Olga Saenz, Author at Olga Sáenz

Nature-Inspired Art Workshop: Painting the Wildlife of Costa Rica with Olga Saenz

Dive deep into the essence of Costa Rica’s vibrant wilderness with our specialized nature-inspired art workshop, meticulously crafted and led by Olga Saenz, a renowned artist with a rich background as a naturalist tour guide.

Olga’s transition from exploring the intricate wonders of nature to capturing its raw beauty on canvas has resulted in breathtaking works of oneiric expressionism. Her profound experience as a workshop instructor, alongside her expertise in blogging and SEO, renders her uniquely qualified to guide you on this artistic journey, where the wilderness serves as both muse and classroom.

Your Artistic Expedition Kit (Materials):

Acrylic Paints (Primary Colors):Master the art of color mixing to recreate the endless hues of the natural world.
Paper & Canvas: Your canvas awaits, from initial sketches on paper to the final strokes on canvas, capturing the essence of the wild.
A Diverse Set of Brushes: A selection designed to detail the delicate textures and vibrant scenes of Costa Rican wildlife.
Rags & Water: For the perfect paint consistency and brush care.
A T-Ruler: Ensure precision and proportionality in your artwork with this essential tool.
Black Drawing Pencils and eraser.

Workshop Highlights:

1. Nature Observation:

To start the Nature-Inspired Art Workshop, we will venture into the heart of Costa Rica’s wilderness with Olga, honing your ability to see and capture the subtle nuances of nature, from the delicate veins in a leaf to the flamboyant plumage of tropical birds. Develop the artist eye in the rainforest.

2. Tools and Techniques Introduction:

In the studio, Olga unravels the mysteries of the painter’s arsenal, from the diverse array of brushes to the alchemy of color mixing, setting a solid foundation for your creative exploration.

3. Hands-On Exploration:

Before approaching the canvas, familiarize yourself with various brushes and experiment with mixing colors on paper. This phase is crucial for gaining confidence in your artistic abilities.

4. First Artistic Endeavor:

With personal guidance from Olga, embark on creating your initial piece, learning to layer and refine your work for enhanced depth and realism.

5. Precision Drawing & Grid Technique:

Select a piece of the wild to immortalize and employ a grid technique for a faithful representation on your canvas, focusing on accuracy and aesthetics.

6.The Painting Process:

Guided by your preparatory sketch, delve into painting, with Olga providing expert advice on brush technique and color selection to bring your vision to life with confidence.

7. Cultivating Personal Style:

Throughout the workshop, you’ll be encouraged to explore and develop a unique artistic voice, influenced by Olga’s expertise in oneiric expressionism and her deep bond with nature. This journey will inspire you to create pieces that not only reflect the beauty of Costa Rican wildlife but also resonate with your innermost self.

Our nature-inspired art workshop is more than a painting class; it’s an invitation to connect with the Costa Rican natural world, unlock your creative potential, and learn from an artist who has seamlessly blended her passion for nature with her art. Join us for an unforgettable journey where the artistry of nature and canvas merge.

Painting Workshop in San José

The experience of painting, like any other, can be a manifestation of joy, freedom and creativity, or a journey into the hell of insecurity, stress and pressure for continuous improvement. It will always be a choice.

One of the rules, perhaps the most striking of my workshops is that in principle, I ask not to imitate anything. Just paint, whatever comes out, however it comes out. It is not about painting “well”. It is about opening yourself to paint. To express yourself through colors and shapes. To give yourself the opportunity.

The painting workshop lasts between two hours but can be extended to three hours.

We start walking outside, in nature (weather permitting). We see details such as the play of shadows and lights, so magical when we talk about trees, wind and movements. We see textures, unusual formations. We look closely at the bark of the trees, and touch the softness of the petals: we witness the dry rigidity of what has died, and we contemplate, sometimes in absolute amazement, the contrast of something that is just being born.

And yes, of course, we see contrasts! We see colors, the differences, the similarities, what moves us, what makes us go into silence. We go around individually just looking at shapes, maybe even photographing the ones that call to us the most. We contemplate the macro, and how we perceive the world in 3D.

Observation is transcendent to understand that shapes are easier to imitate than we think and, on the other hand, it allows us to let our imagination run free in dimensions in which we do not move much.

In the second part, we return to the studio where, in principle, we review materials, and I give some technical directions:

Color mixtures to achieve shades
Brushes and their different uses
The use of rags, wet brush, dry brush, etc.
The direction of the shadows
Texture formation
Transcendent details

I usually work with primary colors, black and white.

We start painting on paper (if possible recyclable) and with acrylics.

This first part is more for testing, experimenting with brushes and their shapes, colors and their combinations, shapes, definitions, strokes. We test, and experiment.

It goes a little bit towards letting go of the expectations we had about the experience and facing our true feelings, which can often be uncomfortable and frustrating. And that’s exactly where the adventure begins!

When we realize that the image we have of ourselves painting and the experience of painting are not the same, we often dismiss ourselves as artists. We surrender to the “reality” that no, we are not as talented as we would have liked to think.

And yet! It turns out we do. We just have to give ourselves the gift of patience with ourselves.

We went on then. Already frustrated, already angry because it wasn’t so pretty.

That’s when I challenge you to let go of your expectations. To let go of what you imagined and let yourself be carried away by the brushes and the colors.

When we let go of the image we had of ourselves, we allow ourselves the luxury of freedom without compromise. You are what you are. You do what you do. You let yourself be carried away by the music, the conversation, the laughter, what you see, what you feel.

We move on to the canva

When you finally face the canva, that menacing white canvas that challenges you to turn it into something meaningful, you can answer it, painting over it, doing whatever you want. Saying every three seconds “What if …” and challenging the colors to give you the result of the experiment. You discover the shape, the color, the texture; and in them you discover yourself.

We don’t pat ourselves on the back and tell each other we’ll do better next time. We just get our heads down on the canvas. It doesn’t matter if we don’t get it right. It’s about doing it, experiencing yourself as an artist and seeing what happens!

In my experience, when you let go of what you “should” and do what you “want” on the canvas, interesting things come out from underneath, you are surprised by yourself, by what you didn’t know. And it is that art often guides you to see a little bit beyond the image and to find yourself, how you see yourself and how you express yourself.

If you want to experience it, send me a message to +506-88615261 or to o.arteypaz@gmail.com.

Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica, a guide from Epic Adventures

Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica is among the world’s most magnificent, diversified, and inaccessible jungles. It is the perfect excursion for any serious nature enthusiast. Whether you join us on our trip from Manuel Antonio or go on your own, we want to provide you with all of the local knowledge you need to experience this mysterious national park.

I have just finished reading La Carcoma by Daniel Fiopiani | Opinion

I do content writing for web; I don’t get to be a writer, actually. I could say that I am a copywriter. So, from this tiny window, criticizing a serious writer seems blasphemous to me. But Daniel Fiopiani’s La Carcoma deserves to be read and reviewed.

Why do I study A Course in Miracles? What is it about?

Why do I study A Course in Miracles? What is it about? A Course in Miracles is a book, a spiritual path, a point of view, a daily decision and a tool manual.
I have not always agreed with everything it proposes, however, over the years, the Course has given me more strength, faith and peace than anything else in this chaotic world.

Experience in my Art Studio in San Jose

With increasing frequency tourists come to my home/studio. Known guides, friends, bring their passengers to see my art studio in San José, and by the way, Morazán from another perspective. It is always a satisfying experience, whether they buy or not. This one is a different one.

Arenal Volcano Region – From Tavo Leon Customized Tours

Almost anyone who has been in contact with Costa Rica would have heard, at least, of the Arenal Volcano, the nearby town of La Fortuna, its magnificent biodiversity and incredible array of activities.

The Arenal Volcano has been known, not only because of its perfect conic shape and the long lasting legend of its last eruptive period, but also because of its magnificent rainforests, its fantastic hot springs, and a breathtaking array of different activities for all ages and possibilities.

Please read on to find out all you want to know about the Arenal Volcano Region.

Last Eruptive Period of the Arenal Volcano

The Arenal Volcano used to be tremendously active, up until October 2010, and famous for its photoshopped fire on the sides. This incredible eruptive period created the original travel industry of the Arenal Volcano Region and its nearby town la Fortuna.

Before tourism arrived in 1988, the area was a prosperous beef and dairy cattle region. However even if it was very prosperous, it was very isolated, and quite remote.

When tourism started in the country, La Fortuna (the nearest town to the Arenal Volcano) was a tiny village with gravel roads. There was access to it thanks to the electric company and the Arenal Lake hydroelectric dam. Wherever there is a dam, there is a good road to it. That is almost a law on the infamous Costa Rican roads. It actually used to be that if there was a good road, there was a dam somewhere!

So, anyway, La Fortuna was this small, untouched Arenal Volcano village that lied in the right place (thanks to its position, the violent eruptions of the Arenal Volcano never touched it) and had one old wooden hotel and one little four-table restaurant. As the Arenal Volcano was erupting an average of an explosion every twenty minutes, people began coming to see it. One day trips from San José to see the Arenal Volcano. The Arenal Volcano tours lasted about 12–14 hours. And it was merely, “Go, sit on a rock, wait until the Arenal Volcano erupts, and go back to San José.” That was it.

But then, one day, another restaurant opened and a hotel opened in La Fortuna near the Arenal Volcano, and little by little, the cattle farmers of the area began to turn their pastures into hotels and tourist attractions.

Little by little, but actually quite fast, the region of Arenal near the Arenal Volcano is filled with all sorts of activities, shaded by the thrill of a possible Arenal Volcano eruption at any time. And when it happened, tourists stopped doing whatever they were doing—waiting on a platform to go zip-lining, walking on a rainforest trail, or soaking in hot springs near the Arenal Volcano. Everyone would simply look up and be in awe of the power of nature in the perfect cone of the erupting Arenal Volcano.

Until one day in October 2010, the Arenal Volcano stopped. One last eruption, and that was it. It fell asleep. And it can be dormant for a few months or hundreds of years near La Fortuna. There is no way to know. But then, you simply had to stop and look around. Here we were; the main attraction was gone. However, the area itself around the Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna has turned into one of the most fantastic places in Costa Rica!

Once the eruptions ended

While everyone was thinking of what to do while the Arenal Volcano erupted, the inhabitants of La Fortuna, near the Arenal Volcano, created this amazing natural adventure park with everything from extreme to soothing!

In the Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna areas, you can find:

Hot Springs: At least five very attractive projects, from heavenly calmed to party, noise, and water slides.

Ziplines: If all the trees in the area were cut, there would be an enormous amount of entangled cables all over the place, as there are at least ten different canopy tours, from mild to extreme.

Rafting, from class III to class V.

Waterfall Rappelling or Canyoning: There are at least three different projects, all of them thrilling, safe, and in primary forests.

Horseback: This is an area of cowboys; horseback riding is like breathing!

Hanging Bridges: At least two projects with several high, wide, and safe hanging bridges in the canopy of the forest

Organic Touristic Farms: With an abundance of products in super fertile soils, the organic farms or the Arenal area are almost a compulsory visit if you want to see the cultural side of the region.

Spas: By dozens! Almost in every hotel and some in La Fortuna, this is one of the gifts of the area.

Rainforest Hikes: Also everywhere! The rainforest at Arenal is one of the most diverse in the country, and there are several protected primary forests.

Bird Watching: In the zone of Arenal, there are over 340 species of birds, from super colorful like the Passerine’s Tanager or the Keel-billed Toucan to the bizarre call of the Oropendola Montezuma.

Wildlife Sighting River Floating Tours Some of the rivers in the area have fantastic wildlife sightings and gorgeous landscapes. Worth the day if you are into mild, easy adventures.

Arenal Waterfall: the most beautiful and pristine waterfall in the midst of a primary rainforest. You have to go down hundreds of steps (and go back up to exit!) but the view and swimming in its pond are absolutely worth it!

There are many more activities to do in the area; the list is almost infinite! From paddle boarding and wind surfing in the lake to rainforest aerial trams and river tubing to pineapple and chocolate tours… However, we are listing some of the most popular.

Check them out with our travel consultants! It is truly an infinite and vigorous region!

This was published first at:

Saenz, O. (2024, April 5). Arenal Volcano. Tavo Leon – Customized Tours. https://tavoleon.com/arenal-volcano/

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Where to see wildlife in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica | Epic Adventures

To see wildlife in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, sometimes is just a matter of looking out and up from wherever you are staying. This region is extremely rich in monkeys, sloths and birds sightings.

But yes, we get it. Which are the best wildlife tours in Manuel Antonio? And why is it much better to take an expertly guided tour than to go on your own?

Experience the Wonders of Costa Rica’s Wildlife with an Expert Guide

Manuel Antonio and its surrounding areas in Costa Rica boast some of the most diverse wildlife and breathtaking natural landscapes in Central America. From sloths lazily clinging to trees to troops of energetic squirrel monkeys, you never know what amazing animals you might encounter here.

To maximize your chances of wildlife sightings and fully appreciate these complex ecosystems, the expert naturalist guides at Epic Adventures are the way to go.

Prime Optical Gear in a Manuel Antonio Rainforest Safari

Unlike attempting to explore Manuel Antonio’s national park or the remote Corcovado rainforest on your own, our professional guides have extensive knowledge of the local habitats and animal behaviors. They know exactly when and where to search for elusive creatures like basilisks, iguanas or some mammals, or how to safely approach vibrant toucans perched high above.

Even after dark, our guides can expertly navigate night hikes, spotting unique nocturnal species like kinkajous and owls that you’d likely miss without trained assistance.

In Damas Mangroves, Epic Adventures guides will quietly paddle you through the estuaries for up-close viewing of crocodiles, herons, sloths, and monkeys. At thundering Nauyaca Waterfalls, they’ll reveal the best and safest areas to observe vibrant butterflies and exotic birds. With the aid of spotting scopes and binoculars, our guides ensure you don’t miss a thing, providing fascinating commentary all the while.

Which are the best wildlife spotting tours in Manuel Antonio?

Rainmaker Nature Reserve Guided Tour

Rainmaker Nature Reserve is a top wildlife spotting tour in Manuel Antonio. During this private reserve tour, trained naturalist guides can help you observe several sorts of animals and a most majestic rainfores from Rainmaker’s trails and bridges.

With their knowledge, guides maximize your chances of wildlife sightings in Manuel Antonio on this tour.

Possible Wildlife Sightings in the Rainmaker Tour:

Mantled Howler Monkey (Alouatta palliata)
White-faced Capuchin (Cebus capucinus)
Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii)
Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao)
Charming Hummingbird (Amazilia decora)
Blue-gray Tanager (Thraupis episcopus)

Manuel Antonio National Park

The Manuel Antonio National Park tour is ideal for wildlife spotting in Manuel Antonio.

This guided hike through lush forest and along pristine beaches provides opportunities to see monkeys like white-faced capuchins, squirrel monkeys, and howler monkeys.

A guided jungle safari in Manuel Antonio

With an expert guide to point out hard-to-find species, you’re sure to see incredible wildlife in Manuel Antonio on this tour.

Possible Wildlife Sightings in Manuel Antonio National Park

Mantled Howler Monkey (Alouatta palliata)
White-faced Capuchin (Cebus capucinus)
Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii)
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao)
White-tailed Trogon (Trogon viridis)
Blue-crowned Motmot (Momotus coeruliceps)
Clay-colored Thrush (Turdus grayi)

Corcovado National Park from Manuel Antonio

For an incredible wildlife experience from Manuel Antonio, Corcovado National Park’s day tour is ideal for wildlife spotting. This guided tour takes you to Corcovado by boat and comfortable AC vehicle.

Corcovado National Park | Costa Rica Ecotourism — Corcovado National Park

Though only a day, Corcovado is home to all four monkey species, Baird’s tapirs, peccaries, endangered jaguars, and over 400 bird species. With a full day of hiking guided by expert naturalists, you have an excellent opportunity to see amazing wildlife in Corcovado’s stunning surroundings, without needing to stay overnight. This day trip maximizes your chances of wildlife sightings from Manuel Antonio.

Tapir in a Jungle Safari in Manuel Antonio — Tapir in a Jungle Safari

Possible Wildlife Sightings in Corcovado National Park

Mantled Howler Monkey (Alouatta palliata)
White-faced Capuchin (Cebus capucinus)
Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii)
Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao)
Charming Hummingbird (Amazilia decora)
Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus)
Riverside Wren (Cantorchilus semibadius)

Damas Mangroves Estuary

The Damas Island Estuary boat tour provides unique wildlife spotting in Manuel Antonio. With an experienced captain and guide, you’ll get extremely close to incredible wildlife in Manuel Antonio’s coastal estuaries.

Possible Wildlife Sightings in Damas Mangroves Estuary

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta albilinea)
Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius)
Bare-throated Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum)
Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana)
Amazon Kingfisher (Chloroceryle amazona)
Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)

Don’t just walk by yourself through these awe-inspiring wild places – experience them to the fullest with the expertise of Epic Adventures naturalists! From family tours to personalized adventures, we provide memories to last a lifetime. Let us show you the incredible wildlife Manuel Antonio has to offer!

References:

Jenn and Matt. (2022, September 9). The Wildlife of Manuel Antonio National Park – Two Weeks in Costa Rica. Two Weeks in Costa Rica. https://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/wildlife-manuel-antonio-national-park/

Monkey Spotting in Manuel Antonio. (2023). Adventure Tours Costa Rica. https://www.adventuretourscostarica.com/es/blog/monkey-spotting-in-manuel-antonio

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This article was published first at: Epic Adventures Costa Rica. The best tour operator in the region of Quepos and Manuel Antonio.

The Incredibly Useless Transcendence of Art.

Art is only an instant. That is all it is.

It’s a moment in the ear of a wave that we interpret as music, it’s a piece of decoration that catches our eye that can only cover a point at a time. If an artist does very well, it becomes a collectible item. Useless and purposeless.

And yet! And yet, millions are paid for pieces of art by this or that artist. Art is a symbol of status, a way to show that I can afford the price of having an “original work” hanging on the wall.

Isn’t it fascinating?

Art serves no purpose and yet it is expensive. And a sign of culture, sensibility and knowledge. “Cultured people” are supposed to like art… Aren’t they?

Why such a useless set of items continue to thrive amongst the worst of times? Haven’t you wondered? I have done it since I started painting!

Why does it fascinate us?

Furthermore, why do I continue to create art, whether people buy it or not?

It’s a question I have always asked myself seriously. I asked the question when my art was hidden in my house, and when I saw people in awe at it, I am asking this question as I am writing this… Why does creativity fascinate us? What is it about art expression that touches us so deeply?

Right at this moment, I am asking myself: Why do I write… if those who read me already know it and those I would like to talk to aren’t interested? Why do I keep on writing, as useless as it is?

And even worst! Why do I paint? As costly as it is! Even though I try hard, I don’t see its purpose in the daily life.

I mean, I do art, a totally disposable endeavor. And yet… There hasn’t been a day in the past nine years when painting hasn’t felt as needed as breathing.

It’s inexplicable, indescribable. There’s nothing in time/space that compares to it, and yet we have all experienced it at some point. Even if you’re not an “official artist” (I’m not an “official” artist because I don’t have a degree from an academy or university, mind you!). You have felt it, if only a little, in the playful rhythm of a song or in the look of a photograph that caught your eye.

Why… Oh! Why? I may have an explanation!

Art is the purest communication of Mystery with the human Spirit.

No one can describe it, no one can encapsulate it. And every artist knows deep down in their heart, against the resistance of their ego, that they have little or nothing to do with their work. It simply passes through the silence of our hands, our fingers, our bodies, and explodes into millions of pieces that we will never even begin to grasp.

No one knows the range of influence their presence has on the planet. Yet, the bull of Altamira has been winking at us for thousands of years without needing anything from its artist.

I repeat: No one knows the range of influence their presence has on the planet.

We know about some, from Plato to Mozart. The names are never important. In fact, the human behind the artist never is. What is transcendent is always the message.

The essential thing about art is its communication with the ineffable. (For those who don’t know what “ineffable” means, it’s a lovely Sunday word to describe what cannot even be imagined.)

Art speaks to your Spirit directly. And most of the time, you have no idea what it’s saying, but it changes you from within, leaving you amazed, touched, and marveling. The sublime and the grotesque alike.

It communicates through time and space. It’s not something the artist can capture. It’s there, despite numbers and statistics, despite wars and terror, despite the brutal boredom of comfort. It’s there, speaking to us through Beethoven and Metallica, through Kandinsky and the Greek who polished the Venus de Milo.

It was there in every dancing step of Isadora Duncan, all disappeared into the mist of time, and unexpectedly we will find it on the common platform of all mortals. In the infinitesimal instant of a chord or a spoken word that moves something, that creates a stir. Or joy, or whatever!

It’s there, through anyone who carries their passion as a banner and allows themselves to be in a state of permanent wonder.

It’s there.

Like Everything always is. Speaking to us.

It spreads like ivy and covers everything with wonders.

In the end, artists are like children who love to play endlessly. , and maybe, just maybe, we are just messengers of Another Voice, reminding everyone the absolute importance of having fun!

🙂

The Benefits of Expert Content Writing

Content writing is a key aspect of the online success of any company or business. In Costa Rica, where competition in the digital market is increasing, it is even more important to have a solid content writing strategy.