While we were traveling in Costa Rica last month, we ventured to the small town of Sarchi to look at the artwork, with the hope of bringing something home with us. I have always loved the Sarchi style of painting ordinary objects with extraordinary designs and color, and I have always said that when we leave Costa Rica I wouldn't go without something painted in Sarchi.
First we checked out all the tourist-trap stores, but eventually we tracked down this nearly 100 year-old factory of oxcarts painted in this style, and where artists learn to paint.
Tucked back around a corner was an area with three dozen easels all facing the front. They were spattered with paint, and looking at an intricately painted sample wagon wheel deconstructed into steps.
The factory itself was dusty and full of cobwebs from spiders I don't care to know the name of. The system to cut and shape the wheels has been unchanged since factory's foundation, and everything is still powered from a water wheel that gushes through the work area and causes a deafening roar.
At this factory we talked to some artisans, and from there we found out about an art fair that was happening just up the street. At the fair there were booths of hand painted items, leather goods, carved woods, and -- again -- tucked back in a corner were easels but in this case it was for children who were learning to paint.
We talked to the man teaching the children, and he agreed to take his back to his studio and show us some items we could have custom painted. We settled on a three quarter sized oxcart yoke, for about 1/4 the price the tourist shops were charging. He asked me what my favorite colors were, and a week later we went back to pick this up.