the efforts of this charming corner of the city.

Here is some of the work in progress:

The story of the mural: the tradition of making cocido in its rustic form in the forest as seen on the far left with the humo, or steam traveling across the campo to the city and finally cocido literario represented by the traditional cup on a stack of books.