Portoviejo/Manabi Province/Ecuador – Thanks to the magic of scheduling a post to be published at a specified date and time, this should reach you when the inauguration of Nomadas en Ecuador begins. What follows is my ‘Artist’s Statement’ written specifically for this event. Enjoy!
Nomadas en Ecuador – Artist’s Statement – Lisa Brunetti
About ten years ago on a TACA flight from Guayaquil to San Jose, Costa Rica, I sat beside a lovely Ecuadorian couple from Cuenca. They were on their way to New York City, where their daughter was getting married. I chattered about how much I loved their country, and that after visiting many areas, I was planting roots in Manabi. (Jama) The campo lifestyle was similar to the lazy-day summers of my childhood on a farm near the Mississippi River in southern USA. I felt as if I had stepped through a portal back in time – except the temperatures never dipped below freezing, and there were Howler Monkeys and palm trees! I never considered that the Lima beans we planted, harvested and shelled in Mississippi had origins in South America!
After a pause in our oh-so-easy conversation, the gentleman slipped in a subtle question:
“So do you know viche?”
Without one second of hesitation, I confirmed, “I LOVE viche!”
They both chuckled, and the conversation veered to culinary topics.
When people ask me about what it’s like to live in Manabi, I mention viche, corviche, encebollado, torta de pescado, tortilla de yucca and tongas. I tell them about the abundance of fruits and vegetables, about the versatile green plantain, and about the grand Ceibo trees that stand strong and stretch their fingers toward the sky. (Their humanesque torsos trigger my imagination; I picture them waltzing beneath a full-moon sky while the humans are sleeping!) Palo Santo! Ah, what a powerful-yet-inconspicious tree! When out of the country, I travel with a stick of Palo Santo tucked in my bag; that unique fragrance connects me back to the land that grounds me!
What I cherish most about the entire country of Ecuador is the kindness of its people. They’re not only kind but are also happy! Happy people, respectful people, courteous people, generous people! They smile a lot, and they are kind to strangers. How well I remember the early days when someone would say as I walked through Jama, “Gringita! It’s too hot! Sit -” and they might give me a frozen yogurt or a glass of coconut water. Sometimes they handed me a few green plantains – and once a chunk of peanut brittle! How could one not adore these kind people?!
The locals of Jama embraced me into their community, yet the 2015 dengue and chikungunya epidemic made us partners in suffering. Who would have guessed that a year later an even-greater challenge would unite us all? We will all remember where we were when the 7.8 earthquake altered all of our lives. It also united us, and slowly we have adjusted, adapted and moved forward.
After a year of being a true nomad, I found a new place to call home in Manabi. Transplanted to Poza Honda – an hour inland from Portoviejo – I am now almost-completely immersed in the bosque, where Rufous-headed Chachalacas, Brown Wood Rails, and my beloved Howler Monkeys provide extremely-vocal soundtracks for each day. An ever-changing cast of birds distracts me, and many hours are spent observing those beauties. Long leisurely walks bring new inspirations, and I often return with relics in hand. Some of those relics find their way into my paintings. This ultra-quiet new location provides a surplus of subject matter, as I attempt to capture through studies – one species at a time.
While I was writing this statement, my sweet neighbor Melissa knocked on my door and presented still-warm tortillas de yucca! Surrounded by beauty, breathing pure air, and enjoying the lifestyle of this area, I proudly proclaim, “Yo Soy Manaba!”
Lisa Brunetti – June 11, 2018 – Poza Honda/Santa Ana/Manabi/Ecuador
My sweet neighbor Melissa has been extremely helpful; in this image she’s carrying framed paintings to the truck.
Squirrel Cuckoo Feather – watercolor by Lisa Brunetti
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
Lovely, Z.
Dear Don! Thank you so much for your continued support! 🙂
Love the feather, Lisa, and the story made me smile. It’s wonderful to read about such lovely and loving people.
janet
Thank you Janet, not only for this comment and support, but for so many times you’ve given your support. You are a much-appreciated gift!
It’s always my pleasure, Lisa.
Wishing you much success with the exhibition, Lisa!
thank you! it went well, and even better was getting to know the other artists, all comparing notes of our challenges and rewards of ‘evolving.’ i’m still so proud of your son!
So glad to know that the exhibition is going well for you and the other talents there, Lisa! Thanks so much also for the kind comment about Joubert. Tomorrow is his ninth birthday and I can’t help but wonder what life still has in store for him.
How beautiful and exciting, wishing you all the best! Best, Babsje
thank you so much, and all went well! everyone loved the nature studies!!!! will be working on an update with photos, but that will probably be next week!
That’s great, very happy for you. I’ve been an occasional follower of your posts over the years and one that is still burned in memory from 4 or 5 years ago is your story of finding your beautiful ocean wave scene photo in an airline magazine, which was a horrible violation of your rights to your art. One takeaway for me from your story is to never put the most special art or photos out on the internet. Almost none of my own best photos are online, and I thank you again for sharing your experience with your readers. Although I had a show last year and after the fact discovered that a media outlet reprinted one of my favorites but cropped off my copyright notice. Ugh. Anyway, very happy for your success. Best, Babsje
thanks for that feedback – all of interest for many people…. as for someone cropping out your copyright and then using it, that is considered a huge crime if the image is used for monetary gain…. but then we have to decide, is it worth it? usually it’s about ego and easier just to let it go.. but sometimes, it’s just – not- right…. there has been a recent ‘stumbling upon’ lots of my images used to market someone’s property.. images that i took, own, etc, and never gave them rights — but honestly it’s just not worth saying, whoaaaa. how about just giving credit to the images?’ friends were indignant in my behalf, so iit was best to just drop it/let it go.
thank you again for sharing your own story..
I so wish I was there for this. You have been so patient to have this finally come together. I am sure it will be a success and there will be more to come. I look forward to the post show blog and photos. Best to you Amiga! Love
Ah, dear Marie, you were here in spirit! You would have loved to meet the other artists, and I suspect that one day you will meet them! I see that Penn has received buckets and buckets of rain/flooding, and I hope that your family is all above the flood level!!!
What a wonderful evening among talented artists, especially being able to give you a hug dear Zeebra. Your photos are wonderful, but seeing your paintings in person gave me goosebumps. After living here 7 years , my feet are firmly planted in the sand of Manabi. We who live here in this wonderful country are truly blessed…Si’!! Yo soy Manaba! Abrazo y beso, Mary
My dear friends! It was so wonderful to see your sweet and very loving faces in that crowd last night. Thank you for your patience, and parting was indeed sweet sorrow. I’m wondering if next time we can find a way to have a pre-show meeting for out of town friends, so they’re not patiently waiting for the photo events to be finished!!!! Thank you as always, and for your kind words here on the post!
This was so sweet to read, to get a better idea of who you are and why you’re there. Lovely! And the feather is gorgeous. May the show be a fabulous success.
Alison
Ah, thank you so much, for the thumbs up for the show and the feather! I am loving your series about your travels w/o Don, and even though he could not be with you, it’s given you a very new view of travel in a foreign country… so much ‘good’ there on so many levels. I find that traveling alone opens communications with the locals that I don’t receive when traveling with others..
Anyway, thank you so much for your long-term support!
I’ve never tried scheduling a post, but I really should. Your statement is marvelous and encapsulates all that you have celebrated in your blog over the years. I wish I could have come to the exhibition! Love from Jamaica!
Thank you; the scheduling a post works well for me when I can take advantage of internet options! Thanks for the thumbs up on the statement; as you know, sometimes the words flow well, and sometimes they don’t. This one incubated for a while, and when ready, it flowed easily from soul to computer…
I love your most recent post about the coastal erosion monitoring tower.. it’s still on the screen to read again at home.
Your love of this beautiful place you call home just shines through this post Lisa. You are lucky and blessed to have found your piece of heaven on earth. I’m sure your exhibition will be a fabulous success and I send you hugs and best wishes
Thank you so much, and you and Jack have created your own very special world, where art spills from sketch books to paintings to the garden and even the written word and photography. Thank you for your long time support as well!
Thank you for the lovely comment. Hope all is going well at your exhibition
I echo Pauline. It must be wonderful to have found such a place and to be able to celebrate all that it means to you with your beautiful artwork. Long may you continue to love it, Lisa. 🙂 🙂
Thank you so much, and thanks for your friendship and support for so many years!!!!
When I read you I smile. You warm me as does your art. Each day is an opening when in your presence. My dear Zeebra…congratulations. Few have created a world as beautiful as yours.
I’m glad that my words put a smile in your heart! When/where is your next show?
Happy people! Amazing!!! I love the feather, by the way.
Thank you, Hugh! Yes, the spirit of the people shines through, and of course you caught that! Glad you liked the feather as well!
Lovely to read your artist’s statement. So glad the opening went well.
thank you; it was a nice ‘exercise’ to write the statement. the ecuadorians definitely appreciated what i said about their country!
And I am sure they appreciated how you painted their country. 🙂
Well done, my nomad friend. 🙂 It’s nice for us to read your story again (though this is but a tiny part of it). I went back to the map again too, to find Poza Honda. Such a beautiful place! I’m happy for you all over again.
I’m sorry that I did not run outside and wave to you via Google Earth (if that’s the platform you used!)… Anyway, thanks for peeking, and next time pack your bags and drop in for a visit! Thank you!
When I saw your feather, I smiled and smiled. How appropriate it is — a wonderful symbol for the nest-feathering you’ve done in the world you love. I’m glad to hear the opening pleased you, and I’m certainly looking forward to seeing more of it. We were talking about you at the plant society meeting last week: with great affection, and hopes for more contact in the future among those who’ve met you.
And it made me smile to know that you ‘smiled and smiled.’ I also appreciated your notes about brushes, and it sounds like a good option for brushes.
So glad that ladies at the plant society meeting included me in your conversation! Wouldn’t it be fun to one day fly into |Houston, and with your help I crash the meeting and surprise those lovely ladies?!!
So enjoyed your narrative on this post as you tell of your experiences with whom you now call friends as you settle into their, now yours, wonderful country… Your neighbour indeed looks sweet… and helpful…
I wish you many many more happy hours of togetherness Lisa both eating and drinking the local produce and painting the many wonders upon your doorstep.
Such a delight to catch up and read..
Take care and much love ❤ Sue
so happy the opening went well, good luck to you
Interesting post